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Cenozoic History Timeline

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Neanderthals evolve.
0.35 Ma
35 Ma
0.3 Ma
20 Ma

2. First creodonts.
0.6 Ma
63 Ma
28 Ma
0.2 Ma

3. Whales return to the water.
37 Ma
35 Ma
2.6 Ma
49 Ma

4. The mammoth appears.
0.2 Ma
2.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
5 Ma

5. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
2.7 Ma
0.5 Ma
35 Ma
26 Ma

6. First Nimravids.
55 Ma
40 Ma
37 Ma
18-12 Ma

7. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
52 Ma
3 Ma
63 Ma
2.6 Ma

8. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
10 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.79 Ma

9. Gastornis evolves.
60 Ma
56 Ma
0.7 Ma
0.79 Ma

10. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
28 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
55 Ma
0.7 Ma

11. start of the Pleistocene epoch - the Stone Age and the current Quaternary period; emergence of the genus Homo. Smilodon - the best known of the sabre-toothed cats - appears.
37 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.79 Ma

12. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
20 Ma
35 Ma
33 Ma
18-12 Ma

13. First creodonts.
1.5 Ma
52 Ma
63 Ma
2.6 Ma

14. Paranthropus evolve.
2.7 Ma
0.3 Ma
49 Ma
0.6 Ma

15. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
35 Ma
15 Ma
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

16. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
4.5 Ma
28 Ma
0.5 Ma

17. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
24 Ma
1.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.6 Ma

18. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
33 Ma
55 Ma
0.2 Ma
18-12 Ma

19. Neanderthals evolve.
34 Ma
33 Ma
0.35 Ma
4.8 Ma

20. First members of the Hominini tribe.
5 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.7 Ma
49 Ma

21. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
5 Ma
60 Ma
2.6 Ma
25 Ma

22. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
0.2 Ma
50 Ma
40 Ma
37 Ma

23. current ice age begins
2.6 Ma
20 Ma
33 Ma
37 Ma

24. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
0.3 Ma
33 Ma
0.35 Ma
6 Ma

25. Insects diversify.First large horses.
10 Ma
30 Ma
20 Ma
0.35 Ma

26. current ice age begins
1.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
2.5 Ma

27. Gastornis evolves.
4.8 Ma
0.64 Ma
24 Ma
56 Ma

28. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
1.5 Ma
35 Ma
50 Ma
3 Ma

29. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
1.7 Ma
2.7 Ma
1.2 Ma

30. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
5 Ma
40 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.79 Ma

31. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
49 Ma
1.5 Ma
37 Ma
20 Ma

32. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
30 Ma
0.7 Ma
15 Ma
56 Ma

33. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
4.5 Ma
6 Ma
26 Ma

34. Cats evolve.
26 Ma
34 Ma
0.5 Ma
25 Ma

35. Emergence of the first true elephants.
34 Ma
15 Ma
26 Ma
0.35 Ma

36. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.6 Ma
52 Ma
0.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

37. Yellowstone caldera erupts
5.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
10 Ma
0.64 Ma

38. Australopithecines go extinct.
0.6 Ma
1.7 Ma
5 Ma
56 Ma

39. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
10 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.5 Ma
30 Ma

40. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.64 Ma
10 Ma
4.8 Ma
55 Ma

41. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
0.64 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.2 Ma
3 Ma

42. Whales return to the water.
52 Ma
49 Ma
35 Ma
52 Ma

43. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.79 Ma
6 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.2 Ma

44. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
10 Ma
4.8 Ma
56 Ma

45. Paranthropus evolve.
0.79 Ma
56 Ma
30 Ma
2.7 Ma

46. First bats.
2.7 Ma
30 Ma
52 Ma
1.2 Ma

47. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
2.6 Ma
3 Ma
33 Ma
49 Ma

48. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.7 Ma
5 Ma

49. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
49 Ma
3 Ma
5.5 Ma

50. First members of the Hominini tribe.
56 Ma
52 Ma
50 Ma
6.5 Ma