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Cenozoic History Timeline

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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. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
55 Ma
6 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.6 Ma

2. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
1.5 Ma
49 Ma
36 Ma
28 Ma

3. Paraceratherium evolves.
40 Ma
28 Ma
37 Ma
1.5 Ma

4. current ice age begins
2.6 Ma
36 Ma
63 Ma
0.79 Ma

5. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
15 Ma
10 Ma
2.6 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

6. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.64 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
1.5 Ma

7. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
0.35 Ma
60 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
56 Ma

8. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
63 Ma
50 Ma
5.5 Ma
24 Ma

9. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
3 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.7 Ma

10. First bats.
2.5 Ma
52 Ma
49 Ma
15 Ma

11. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
33 Ma
25 Ma
20 Ma
2.7 Ma

12. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
50 Ma
6.5 Ma
60 Ma

13. First deer.
5 Ma
25 Ma
60 Ma
4.5 Ma

14. The mammoth appears.
0.6 Ma
6.5 Ma
1.2 Ma
4.8 Ma

15. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
36 Ma
33 Ma
30 Ma
1.5 Ma

16. current ice age begins
40 Ma
1.2 Ma
24 Ma
2.6 Ma

17. Paranthropus evolve.
0.2 Ma
0.7 Ma
34 Ma
2.7 Ma

18. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
37 Ma
0.79 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.6 Ma

19. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
33 Ma
10 Ma
0.64 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

20. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
0.2 Ma
2.6 Ma
36 Ma
5 Ma

21. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.3 Ma

22. First creodonts.
63 Ma
0.79 Ma
24 Ma
10 Ma

23. Neanderthals evolve.
30 Ma
0.35 Ma
52 Ma
0.7 Ma

24. First bats.
1.5 Ma
52 Ma
40 Ma
28 Ma

25. The island of theIndian subcontinent collides with Asia - thrusting up the Himalayas and the Tibetan Plateau. Many modern bird groups appear.First whale ancestors.First rodents - lagomorphs - armadillos - sirenians - proboscideans - perissodactyls -
0.7 Ma
0.35 Ma
15 Ma
55 Ma

26. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
25 Ma
0.7 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.2 Ma

27. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
36 Ma
0.35 Ma
20 Ma
1.2 Ma

28. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
18-12 Ma
25 Ma
3 Ma

29. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
0.7 Ma
0.2 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
36 Ma

30. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
37 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.5 Ma

31. 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.
63 Ma
6 Ma
40 Ma
2.5 Ma

32. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.3 Ma
0.6 Ma
5 Ma
55 Ma

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

34. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
35 Ma
18-12 Ma
20 Ma
24 Ma

35. 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.
25 Ma
2.5 Ma
35 Ma
33 Ma

36. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
5.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.64 Ma
34 Ma

37. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
56 Ma
1.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
40 Ma

38. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.64 Ma
25 Ma

39. Australopithecines diversify.
52 Ma
30 Ma
6 Ma
20 Ma

40. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
2.6 Ma
6 Ma
0.3 Ma
3 Ma

41. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
49 Ma
34 Ma
2.7 Ma

42. Gastornis evolves.
56 Ma
63 Ma
49 Ma
28 Ma

43. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
5 Ma
34 Ma
30 Ma
6.5 Ma

44. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
1.2 Ma
60 Ma
0.79 Ma
3 Ma

45. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
6 Ma
1.2 Ma
4.5 Ma
2.5 Ma

46. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
0.6 Ma
35 Ma
0.7 Ma

47. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
56 Ma
2.5 Ma
30 Ma
3 Ma

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

49. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
3 Ma
24 Ma
1.5 Ma
35 Ma

50. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.3 Ma
52 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.5 Ma