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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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1. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
60 Ma
1.2 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.7 Ma

2. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
50 Ma
4.5 Ma
26 Ma

3. Cats evolve.
0.7 Ma
34 Ma
5 Ma
0.64 Ma

4. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
6.5 Ma
63 Ma
0.79 Ma
3 Ma

5. Neanderthals evolve.
1.7 Ma
18-12 Ma
30 Ma
0.35 Ma

6. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
0.7 Ma
52 Ma
33 Ma
4.5 Ma

7. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
15 Ma
1.7 Ma
35 Ma
49 Ma

8. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.4-6.3 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
18-12 Ma

9. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
4.5 Ma
24 Ma
28 Ma
0.2 Ma

10. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
2.5 Ma
36 Ma
0.5 Ma
34 Ma

11. Neanderthals evolve.
33 Ma
2.7 Ma
20 Ma
0.35 Ma

12. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
26 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
28 Ma

13. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
2.6 Ma
34 Ma
0.3 Ma

14. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
4.5 Ma
60 Ma
30 Ma
28 Ma

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

16. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
30 Ma
0.2 Ma

17. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
24 Ma
55 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
10 Ma

18. The mammoth appears.
24 Ma
52 Ma
20 Ma
4.8 Ma

19. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
15 Ma
35 Ma
0.7 Ma
40 Ma

20. Australopithecines diversify.
6 Ma
24 Ma
4.5 Ma
55 Ma

21. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
0.64 Ma
3 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.2 Ma

22. First Nimravids.
63 Ma
37 Ma
6 Ma
1.5 Ma

23. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
30 Ma
40 Ma
1.5 Ma

24. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
63 Ma
5 Ma
37 Ma

25. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.3 Ma
50 Ma

26. First members of the Hominini tribe.
36 Ma
6.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.7 Ma

27. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
20 Ma
0.2 Ma
18-12 Ma
6 Ma

28. First deer.
63 Ma
0.3 Ma
5.5 Ma
25 Ma

29. First creodonts.
1.7 Ma
2.6 Ma
35 Ma
63 Ma

30. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
56 Ma
20 Ma
33 Ma
36 Ma

31. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
0.3 Ma
20 Ma
36 Ma
40 Ma

32. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
15 Ma
25 Ma
3 Ma
24 Ma

33. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
37 Ma
0.5 Ma
15 Ma
4.5 Ma

34. Paraceratherium evolves.
33 Ma
25 Ma
36 Ma
28 Ma

35. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
36 Ma
2.6 Ma

36. Paranthropus evolve.
5.5 Ma
34 Ma
2.7 Ma
10 Ma

37. Insects diversify.First large horses.
50 Ma
10 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.7 Ma

38. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
33 Ma
0.6 Ma
30 Ma

39. The mammoth appears.
40 Ma
4.8 Ma
33 Ma
24 Ma

40. current ice age begins
0.3 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
35 Ma

41. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.6 Ma
0.3 Ma
4.5 Ma
5 Ma

42. Australopithecines go extinct.
34 Ma
26 Ma
2.7 Ma
1.7 Ma

43. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.2 Ma
4.5 Ma
56 Ma
26 Ma

44. Emergence of the first true elephants.
5.5 Ma
34 Ma
26 Ma
52 Ma

45. 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.
6 Ma
26 Ma
2.5 Ma
1.2 Ma

46. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
0.5 Ma
63 Ma
35 Ma

47. Whales return to the water.
55 Ma
50 Ma
49 Ma
6 Ma

48. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
0.79 Ma
37 Ma
50 Ma

49. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
37 Ma
2.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.2 Ma

50. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
25 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma
5.5 Ma