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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. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
2.6 Ma
25 Ma
6 Ma

2. Australopithecines diversify.
0.2 Ma
6 Ma
36 Ma
5.5 Ma

3. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.79 Ma
5.5 Ma
36 Ma
40 Ma

4. 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.
55 Ma
2.5 Ma
56 Ma
18-12 Ma

5. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
6 Ma
10 Ma
0.7 Ma
30 Ma

6. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
37 Ma
35 Ma
34 Ma

7. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
0.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
33 Ma
24 Ma

8. First creodonts.
0.6 Ma
4.8 Ma
63 Ma
0.5 Ma

9. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
5.4-6.3 Ma
5.5 Ma
25 Ma
35 Ma

10. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
3 Ma
2.6 Ma
40 Ma
4.5 Ma

11. Neanderthals evolve.
36 Ma
0.7 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.64 Ma

12. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
2.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
40 Ma
49 Ma

13. Paraceratherium evolves.
36 Ma
28 Ma
49 Ma
1.2 Ma

14. Cats evolve.
0.79 Ma
0.79 Ma
34 Ma
0.7 Ma

15. Whales return to the water.
25 Ma
55 Ma
30 Ma
49 Ma

16. First bats.
52 Ma
0.5 Ma
40 Ma
4.8 Ma

17. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
15 Ma

18. current ice age begins
4.8 Ma
56 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.5 Ma

19. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
4.5 Ma
2.7 Ma
36 Ma
0.7 Ma

20. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
15 Ma
20 Ma
0.2 Ma
56 Ma

21. First Nimravids.
26 Ma
6.5 Ma
37 Ma
0.5 Ma

22. The mammoth appears.
0.79 Ma
4.8 Ma
63 Ma
0.64 Ma

23. Paranthropus evolve.
0.3 Ma
2.7 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.6 Ma

24. Whales return to the water.
33 Ma
56 Ma
0.64 Ma
49 Ma

25. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
0.5 Ma
36 Ma
4.8 Ma
40 Ma

26. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
6.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.6 Ma
25 Ma

27. 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.
50 Ma
2.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.79 Ma

28. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.5 Ma
4.5 Ma
3 Ma
20 Ma

29. Australopithecines diversify.
6 Ma
5.5 Ma
52 Ma
30 Ma

30. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
40 Ma
1.7 Ma
35 Ma
2.5 Ma

31. Insects diversify.First large horses.
10 Ma
4.8 Ma
36 Ma
6 Ma

32. First creodonts.
63 Ma
30 Ma
4.5 Ma
5.5 Ma

33. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
50 Ma
40 Ma
1.2 Ma
10 Ma

34. Emergence of the first true elephants.
49 Ma
2.7 Ma
26 Ma
1.5 Ma

35. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
26 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.3 Ma

36. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
4.5 Ma
15 Ma
60 Ma
37 Ma

37. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
36 Ma
6 Ma
5.5 Ma

38. First deer.
55 Ma
10 Ma
25 Ma
1.5 Ma

39. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
1.2 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
18-12 Ma

40. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
49 Ma
5.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
24 Ma

41. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
26 Ma
36 Ma
15 Ma
0.79 Ma

42. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
15 Ma
49 Ma
35 Ma
1.2 Ma

43. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
52 Ma
0.2 Ma
33 Ma
24 Ma

44. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
35 Ma
63 Ma
36 Ma
0.3 Ma

45. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
2.7 Ma
1.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.79 Ma

46. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
2.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
33 Ma
6 Ma

47. First bats.
52 Ma
37 Ma
0.35 Ma
35 Ma

48. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
30 Ma
35 Ma
50 Ma
20 Ma

49. 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 -
36 Ma
55 Ma
2.6 Ma
2.7 Ma

50. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
6.5 Ma
55 Ma
24 Ma
4.5 Ma