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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. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.3 Ma
20 Ma
10 Ma
50 Ma

2. First creodonts.
52 Ma
63 Ma
1.7 Ma
4.5 Ma

3. Neanderthals evolve.
0.35 Ma
40 Ma
50 Ma
35 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.
0.2 Ma
0.79 Ma
2.5 Ma
6 Ma

5. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
36 Ma
3 Ma
0.7 Ma
26 Ma

6. current ice age begins
0.3 Ma
2.6 Ma
15 Ma
30 Ma

7. Insects diversify.First large horses.
10 Ma
49 Ma
34 Ma
0.3 Ma

8. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
2.7 Ma
60 Ma
63 Ma
50 Ma

9. Gastornis evolves.
2.5 Ma
28 Ma
4.5 Ma
56 Ma

10. 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 -
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
55 Ma

11. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
2.6 Ma
3 Ma
34 Ma

12. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
63 Ma
30 Ma
35 Ma
28 Ma

13. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
35 Ma
4.5 Ma
56 Ma

14. The mammoth appears.
20 Ma
4.8 Ma
15 Ma
0.35 Ma

15. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
52 Ma
2.7 Ma
24 Ma

16. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
40 Ma
20 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.7 Ma

17. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
15 Ma
20 Ma
1.2 Ma
56 Ma

18. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
6 Ma
5.5 Ma
34 Ma

19. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
33 Ma
2.5 Ma
35 Ma
20 Ma

20. First bats.
52 Ma
0.64 Ma
18-12 Ma
34 Ma

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

22. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
0.35 Ma
37 Ma
36 Ma
63 Ma

23. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
0.7 Ma
37 Ma
3 Ma
50 Ma

24. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
5.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.7 Ma

25. The mammoth appears.
15 Ma
25 Ma
4.8 Ma
37 Ma

26. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
36 Ma
36 Ma
55 Ma

27. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
63 Ma
25 Ma
25 Ma
35 Ma

28. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.5 Ma
6.5 Ma

29. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
55 Ma
33 Ma
63 Ma
0.6 Ma

30. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
18-12 Ma
15 Ma
55 Ma
0.2 Ma

31. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
0.79 Ma
5 Ma
0.79 Ma

32. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
1.7 Ma
5 Ma
4.5 Ma

33. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
6.5 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.6 Ma
33 Ma

34. Australopithecines diversify.
18-12 Ma
26 Ma
0.35 Ma
6 Ma

35. Australopithecines go extinct.
5.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
52 Ma
1.7 Ma

36. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
63 Ma
36 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.2 Ma

37. 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 -
24 Ma
55 Ma
10 Ma
0.35 Ma

38. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
34 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.35 Ma
60 Ma

39. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
6.5 Ma
24 Ma
33 Ma
4.8 Ma

40. First deer.
0.79 Ma
52 Ma
25 Ma
37 Ma

41. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
49 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.7 Ma
6 Ma

42. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
30 Ma
1.2 Ma
24 Ma
1.7 Ma

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

44. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
30 Ma
0.5 Ma
25 Ma
1.2 Ma

45. Paraceratherium evolves.
3 Ma
26 Ma
2.5 Ma
28 Ma

46. Paranthropus evolve.
2.7 Ma
1.7 Ma
60 Ma
0.6 Ma

47. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
35 Ma
2.5 Ma
3 Ma

48. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
20 Ma
25 Ma
0.79 Ma
1.2 Ma

49. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.3 Ma
60 Ma
63 Ma
4.5 Ma

50. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
6.5 Ma
20 Ma
0.64 Ma
30 Ma