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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. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
26 Ma
4.5 Ma
20 Ma
4.8 Ma

2. 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 -
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.35 Ma
55 Ma

3. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
40 Ma
0.7 Ma
50 Ma
60 Ma

4. Neanderthals evolve.
52 Ma
3 Ma
35 Ma
0.35 Ma

5. First members of the Hominini tribe.
28 Ma
10 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.7 Ma

6. Insects diversify.First large horses.
10 Ma
1.7 Ma
63 Ma
4.5 Ma

7. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
0.35 Ma
5 Ma
60 Ma

8. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
10 Ma
24 Ma
1.2 Ma
20 Ma

9. Australopithecines diversify.
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
6 Ma
33 Ma

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

11. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
5.5 Ma
15 Ma
1.7 Ma
3 Ma

12. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
0.79 Ma
6.5 Ma
28 Ma

13. First deer.
25 Ma
33 Ma
56 Ma
4.5 Ma

14. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
1.5 Ma
0.35 Ma
30 Ma
5.5 Ma

15. The mammoth appears.
34 Ma
4.8 Ma
1.7 Ma
3 Ma

16. 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 -
55 Ma
63 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.2 Ma

17. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
33 Ma
0.79 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.35 Ma

18. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
60 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.64 Ma

19. Australopithecines go extinct.
4.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
60 Ma
1.7 Ma

20. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
63 Ma
30 Ma
2.7 Ma
15 Ma

21. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
52 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
33 Ma

22. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
36 Ma
40 Ma
63 Ma
24 Ma

23. Emergence of the first true elephants.
5 Ma
0.7 Ma
15 Ma
26 Ma

24. Paraceratherium evolves.
1.2 Ma
1.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
28 Ma

25. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
1.7 Ma

26. Paraceratherium evolves.
4.5 Ma
50 Ma
28 Ma
2.7 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.
28 Ma
2.5 Ma
40 Ma
0.3 Ma

28. 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.
15 Ma
10 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.5 Ma

29. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
4.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
3 Ma
0.79 Ma

30. First bats.
3 Ma
35 Ma
52 Ma
4.8 Ma

31. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
24 Ma
1.5 Ma
1.7 Ma
2.5 Ma

32. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
35 Ma
33 Ma
5.5 Ma
30 Ma

33. Insects diversify.First large horses.
24 Ma
3 Ma
10 Ma
30 Ma

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

35. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
5.5 Ma
1.2 Ma
1.5 Ma
36 Ma

36. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
0.3 Ma
30 Ma
50 Ma
35 Ma

37. First creodonts.
0.2 Ma
37 Ma
5 Ma
63 Ma

38. Australopithecines diversify.
2.5 Ma
6 Ma
52 Ma
36 Ma

39. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
40 Ma
5 Ma
36 Ma
56 Ma

40. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
50 Ma
0.3 Ma
20 Ma
4.5 Ma

41. First creodonts.
55 Ma
50 Ma
1.5 Ma
63 Ma

42. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
30 Ma
24 Ma
35 Ma
4.5 Ma

43. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
40 Ma
33 Ma
4.5 Ma

44. First deer.
0.79 Ma
25 Ma
36 Ma
0.6 Ma

45. Yellowstone caldera erupts
20 Ma
0.64 Ma
5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

46. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
0.64 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
25 Ma
15 Ma

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

48. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
1.7 Ma
2.6 Ma
33 Ma
49 Ma

49. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
52 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.6 Ma

50. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
10 Ma
5 Ma
28 Ma
36 Ma