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Cenozoic History Timeline

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Match each statement with the correct term.
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1. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
5.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
60 Ma
0.6 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 -
0.2 Ma
55 Ma
1.7 Ma
36 Ma

3. Gastornis evolves.
40 Ma
56 Ma
0.79 Ma
3 Ma

4. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
60 Ma
34 Ma
20 Ma
5 Ma

5. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
52 Ma
50 Ma
0.6 Ma
40 Ma

6. First creodonts.
1.2 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
5 Ma
63 Ma

7. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
25 Ma
0.2 Ma
1.7 Ma
1.2 Ma

8. Emergence of the first true elephants.
15 Ma
26 Ma
6.5 Ma
37 Ma

9. Insects diversify.First large horses.
2.6 Ma
5 Ma
10 Ma
0.3 Ma

10. Australopithecines go extinct.
25 Ma
1.7 Ma
60 Ma
6 Ma

11. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
2.7 Ma
20 Ma
3 Ma
49 Ma

12. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
5 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.2 Ma
2.5 Ma

13. Paranthropus evolve.
1.7 Ma
2.6 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.3 Ma

14. Paraceratherium evolves.
10 Ma
28 Ma
0.7 Ma
36 Ma

15. 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
2.7 Ma
55 Ma
20 Ma

16. current ice age begins
2.6 Ma
6 Ma
0.79 Ma
24 Ma

17. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
30 Ma
5.5 Ma
33 Ma
0.7 Ma

18. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
52 Ma
6.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
36 Ma

19. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
10 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.6 Ma

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

21. First deer.
25 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.7 Ma

22. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
34 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.35 Ma

23. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
3 Ma
40 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.35 Ma

24. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
2.7 Ma
6.5 Ma
63 Ma

25. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
52 Ma
37 Ma
49 Ma

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

27. Cats evolve.
36 Ma
34 Ma
2.7 Ma
40 Ma

28. First Nimravids.
5.5 Ma
56 Ma
24 Ma
37 Ma

29. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
4.5 Ma
26 Ma
10 Ma
1.2 Ma

30. Emergence of the first true elephants.
34 Ma
0.7 Ma
49 Ma
26 Ma

31. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
0.35 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.5 Ma
30 Ma

32. Whales return to the water.
35 Ma
0.79 Ma
49 Ma
0.5 Ma

33. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
0.6 Ma
28 Ma
3 Ma

34. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
25 Ma
50 Ma
2.5 Ma
26 Ma

35. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
35 Ma
1.7 Ma
63 Ma
0.6 Ma

36. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
30 Ma
35 Ma
5.5 Ma
25 Ma

37. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.64 Ma
24 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.2 Ma

38. Cats evolve.
4.8 Ma
34 Ma
25 Ma
1.2 Ma

39. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
34 Ma
0.79 Ma
33 Ma
18-12 Ma

40. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
10 Ma
25 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.79 Ma

41. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
6 Ma
35 Ma
40 Ma
6.5 Ma

42. 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.
2.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
5 Ma

43. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
36 Ma
33 Ma
0.5 Ma
37 Ma

44. First creodonts.
4.5 Ma
55 Ma
63 Ma
6 Ma

45. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
4.5 Ma
28 Ma
37 Ma
20 Ma

46. First bats.
0.7 Ma
1.7 Ma
52 Ma
0.35 Ma

47. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
33 Ma
28 Ma
36 Ma
4.5 Ma

48. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
60 Ma
0.5 Ma
5 Ma
49 Ma

49. The mammoth appears.
36 Ma
4.8 Ma
26 Ma
34 Ma

50. Whales return to the water.
63 Ma
24 Ma
49 Ma
34 Ma