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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. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
4.5 Ma
0.35 Ma
15 Ma
24 Ma

2. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
15 Ma
60 Ma
0.3 Ma
1.5 Ma

3. current ice age begins
5 Ma
0.3 Ma
2.6 Ma
34 Ma

4. Whales return to the water.
15 Ma
3 Ma
49 Ma
30 Ma

5. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
30 Ma
63 Ma
40 Ma
4.8 Ma

6. First members of the Hominini tribe.
4.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.64 Ma

7. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
26 Ma
0.6 Ma
0.79 Ma

8. Neanderthals evolve.
0.2 Ma
36 Ma
0.35 Ma
34 Ma

9. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
0.7 Ma
20 Ma
30 Ma

10. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
20 Ma
60 Ma
1.7 Ma
1.5 Ma

11. The mammoth appears.
15 Ma
4.8 Ma
2.5 Ma
63 Ma

12. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.35 Ma
5.5 Ma
35 Ma
0.7 Ma

13. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
1.7 Ma
1.5 Ma
63 Ma

14. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
56 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.79 Ma
20 Ma

15. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
37 Ma
10 Ma
49 Ma

16. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.3 Ma
33 Ma
33 Ma
5.5 Ma

17. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
0.3 Ma
18-12 Ma
37 Ma

18. Australopithecines diversify.
37 Ma
55 Ma
6 Ma
6.5 Ma

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

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

21. First deer.
2.5 Ma
34 Ma
25 Ma
20 Ma

22. Neanderthals evolve.
37 Ma
0.2 Ma
49 Ma
0.35 Ma

23. 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
6 Ma
18-12 Ma
55 Ma

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

25. Gastornis evolves.
2.7 Ma
56 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.79 Ma

26. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
2.6 Ma

27. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
2.7 Ma
55 Ma
36 Ma
40 Ma

28. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
37 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.35 Ma

29. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
52 Ma
33 Ma
37 Ma
18-12 Ma

30. Australopithecines go extinct.
18-12 Ma
63 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.6 Ma

31. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
56 Ma
20 Ma
60 Ma
28 Ma

32. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
6 Ma
1.2 Ma
10 Ma

33. 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.
4.8 Ma
10 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.7 Ma

34. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
34 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
40 Ma

35. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.7 Ma
10 Ma
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

36. Yellowstone caldera erupts
5.4-6.3 Ma
24 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.64 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 -
2.7 Ma
55 Ma
2.6 Ma
1.2 Ma

38. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
52 Ma
1.2 Ma
3 Ma
10 Ma

39. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
6 Ma
34 Ma
4.5 Ma
1.2 Ma

40. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
52 Ma
0.2 Ma
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma

41. The mammoth appears.
30 Ma
4.8 Ma
56 Ma
1.5 Ma

42. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
1.5 Ma
30 Ma
0.2 Ma
3 Ma

43. Cats evolve.
0.6 Ma
40 Ma
33 Ma
34 Ma

44. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
24 Ma
0.79 Ma
2.5 Ma

45. First bats.
52 Ma
2.6 Ma
4.5 Ma
10 Ma

46. Australopithecines diversify.
6 Ma
30 Ma
2.7 Ma
1.7 Ma

47. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
34 Ma
10 Ma
36 Ma

48. Gastornis evolves.
0.5 Ma
56 Ma
37 Ma
5 Ma

49. 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.
2.7 Ma
60 Ma
0.2 Ma
2.5 Ma

50. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
49 Ma
0.3 Ma
3 Ma
18-12 Ma