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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. First creodonts.
63 Ma
4.8 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.5 Ma

2. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
1.2 Ma
28 Ma
10 Ma
6.5 Ma

3. Neanderthals evolve.
37 Ma
0.35 Ma
3 Ma
1.2 Ma

4. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
52 Ma
24 Ma
0.6 Ma
36 Ma

5. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
2.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.6 Ma
5.5 Ma

6. First deer.
56 Ma
2.6 Ma
25 Ma
6 Ma

7. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
0.6 Ma
4.5 Ma
15 Ma

8. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
25 Ma
28 Ma
0.6 Ma

9. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.79 Ma
18-12 Ma
50 Ma

10. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
36 Ma
34 Ma
1.2 Ma

11. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
20 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
4.5 Ma

12. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
36 Ma
3 Ma
30 Ma
0.5 Ma

13. Whales return to the water.
20 Ma
20 Ma
49 Ma
5.5 Ma

14. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
0.3 Ma
56 Ma
10 Ma

15. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
30 Ma
6.5 Ma
24 Ma

16. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
49 Ma
0.2 Ma
40 Ma
5 Ma

17. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.64 Ma
20 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.79 Ma

18. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
33 Ma
24 Ma
30 Ma
6.5 Ma

19. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
0.5 Ma
0.35 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.5 Ma

20. Neanderthals evolve.
40 Ma
3 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.35 Ma

21. Gastornis evolves.
30 Ma
56 Ma
0.64 Ma
4.8 Ma

22. Whales return to the water.
0.64 Ma
18-12 Ma
49 Ma
0.5 Ma

23. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
0.35 Ma
3 Ma
50 Ma
18-12 Ma

24. Insects diversify.First large horses.
50 Ma
60 Ma
3 Ma
10 Ma

25. 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 -
34 Ma
0.64 Ma
55 Ma
1.5 Ma

26. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
5 Ma
15 Ma
6 Ma

27. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.35 Ma
49 Ma
40 Ma
0.5 Ma

28. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
0.3 Ma
0.7 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
6.5 Ma

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

30. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
15 Ma
0.5 Ma
37 Ma
40 Ma

31. Cats evolve.
36 Ma
6 Ma
34 Ma
6.5 Ma

32. First bats.
34 Ma
0.2 Ma
52 Ma
5 Ma

33. First bats.
52 Ma
1.5 Ma
30 Ma
36 Ma

34. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
2.5 Ma
55 Ma
5.5 Ma
1.2 Ma

35. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
55 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
37 Ma
0.2 Ma

36. Gastornis evolves.
56 Ma
63 Ma
0.2 Ma
36 Ma

37. Paranthropus evolve.
2.7 Ma
4.8 Ma
2.6 Ma
5.5 Ma

38. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
15 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.3 Ma
24 Ma

39. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
10 Ma
15 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
40 Ma

40. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
6.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
30 Ma
0.3 Ma

41. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
24 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
18-12 Ma

42. Cats evolve.
6.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
5 Ma
34 Ma

43. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
5.4-6.3 Ma
4.5 Ma
49 Ma
5.5 Ma

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

45. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
55 Ma

46. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
5.5 Ma
30 Ma
15 Ma
1.7 Ma

47. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
10 Ma
30 Ma
20 Ma
36 Ma

48. current ice age begins
2.6 Ma
3 Ma
52 Ma
2.7 Ma

49. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
26 Ma
34 Ma
33 Ma
0.2 Ma

50. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
4.8 Ma
30 Ma
1.5 Ma
15 Ma