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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. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
4.8 Ma
5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
56 Ma

2. Australopithecines go extinct.
60 Ma
6 Ma
1.7 Ma
50 Ma

3. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
1.2 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.2 Ma
6.5 Ma

4. First deer.
5.5 Ma
25 Ma
37 Ma
4.5 Ma

5. Cats evolve.
4.8 Ma
49 Ma
34 Ma
4.8 Ma

6. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
40 Ma
0.3 Ma
2.5 Ma
36 Ma

7. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
0.79 Ma
6 Ma
30 Ma
28 Ma

8. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
5.5 Ma
35 Ma
49 Ma
50 Ma

9. 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.
55 Ma
2.5 Ma
49 Ma
37 Ma

10. First Nimravids.
2.6 Ma
5.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
37 Ma

11. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
6.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.2 Ma
2.5 Ma

12. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
40 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
24 Ma

13. Gastornis evolves.
4.5 Ma
56 Ma
35 Ma
0.3 Ma

14. 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.
5.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
30 Ma
2.5 Ma

15. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
10 Ma
40 Ma
56 Ma
0.3 Ma

16. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
24 Ma
15 Ma
0.2 Ma
0.35 Ma

17. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
15 Ma
1.7 Ma
33 Ma
0.5 Ma

18. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.6 Ma
24 Ma
4.5 Ma
20 Ma

19. Neanderthals evolve.
3 Ma
0.35 Ma
49 Ma
50 Ma

20. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
36 Ma
50 Ma
4.5 Ma
15 Ma

21. Australopithecines diversify.
6 Ma
30 Ma
4.8 Ma
1.5 Ma

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

23. Whales return to the water.
10 Ma
33 Ma
20 Ma
49 Ma

24. First members of the Hominini tribe.
26 Ma
1.7 Ma
28 Ma
6.5 Ma

25. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
5.5 Ma
60 Ma
35 Ma

26. First bats.
30 Ma
15 Ma
52 Ma
0.7 Ma

27. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
5 Ma
0.7 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
37 Ma

28. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.4-6.3 Ma
34 Ma
0.2 Ma
6.5 Ma

29. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
0.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.64 Ma
35 Ma

30. Cats evolve.
40 Ma
34 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.6 Ma

31. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
5 Ma
33 Ma
56 Ma

32. Insects diversify.First large horses.
1.5 Ma
10 Ma
0.3 Ma
2.6 Ma

33. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
10 Ma
2.5 Ma
1.7 Ma

34. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.35 Ma
55 Ma
0.64 Ma
49 Ma

35. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
15 Ma
60 Ma
5 Ma
0.7 Ma

36. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
40 Ma
60 Ma
52 Ma

37. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
55 Ma
35 Ma
0.64 Ma
4.5 Ma

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

39. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
10 Ma
0.2 Ma
4.5 Ma
5 Ma

40. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.35 Ma
0.64 Ma
56 Ma
3 Ma

41. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
49 Ma
10 Ma
0.3 Ma

42. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
56 Ma
2.5 Ma
60 Ma

43. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
24 Ma
4.8 Ma
3 Ma
56 Ma

44. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
18-12 Ma
49 Ma
10 Ma
26 Ma

45. 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
0.2 Ma
34 Ma

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

47. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
60 Ma
2.7 Ma
5 Ma
55 Ma

48. First creodonts.
63 Ma
40 Ma
30 Ma
26 Ma

49. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
0.79 Ma
30 Ma
40 Ma
40 Ma

50. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
0.6 Ma
3 Ma
18-12 Ma
37 Ma