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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 deer.
4.5 Ma
25 Ma
1.7 Ma
6 Ma

2. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
20 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.5 Ma

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

4. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
49 Ma
0.5 Ma
60 Ma
1.2 Ma

5. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
60 Ma
35 Ma
0.3 Ma
1.2 Ma

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

7. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
33 Ma
25 Ma
4.8 Ma
40 Ma

8. 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 -
15 Ma
55 Ma
6 Ma
0.5 Ma

9. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
63 Ma
37 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.5 Ma

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

11. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
0.7 Ma
18-12 Ma
56 Ma

12. First Nimravids.
20 Ma
60 Ma
5.5 Ma
37 Ma

13. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
30 Ma
0.64 Ma
10 Ma
1.7 Ma

14. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
4.8 Ma
5.5 Ma
34 Ma
0.5 Ma

15. First Nimravids.
28 Ma
33 Ma
37 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

16. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
0.6 Ma
0.79 Ma
2.7 Ma
5 Ma

17. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
37 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.2 Ma
36 Ma

18. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
36 Ma
40 Ma
0.7 Ma
50 Ma

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

20. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
30 Ma
15 Ma
28 Ma
33 Ma

21. Insects diversify.First large horses.
10 Ma
49 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.7 Ma

22. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
0.35 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
5.5 Ma

23. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
55 Ma
34 Ma
0.6 Ma
4.5 Ma

24. 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 -
4.5 Ma
55 Ma
18-12 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

25. Whales return to the water.
35 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.7 Ma
49 Ma

26. Cats evolve.
5.4-6.3 Ma
30 Ma
34 Ma
10 Ma

27. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
5.4-6.3 Ma
25 Ma
4.8 Ma
20 Ma

28. Australopithecines go extinct.
52 Ma
2.7 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.6 Ma

29. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
37 Ma
0.79 Ma
33 Ma

30. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
5.4-6.3 Ma
60 Ma
36 Ma
0.7 Ma

31. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
0.35 Ma
2.5 Ma
2.6 Ma

32. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
6.5 Ma
3 Ma
1.7 Ma

33. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
6 Ma
40 Ma
55 Ma

34. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.5 Ma
5.5 Ma

35. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.35 Ma
4.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
24 Ma

36. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
5 Ma
49 Ma
1.5 Ma

37. Emergence of the first true elephants.
34 Ma
26 Ma
18-12 Ma
6.5 Ma

38. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
10 Ma
56 Ma

39. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
37 Ma
4.5 Ma
40 Ma

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

41. Whales return to the water.
49 Ma
6.5 Ma
15 Ma
52 Ma

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

43. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
34 Ma
2.5 Ma

44. First members of the Hominini tribe.
63 Ma
3 Ma
6.5 Ma
1.7 Ma

45. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.2 Ma
10 Ma
2.6 Ma

46. Yellowstone caldera erupts
33 Ma
26 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.64 Ma

47. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
0.5 Ma
15 Ma
0.6 Ma
50 Ma

48. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
0.7 Ma
0.6 Ma
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

49. Neanderthals evolve.
50 Ma
33 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.35 Ma

50. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
52 Ma
34 Ma
60 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma