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Cenozoic History Timeline

Instructions:

Answer 50 questions in 15 minutes.
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Match each statement with the correct term.
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This is a study tool. The 3 wrong answers for each question are randomly chosen from answers to other questions. So, you might find at times the answers obvious, but you will see it re-enforces your understanding as you take the test each time.

1. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
1.2 Ma
1.5 Ma
5 Ma
6.5 Ma

2. Whales return to the water.
0.79 Ma
5 Ma
60 Ma
49 Ma

3. current ice age begins
1.5 Ma
36 Ma
0.79 Ma
2.6 Ma

4. Paranthropus evolve.
0.64 Ma
49 Ma
2.7 Ma
25 Ma

5. Australopithecines go extinct.
33 Ma
0.3 Ma
24 Ma
1.7 Ma

6. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
20 Ma
6 Ma
35 Ma
37 Ma

7. 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.
0.79 Ma
56 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.64 Ma

8. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
30 Ma
30 Ma
0.6 Ma
33 Ma

9. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
30 Ma
10 Ma
35 Ma
30 Ma

10. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
0.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
52 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

11. Cats evolve.
34 Ma
26 Ma
56 Ma
49 Ma

12. Gastornis evolves.
56 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.64 Ma
49 Ma

13. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
20 Ma
2.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
15 Ma

14. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
0.5 Ma
6 Ma
6.5 Ma
18-12 Ma

15. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
24 Ma
50 Ma
55 Ma
37 Ma

16. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
2.7 Ma
6 Ma
2.6 Ma
0.79 Ma

17. Australopithecines go extinct.
25 Ma
1.7 Ma
10 Ma
1.5 Ma

18. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
25 Ma
0.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
33 Ma

19. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
5.5 Ma
20 Ma
36 Ma

20. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
60 Ma
0.5 Ma
25 Ma
40 Ma

21. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
4.5 Ma
0.79 Ma
6 Ma
28 Ma

22. Paraceratherium evolves.
0.6 Ma
5.5 Ma
28 Ma
55 Ma

23. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
49 Ma
24 Ma
34 Ma
50 Ma

24. 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.
20 Ma
0.2 Ma
2.5 Ma
5 Ma

25. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
0.64 Ma
1.5 Ma
6 Ma
18-12 Ma

26. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
18-12 Ma
10 Ma

27. First creodonts.
63 Ma
56 Ma
36 Ma
18-12 Ma

28. Emergence of the first true elephants.
4.8 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.6 Ma
26 Ma

29. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
33 Ma
30 Ma
10 Ma
2.5 Ma

30. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
15 Ma
5.5 Ma
37 Ma
33 Ma

31. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
15 Ma
2.5 Ma
52 Ma

32. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
0.79 Ma
20 Ma
20 Ma
60 Ma

33. First members of the Hominini tribe.
2.7 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.64 Ma
6.5 Ma

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

35. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
49 Ma
0.2 Ma
56 Ma
20 Ma

36. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
1.7 Ma
3 Ma
40 Ma
33 Ma

37. Paranthropus evolve.
4.8 Ma
10 Ma
2.7 Ma
4.5 Ma

38. First deer.
49 Ma
1.7 Ma
25 Ma
4.8 Ma

39. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
18-12 Ma
1.2 Ma
6.5 Ma
40 Ma

40. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
37 Ma
50 Ma
0.79 Ma

41. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
36 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
30 Ma
2.6 Ma

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

43. 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 -
4.8 Ma
25 Ma
6 Ma
55 Ma

44. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
30 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
63 Ma
63 Ma

45. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
34 Ma
35 Ma
2.6 Ma

46. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
4.5 Ma
50 Ma
0.3 Ma
56 Ma

47. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
30 Ma
63 Ma
18-12 Ma
0.64 Ma

48. First creodonts.
0.5 Ma
63 Ma
0.6 Ma
34 Ma

49. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
24 Ma
10 Ma
20 Ma
5 Ma

50. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
52 Ma
0.3 Ma
3 Ma
1.5 Ma