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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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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. Estimated age of the Homo/Pan (human vs. chimpanzee) split.
15 Ma
6.5 Ma
35 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

2. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
37 Ma
6.5 Ma
40 Ma
2.5 Ma

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

4. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
15 Ma
4.8 Ma
33 Ma
60 Ma

5. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
0.5 Ma
40 Ma
63 Ma

6. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
36 Ma
4.8 Ma
1.7 Ma
6 Ma

7. current ice age begins
63 Ma
2.6 Ma
30 Ma
0.6 Ma

8. Paranthropus evolve.
0.79 Ma
2.7 Ma
1.2 Ma
15 Ma

9. current ice age begins
18-12 Ma
3 Ma
37 Ma
2.6 Ma

10. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
4.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
30 Ma
15 Ma

11. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
18-12 Ma
40 Ma
25 Ma
0.35 Ma

12. 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 Ma
0.3 Ma
2.5 Ma
4.8 Ma

13. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
34 Ma
2.7 Ma
20 Ma
4.5 Ma

14. Emergence of the first true elephants.
0.5 Ma
40 Ma
26 Ma
49 Ma

15. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
1.5 Ma
3 Ma
0.6 Ma
40 Ma

16. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
0.79 Ma
55 Ma
20 Ma
50 Ma

17. Insects diversify.First large horses.
30 Ma
1.5 Ma
26 Ma
10 Ma

18. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
0.2 Ma
0.64 Ma
2.6 Ma
60 Ma

19. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
5 Ma
10 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.5 Ma

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

21. Insects diversify.First large horses.
25 Ma
10 Ma
55 Ma
0.35 Ma

22. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
2.7 Ma
15 Ma
4.8 Ma
6 Ma

23. Australopithecines go extinct.
36 Ma
15 Ma
0.6 Ma
1.7 Ma

24. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
5.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
15 Ma
1.5 Ma

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

26. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
1.7 Ma
56 Ma
0.3 Ma

27. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
6.5 Ma
20 Ma
36 Ma

28. First bats.
52 Ma
1.2 Ma
33 Ma
4.8 Ma

29. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
3 Ma
1.7 Ma
34 Ma

30. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
2.5 Ma
36 Ma
24 Ma

31. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
4.5 Ma
63 Ma
33 Ma
0.79 Ma

32. First members of the Hominini tribe.
0.2 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
56 Ma

33. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
56 Ma
5.5 Ma

34. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
0.6 Ma
2.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
34 Ma

35. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.7 Ma
0.5 Ma
2.7 Ma
33 Ma

36. Australopithecines go extinct.
40 Ma
24 Ma
2.5 Ma
1.7 Ma

37. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
2.5 Ma
1.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
35 Ma

38. 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 -
1.7 Ma
56 Ma
0.79 Ma
55 Ma

39. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
35 Ma
10 Ma
24 Ma

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

41. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
26 Ma
30 Ma
63 Ma
2.5 Ma

42. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
28 Ma
0.7 Ma
60 Ma
4.8 Ma

43. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.5 Ma
18-12 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.6 Ma

44. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
24 Ma
10 Ma
0.2 Ma

45. 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
55 Ma
24 Ma
25 Ma

46. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
5.4-6.3 Ma
1.2 Ma
24 Ma
49 Ma

47. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
5 Ma
6 Ma
52 Ma

48. First deer.
1.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
25 Ma
55 Ma

49. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
28 Ma
20 Ma
33 Ma
24 Ma

50. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
2.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
0.6 Ma
36 Ma