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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. Yellowstone caldera erupts
60 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.5 Ma

2. Cats evolve.
52 Ma
20 Ma
34 Ma
2.6 Ma

3. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
4.8 Ma
1.7 Ma
2.5 Ma
15 Ma

4. Cats evolve.
0.35 Ma
34 Ma
52 Ma
25 Ma

5. Insects diversify.First large horses.
0.79 Ma
1.5 Ma
10 Ma
0.3 Ma

6. Insects diversify.First large horses.
30 Ma
0.79 Ma
5.5 Ma
10 Ma

7. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
2.5 Ma
0.7 Ma
15 Ma
20 Ma

8. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
6 Ma
0.5 Ma
34 Ma

9. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
10 Ma
35 Ma
60 Ma
40 Ma

10. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
33 Ma
0.64 Ma
30 Ma
52 Ma

11. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
55 Ma
37 Ma
0.35 Ma

12. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
52 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
36 Ma

13. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
0.7 Ma
36 Ma
0.7 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.
2.5 Ma
49 Ma
1.2 Ma
3 Ma

15. Australopithecines diversify.
18-12 Ma
2.7 Ma
24 Ma
6 Ma

16. Paranthropus evolve.
1.2 Ma
2.7 Ma
37 Ma
34 Ma

17. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
35 Ma
0.7 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
33 Ma

18. First deer.
0.3 Ma
5.5 Ma
4.5 Ma
25 Ma

19. First creodonts.
40 Ma
50 Ma
35 Ma
63 Ma

20. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
1.2 Ma
6 Ma
2.5 Ma

21. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
49 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
2.7 Ma

22. Neanderthals evolve.
56 Ma
0.35 Ma
63 Ma
25 Ma

23. Paraceratherium evolves.
5.4-6.3 Ma
3 Ma
28 Ma
26 Ma

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

25. Paranthropus evolve.
0.6 Ma
30 Ma
0.3 Ma
2.7 Ma

26. Australopithecines go extinct.
1.7 Ma
4.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

27. 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.
2.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
26 Ma
36 Ma

28. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
15 Ma
28 Ma
36 Ma
1.7 Ma

29. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
2.6 Ma
5.5 Ma
0.79 Ma
55 Ma

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

31. First Nimravids.
28 Ma
6.5 Ma
37 Ma
20 Ma

32. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
0.64 Ma
4.5 Ma

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

34. First Nimravids.
0.35 Ma
5 Ma
49 Ma
37 Ma

35. Emergence of the first true elephants.
0.35 Ma
60 Ma
26 Ma
52 Ma

36. The mammoth appears.
5.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.5 Ma
37 Ma

37. Whales return to the water.
63 Ma
20 Ma
5 Ma
49 Ma

38. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
0.2 Ma
63 Ma
20 Ma
0.79 Ma

39. current ice age begins
5.4-6.3 Ma
56 Ma
0.35 Ma
2.6 Ma

40. Whales return to the water.
25 Ma
6.5 Ma
6 Ma
49 Ma

41. 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 -
55 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma
60 Ma

42. First bats.
52 Ma
26 Ma
49 Ma
0.6 Ma

43. First creodonts.
0.64 Ma
63 Ma
0.2 Ma
55 Ma

44. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
60 Ma
36 Ma
1.2 Ma
1.7 Ma

45. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
15 Ma
55 Ma
24 Ma
34 Ma

46. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
1.2 Ma
37 Ma
56 Ma
6.5 Ma

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

48. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.35 Ma
18-12 Ma
1.2 Ma
0.79 Ma

49. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
2.5 Ma
5 Ma
5.5 Ma
34 Ma

50. current ice age begins
0.64 Ma
5.5 Ma
2.6 Ma
20 Ma