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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. Neanderthals evolve.
49 Ma
30 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.7 Ma

2. current ice age begins
56 Ma
4.8 Ma
2.6 Ma
2.7 Ma

3. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
55 Ma
1.5 Ma
4.8 Ma
5 Ma

4. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
0.79 Ma
6 Ma
49 Ma
33 Ma

5. Whales return to the water.
1.7 Ma
49 Ma
6 Ma
40 Ma

6. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
3 Ma
37 Ma
15 Ma
1.7 Ma

7. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.79 Ma
6.5 Ma

8. Whales return to the water.
49 Ma
1.7 Ma
33 Ma
0.6 Ma

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

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

11. First deer.
25 Ma
0.6 Ma
56 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

12. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.5 Ma
50 Ma
34 Ma
30 Ma

13. First bats.
1.5 Ma
63 Ma
52 Ma
6.5 Ma

14. Paranthropus evolve.
40 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.2 Ma
60 Ma

15. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
2.5 Ma
36 Ma
2.7 Ma
50 Ma

16. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
15 Ma
35 Ma
5 Ma
1.2 Ma

17. 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
55 Ma
56 Ma
3 Ma

18. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
0.79 Ma
3 Ma
18-12 Ma
4.8 Ma

19. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
20 Ma
1.2 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.35 Ma

20. Neogene period and Miocene epoch begin
20 Ma
3 Ma
1.2 Ma
24 Ma

21. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
6 Ma
6.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
40 Ma

22. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.7 Ma
28 Ma
52 Ma
0.2 Ma

23. Paraceratherium evolves.
28 Ma
5 Ma
20 Ma
5.5 Ma

24. Emergence of the first true elephants.
63 Ma
26 Ma
6 Ma
1.5 Ma

25. current ice age begins
6 Ma
2.6 Ma
6.5 Ma
0.35 Ma

26. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
0.2 Ma
1.2 Ma
18-12 Ma

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

28. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
35 Ma
20 Ma
10 Ma
56 Ma

29. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
35 Ma
40 Ma
30 Ma
56 Ma

30. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
26 Ma
24 Ma
1.5 Ma
25 Ma

31. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
24 Ma
5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
35 Ma

32. Africa collides with Eurasia - closing the Tethys Sea. Divergence of cat and dog ancestors. Primates diversify. Brontotheres - tapirs - rhinos - and camels evolve.
50 Ma
40 Ma
1.5 Ma
24 Ma

33. Australopithecines diversify.
4.5 Ma
0.3 Ma
6 Ma
55 Ma

34. First thylacinid marsupials evolve.
33 Ma
3 Ma
34 Ma
0.35 Ma

35. First members of the Hominini tribe.
3 Ma
6.5 Ma
35 Ma
0.2 Ma

36. First Nimravids.
37 Ma
50 Ma
1.2 Ma
1.5 Ma

37. Paraceratherium evolves.
0.64 Ma
2.7 Ma
28 Ma
5.5 Ma

38. Gastornis evolves.
56 Ma
3 Ma
36 Ma
37 Ma

39. Estimated age of the Hominidae/Hylobatidae (great apes vs. gibbons) split.
5 Ma
5.5 Ma
30 Ma
18-12 Ma

40. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
37 Ma
56 Ma
60 Ma
34 Ma

41. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
24 Ma
25 Ma
63 Ma

42. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
56 Ma
10 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.3 Ma

43. Neanderthals evolve.
0.35 Ma
37 Ma
0.6 Ma
0.3 Ma

44. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
55 Ma
6 Ma
3 Ma
2.7 Ma

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

46. Emergence of the first true elephants.
26 Ma
50 Ma
1.2 Ma
28 Ma

47. The mammoth appears.
56 Ma
0.3 Ma
0.3 Ma
4.8 Ma

48. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
37 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.7 Ma
0.3 Ma

49. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
26 Ma
26 Ma
0.79 Ma
20 Ma

50. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
36 Ma
0.7 Ma
63 Ma
55 Ma