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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. 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.
60 Ma
2.6 Ma
6.5 Ma
2.5 Ma

2. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
50 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.5 Ma
1.5 Ma

3. Yellowstone caldera erupts
60 Ma
0.64 Ma
50 Ma
0.2 Ma

4. Yellowstone caldera erupts
0.64 Ma
36 Ma
0.6 Ma
6 Ma

5. Homo antecessor evolves. Paranthropus dies out.
50 Ma
1.2 Ma
24 Ma
36 Ma

6. Australopithecines diversify.
0.3 Ma
2.6 Ma
34 Ma
6 Ma

7. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
4.8 Ma
5 Ma
55 Ma

8. First deer.
25 Ma
20 Ma
2.6 Ma
4.8 Ma

9. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
20 Ma
6.5 Ma
40 Ma
52 Ma

10. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
1.2 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.5 Ma
15 Ma

11. Giraffes and giant anteaters evolve.
3 Ma
5 Ma
20 Ma
30 Ma

12. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
0.6 Ma
55 Ma
2.6 Ma
35 Ma

13. Age of the Catarrhini parvorder; first canines evolve. Lepidopteran insects become recognizable. Gastornis goes extinct. Basilosaurus evolves.
40 Ma
35 Ma
1.2 Ma
55 Ma

14. The mammoth appears.
25 Ma
4.8 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
5.5 Ma

15. Gastornis evolves.
0.7 Ma
56 Ma
49 Ma
50 Ma

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

17. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
4.8 Ma
1.7 Ma
0.79 Ma
28 Ma

18. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
0.6 Ma
2.5 Ma
20 Ma
1.2 Ma

19. Paranthropus evolve.
0.7 Ma
2.6 Ma
2.7 Ma
0.79 Ma

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

21. Appearance of the genus Ardipithecus
63 Ma
0.5 Ma
5.5 Ma
40 Ma

22. Evolution of the first primates and miacids. Flightless birds diversify.
6.5 Ma
60 Ma
0.7 Ma
37 Ma

23. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
50 Ma
0.64 Ma
0.7 Ma
2.5 Ma

24. current ice age begins
2.6 Ma
6 Ma
0.6 Ma
6.5 Ma

25. last reversal of the earth's magnetic field
1.2 Ma
0.7 Ma
40 Ma
20 Ma

26. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
0.7 Ma
40 Ma
26 Ma
4.5 Ma

27. The mammoth appears.
4.8 Ma
49 Ma
0.7 Ma
56 Ma

28. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
30 Ma
25 Ma
0.79 Ma
0.35 Ma

29. Homo heidelbergensis evolves.
63 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.6 Ma
25 Ma

30. Appearance of the genus Australopithecus
4.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
52 Ma
24 Ma

31. Isthmus of Panama joins North and South America. Great AmericanInterchange.
3 Ma
18-12 Ma
63 Ma
1.7 Ma

32. 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 -
6 Ma
0.5 Ma
20 Ma
55 Ma

33. Australopithecines go extinct.
34 Ma
60 Ma
24 Ma
1.7 Ma

34. End of Eocene - start of Oligocene epoch.
36 Ma
20 Ma
6.5 Ma
20 Ma

35. Approximate age of Canis lupus. Middle Stone Age begins in Africa. Gigantopithecus evolves.
0.3 Ma
1.7 Ma
20 Ma
2.6 Ma

36. Pliocene epoch begins.First tree sloths and hippopotami.First large vultures. Nimravids go extinct.
37 Ma
40 Ma
5 Ma
1.2 Ma

37. Insects diversify.First large horses.
1.7 Ma
1.5 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
10 Ma

38. Paraceratherium evolves.
0.79 Ma
50 Ma
28 Ma
0.5 Ma

39. First Nimravids.
0.6 Ma
0.2 Ma
37 Ma
0.3 Ma

40. Cats evolve.
63 Ma
0.6 Ma
5.5 Ma
34 Ma

41. Cats evolve.
5 Ma
4.8 Ma
15 Ma
34 Ma

42. Grasslands first appear. Glyptodonts - ground sloths - peccaries - dogs - eagles - and hawks evolve.
4.5 Ma
6.5 Ma
50 Ma
35 Ma

43. Brontotheres go extinct. Pigs evolve. South America separates from Antarctica - becoming an island continent.
50 Ma
4.8 Ma
34 Ma
30 Ma

44. Earliest demonstrable evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
52 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma
0.79 Ma

45. Australopithecines diversify.
30 Ma
40 Ma
24 Ma
6 Ma

46. First mastodons - bovids - and kangaroos. Australian megafauna diversify.
49 Ma
6 Ma
15 Ma
5.4-6.3 Ma

47. colonisation of Eurasia by Homo erectus
0.7 Ma
36 Ma
0.5 Ma
28 Ma

48. First members of the Hominini tribe.
6.5 Ma
3 Ma
0.5 Ma
0.35 Ma

49. Middle Paleolithic begins. Appearance of Homo sapiens in Africa
0.2 Ma
6 Ma
0.35 Ma
0.6 Ma

50. Earliest possible evidence of the controlled use of fire by Homo erectus
1.5 Ma
2.5 Ma
60 Ma
0.79 Ma