Embedded Files
Images & Information
Images & Information
Public Domain from the United States Geological Survey (USGS); dioramas by Aldo Chiappe, R. Hynes, and J. Matternes; maps courtesy of Colorado Plateau Geosystems Inc.
Paleogene Period
Paleogene Period
Warm
Reptiles continued to live on our planet
Many small mammals, rodents, armadillos, and primates appeared
Pines, cacti, and palm trees appeared
At the end of this period, global warming caused some extinctions
The beginning of this epoch was marked with the warmest temperatures of this era; plenty of rainfall; no seasons
At the end of the epoch, temperatures dropped and seasons remained
Whales, bats, early elephants, small hoofed animals, penguins, pelicans, ducks, and gulls appeared
Temperatures dropped and seasons increased
Grasslands appeared
Horses and mammals grew in size, including a huge Asian rhinoceros (largest land mammal ever to live)
Early monkeys, dogs, cats, pigs, and camels appeared
Neogene Period
Neogene Period
The beginning of the Miocene was warmer than the end
Forests shrunk and grasslands grew
Hoofed animals were abundant
Mammals migrated from continent to continent over land bridges
During the first part of this epoch, temperatures were warmer than today
In the later part, temperatures dropped and it was drier
Ice caps grew on the poles
Animals and plants were similar to those on Earth today
A land bridge from North America to South America allowed armadillos, sloths, opossums, and porcupines to move north as dogs, cats, bears, and horses moved south
Competition caused many extinctions
Quaternary Period
Quaternary Period
Global cooling caused interglacial periods around every 100,000 years
Many plants and animals survived but some did not
Many large animals appeared - mammoths, mastodons, saber-toothed cats, and giant ground sloths
Most large animals disappeared from changing climate and humans
Page updated
Report abuse