Proterozoic Eon

Part of the Terrestrial Geologic Timescale

Archean Eon - Proterozoic Eon - Phanerozoic Eon

The Proterozoic Eon begins with the formation of the oldest known glacial deposits and ends with the End-Ediacaran extinction event. The first animals would evolve during the Proterozoic and would see great diversification towards the end of the eon, before the aforementioned extinction event would halt further significant evolution of animal life until later in the Cambrian Period of the Phanerozoic Eon.

Until recently (and still formally), the Proterozoic was subdivided into three eras with periods defined chronometrically, rather than by rock layers. Gradstein and Ogg proposed a new system (the one used here) that marked these eras with events and subdivided them into new periods that are also defined by major events in the planet's geologic history.

The Proterozoic is subdivided into three eras: the Paleoproterozoic, the Mesoproterozoic, and the Neoproterozoic.

Proterozoic Timescale:

Proterozoic Eon - 2420-541 MYA

-Paleoproterozoic Era - 2420-1780 MYA

--Oxygenian Period - 2420-2250 MYA

--Jatulian Period - 2250-2060 MYA

--Columbian Period - 2060-1780 MYA

-Mesoproterozoic Era - 1780-720 MYA

--Rodinian Period - 1780-720 MYA

-Neoproterozoic Era - 720-541 MYA

--Cryogenian Period - 720-635 MYA

--Ediacaran Period - 635-541 MYA