Evolutionary History of Earth

Question 1

Precambrian

Answer 1

1
About 554 million yrs ago
Dry cold to warm, moist
Planet cooling, crust forming
Mountain building, shallow seas, accumulation of free O2

Question 2

Cambrian

Answer 2

2A
554-505 mya
marine invertebrates and shells

Question 3

Ordovician

Answer 3

2B
505-440 mya
fish, first fungi/algae

Question 4

Silurian

Answer 4

2C
440-410 mya
vascular plants, fish diversify

Question 5

Devonian

Answer 5

2D
410-360mya
age of fish; first amphibians, modern vascular plants evolved, mollusks

Question 6

Mississippian/Pennsylvanian

Answer 6

2E
360-286
carboniferous, pro-reptiles evolve, sharks, insects diversify, ferns, gymnosperms, horsetails

Question 7

Permian

Answer 7

2F
286-248
reptiles diversify, conifers evolve

Question 8

Paleozoic

Answer 8

2
Biodiversity

Question 9

Mesozoic

Answer 9

3
Dinos/mammals

Question 10

Triassic

Answer 10

3A
243-213
first dinos, primitive birds/mammals

Question 11

Jurassic

Answer 11

3B
213-145
dinosaur peak, gymnosperms and cycads

Question 12

Cretaceous

Answer 12

3C
145-65
dinos died out, marsupials and insectivores (both mammal groups) evolve, angiosperms (flowering plants) become abundant

Question 13

Cenozoic

Answer 13

4

Question 14

Tertiary

Answer 14

4A
65-1.8
modern bird/mammal groups; first hominids
Epochs:
Paleocene: 65-55.5
Eocene: 55.5-33.7
Oligocene: 33.7-23.8
Miocene: 23.8-5.3
Pliocene: 5.3-1.8

Question 15

Quaternary

Answer 15

4B
1.8-Present
modern humans, mass extinctions
Epochs:
Pleistocene: 1.8-8000yrs
Holocene: 8000-present