Appendix:Geologic timescale
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The eons, eras, periods and epochs of geologic time - most recent first - numbers are millions of years ago and mark the end of the timeframe
Phanerozoic eon[edit]
Cenozoic era[edit]
66-present
Quaternary period[edit]
- 2.58-present
Holocene epoch[edit]
- 0.0117-present - end of most recent glaciation; start of civilization
Pleistocene epoch[edit]
Upper Pleistocene age[edit]
- 0.126-0.0117
Middle Pleistocene age[edit]
- 0.781-0.126
Calabrian age[edit]
- 1.80-0.781
Gelasian age[edit]
- 2.58-1.80
Neogene period[edit]
- 23.03-2.58
Pliocene epoch[edit]
- 5.333-2.58 - ice age, modern mammals and molluscs appear
Piacenzian age[edit]
- 3.600-2.58
Zanclean age[edit]
- 5.333-3.600
Miocene epoch[edit]
- 23.03-5.333 - moderate climate, mountain building, modern mammals & birds appear, grasslands expand
Messinian age[edit]
- 7.246-5.333
Tortonian age[edit]
- 11.62-7.246
Serravallian age[edit]
- 13.82-11.62
Langhian age[edit]
- 15.97-13.82
Burdigalian age[edit]
- 20.44-15.97
Aquitanian age[edit]
- 23.03-20.44
Paleogene period[edit]
- 66.0 - 23.03 - Mild change in climate, spread of mammals and birds.
Oligocene epoch[edit]
- 23 - warm climate, rapid evolution,
Eocene epoch[edit]
- 34 - archaic mammals, start of current ice age
Paleocene epoch[edit]
- 56 - tropical climate, first large mammals
Mesozoic era[edit]
- Reign of reptiles (Dinosaurs)
Cretaceous period[edit]
Upper epoch[edit]
- 66 - Last dinosaurs
Lower epoch[edit]
- 100 - break up of Gondwanaland, flowering plants and Bees
Jurassic period[edit]
- 201.3-145.0 - Peak of reptiles, first birds and true mammals
Upper epoch[edit]
- 145 - Peak of sauropods
Middle epoch[edit]
- 161 - lizards, mammals
Lower epoch[edit]
- 175 - ammonites
Triassic period[edit]
Upper epoch[edit]
- 200 -- archosaurs
Middle epoch[edit]
- 230 - amphibians, First dinosaurs
Lower epoch[edit]
- 245 - first small mammals
Paleozoic era[edit]
Permian period[edit]
Lopingian epoch[edit]
- 251 - supercontinent of Pangea
Guadalupian epoch[edit]
- 260 - gymnosperms
Cisuralian epoch[edit]
Carboniferous period[edit]
Upper Pennsylvanian epoch[edit]
- 299 - winged insects
Middle Pennsylvanian epoch[edit]
- 306 - reptiles, coal forests
Lower Pennsylvanian epoch[edit]
- 312 - high oxygen content atmosphere
Upper Mississippian epoch[edit]
- 318 - primitive trees
Middle Mississippian epoch[edit]
- 326 - primitive sharks
Lower Mississippian epoch[edit]
- 345 - glaciation
Devonian period[edit]
Upper epoch[edit]
- 359 - clubmosses
Middle epoch[edit]
- 385 - crinoids
Lower epoch[edit]
- 398 - jawed fish
Silurian period[edit]
Pridoli epoch[edit]
- 416 - first vascular land plants
Ludlow epoch[edit]
- 419 - millipedes
Wenlock epoch[edit]
- 423 - corals
Llandovery epoch[edit]
- 428 - trilobites
Ordovician period[edit]
Upper epoch[edit]
- 443 - invertebrates dominant
Middle epoch[edit]
- 461 - starfish
Lower epoch[edit]
- 471 - first land plants
Cambrian period[edit]
- 541.0±1.0-485.4±1.0
Furongian epoch[edit]
- 497-485.4±1.0
Stage 10[edit]
- 489.5-485.4±1.0 - Cambrian explosion of life
Jiangshanian[edit]
- 494-489.5
Paibian[edit]
- 497-494 - Trilobites
Series 3[edit]
- 509-497
Guzhangian[edit]
- 500.5-497
Drumian[edit]
- 504.5-500.5
Stage 5[edit]
- 509-504.5
Series 2[edit]
- 521-509
Stage 4[edit]
- 514-509 - sponges
Stage 3[edit]
- 521-514
Terreneuvian[edit]
- 541.0±1.0-521
Stage 2[edit]
- 529-521
Fortunian[edit]
- 541.0±1.0-529
Proterozoic eon[edit]
2,500-541.0±1.0
Neoproterozoic era[edit]
1,000-541.0±1.0
Ediacaran period[edit]
- 635-541.0±1.0 - first multi-celled animals
Cryogenian period[edit]
- 850-635 - snowball earth
Tonian period[edit]
- 1,000-850 - acritarch radiation
Mesoproterozoic era[edit]
1,600-1,000
Stennian period[edit]
- 1,200-1,000 - formation of Rodinia
Ectasian period[edit]
- 1,400-1,200
Calymmian period[edit]
- 1,600-1,400
Paleoproterozoic era[edit]
2,500-1,600
Statherian period[edit]
- 1,800-1,600 - first complex single-celled life
Orosirian period[edit]
- 2,050-1,800 - transition to oxygen atmosphere
Rhyacian period[edit]
- 2,300-2,050
Siderian period[edit]
- 2,500-2,300
Archaean eon[edit]
4,000-2,500
Neoarchean era[edit]
2,800-2,500 - stabilization of most modern cratons
Mesoarchean era[edit]
3,200-2,800 - first stromatolites
Paleoarchean era[edit]
3,600-3,200 - first known aerobic bacteria
Eoarchean era[edit]
4,000-3,600 - first single-celled organisms
Hadean eon[edit]
Before 4,000
- ~4,000 - oldest known rock
- 4,400 - oldest known mineral
- 4,570 - Earth formed