THE GEOLOGIC TIME SCALE


EONERA PERIOD EPOCH TIME SPAN
(million years)
AGE of
PhanerozoicCenozoic QuaternaryHolocene

0-2

Mammals Humans
Pleistocene Mammals develop and become dominant

Extinction of dinosaurs (beginning of Paleocene)
Tertiary NeogenePliocene

2-5

Miocene

5-24

Paleogene Oligocene

24-37

Eocene

37-58

Paleocene

58-66

MesozoicCretaceous

66-144

ReptilesFlowering plants, height of dinosaurs
Jurassic

144-208

1st birds/mammals, abundant dinosaurs
Triassic

208-245

First Dinosaurs
Paleozoic Permian

245-286

AmphibiansEnd of trilobites & other marine animals
Carbon-
iferous
Pennsylvanian

286-320

Abundant insects, first reptiles
Mississippian

320-360

Large primitive trees
Devonian

360-408

FishesFirst amphibians
Silurian

408-438

First land plant fossils
Ordovician

438-505

Marine InvertebratesFirst Fish
Cambrian

505-570

1st shelled organisms,
trilobites dominant
Proterzoic

Also known as Precambrian

570-2,500First Multicelled organisms
Archean 2,500-3,800First one-celled organisms
Hadean 3,800-4,600 Approx age of oldest rocks (3800)