218 P. W. LIPMAN AND OTHERS INTRODUCTION The Pacific margins of North and South America are marked by a belt of Mesozoic and Cenozoic volcanism, plutonism, and tectonism about 500 km wide that grades eastward into terranes of gentle structure and minor igneous activity. In middle North America, however,The Triassic period, Jurassic period, and Cretaceous period each encompass about 50 to 80 millions years on a geologic time scale. The name Mesozoic means “middle life,” as it falls between the Paleozoic era, meaning “old life,” and Cenozoic era, meaning “new life.”. The flora and fauna in the world during ...25 Agu 2023 ... Buy Birds of the Mesozoic (9788416728527): An Illustrated Field Guide: NHBS - Juan Benito, Roc Olivé Pous, Luis M Chiappe, Lynx Edicions.The Triassic Period (252-201 million years ago) began after Earth's worst-ever extinction event devastated life. The Permian-Triassic extinction event, also known as the Great Dying, took place roughly 252 million years ago and was one of the most significant events in the history of our planet. It represents the divide between the Palaeozoic ...30 Jun 2023 ... The Mesozoic Era can be divided into three distinct geological periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous, with each representing a ...Theory No. 1: Size Was Fueled by Vegetation. During the Mesozoic Era, which stretched from the beginning of the Triassic period 250 million years ago to the extinction of the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous period 65 million years ago, atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide were much higher than they are today.The Mesozoic is often called the "Age of Reptiles", a phrase coined by the early 19th-century paleontologist Gideon Mantell who recognized the dinosaurs and the ancestors of the crocodilians as the dominant land vertebrates. Some of the dinosaurs were the largest land animals ever to have lived while some of the smaller theropods gave rise to the first …A geochemical and isotopic study was carried out for three Mesozoic intrusive suites (the Xishu, Wu’an and Hongshan suites) from the North China Craton (NCC) to understand their genesis and geodynamic implications. The Xishu and Wu’an suites are gabbroic to monzonitic in composition. They share many common geochemical features …The Mesozoic Era is the second-to-last era of Earth's geological history, lasting from about , comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian reptiles , such as the dinosaurs ; an abundance of gymnosperms , (such as ginkgoales , bennettitales ) and ferns ; a hot greenhouse climate ... Late Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic eras Triassic. During the Triassic Period, a hot and dry environment led to the deposition of sandstones, salts and mudstones in deserts, rivers and shallow lakes. Reptiles were common and the first dinosaurs evolved. Permian. During the Permian Period, Britain lay on the supercontinent of Pangaea and experienced hot, dry …During the Mesozoic era, the Indian subcontinent had migrated from below the 30º S latitude to near the equator (Kiessling et al. 2003; Golonka 2011; Hall 2012). Throughout the Mesozoic era, climatic conditions varied as a function of overall global climatic changes and movement of the Indian subcontinent towards the equator.A major phytoplankton succession took place at the transition from the Palaeozoic to the Mesozoic era (~250 Myr ago), from an ocean dominated by the green Archaeplastida to secondary endosymbiotic ...The Paleozoic Era saw the rise of invertebrates, and the Mesozoic Era saw the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs. The era that Earth is currently existing in is the Cenozoic Era.In fact, the first mammals evolved from a population of vertebrates called therapsids (mammal-like reptiles) at the end of the Triassic period and coexisted with dinosaurs throughout the Mesozoic Era. But part of this folktale has a grain of truth. It was only after the dinosaurs went kaput that mammals were able to evolve beyond their tiny ...Different Types of Mesozoic Era Dinosaurs; 3 Facts About Velociraptor Mongoliensis; 3 Facts About Adasaurus Mongoliensis; Facts About Centrosaurus Apertus;Gymnosperms expanded in the Mesozoic era (about 240 million years ago), supplanting ferns in the landscape, and reaching their greatest diversity during this time. It has been suggested that during the mid-Mesozoic era, pollination of some extinct groups of gymnosperms was performed by extinct species of scorpionflies that had a specialized …Changes in the Mesozoic foreland basin of South China block primarily occur during Stage 1. Between 250 and 190 Ma, the foreland basin migrates toward the craton interior, similar to the foreland basin migration in the Laramide Orogeny (Huangfu et al., 2016). One unexpected event is the development of a broad depression with shallow lake ...The Cretaceous-Tertiary extinction event, or the K-T event, is the name given to the die-off of the dinosaurs and other species that took place some 65.5 million years ago. For many years ...At Creative Beast Studios you can up close and personal with your favorite beasts of the mesozoic!Online exhibits: Geologic time scale. The Cenozoic Era. The Cenozoic Era is the most recent of the three major subdivisions of animal history. The other two are the Mesozoic and Paleozoic Eras. The Cenozoic spans only about 65 million years, from the end of the Cretaceous Period and the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs to the present. The …The meaning of PALEOZOIC is of, relating to, originating in, or being an era of geologic history that extends from the beginning of the Cambrian to the close of the Permian and is marked by the culmination of nearly all classes of invertebrates except the insects and in the later epochs by the appearance of terrestrial plants, amphibians, and reptiles; also : …The model in question is Creative Beast Studio’s new Beasts of the Mesozoic 1/35 unpainted Tyrannosaurus, a poseable dinosaur figure with the very words “ideal 3D reference for paleoart!” printed on the box. David Silva’s Beasts of the Mesozoic (hereafter BotM) line has been creating quite a stir among collectors for bringing the …Discover All of The Beasts of The Mesozoic. Showing all 114 results. Triceratops T-Shirt- Beasts of the Mesozoic (Red) $ 25.00 Select options. Quick View; Rated 5.00 out of 5 ‘Old Buck’ Styracosaurus (Fans’ Choice) – 1/18th scale action figure $ …The Mesozoic Era was the third of the three eras of evolution. These eras are periods of years in history that highlight evolutionary breakthroughs and events. The Mesozoic Era came after the Paleozoic Era, the ancient life era. It follows an eruption of life on earth which has evolved into what we have today.The assembly of the East Asian continent (EAC) involved multi-directional convergence of several micro-blocks from late Paleozoic to Mesozoic (Enkin et al., 1992, Gilder and Courtillot, 1997, Dong et al., 2008, Li et al., 2019).The late Paleozoic collisional orogenic stage formed the embryonic East Asian continent (EEA) (Carter et al., 2001, …The Mesozoic Era began approximately 252 million years ago at the close of the Paleozoic Era and ended 66 million years ago at the dawn of the Cenozoic Era. The Mesozoic is best known as the time of the dinosaurs. Dinosaurs first appeared early in the Mesozoic and came to dominate life on Earth throughout the rest of the era. The Mesozoic is ...The Mesozoic and Early Cenozoic Stratigraphy and Palaeontology in Tibetan Plateau. Guest editors: Sha Li, Tian Jiang, Bo Wang, Xiaoqiao Wan Submission deadline: 30 June 2024. The Tibetan Plateau is the most representative sedimentary region of the eastern Tethys in China. During the Mesozoic to early Cenozoic, this area underwent critical …Dinosaur communities were separated by both time and geography. The 'Age of Dinosaurs' (the Mesozoic Era) included three consecutive geologic time periods (the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods). Different dinosaur species lived during each of these three periods. For example, the Jurassic dinosaur Stegosaurus had already been extinct for …This overview of dinosaur discoveries in Mexico synthesizes current information about the geography and environment of the region during the Mesozoic when ...Tyrannosaur Series is the third line of toys from the Beasts of the Mesozoic. The series consist of figures in 1/18th and 1/6th scale, to compliment the Ceratopsian Series, as well as introduce the 1/35th scale. On January 4, 2020, David Silva asked fans on social media what species they would like to see in the series, informing that only Tyrannosaur-related …A major phytoplankton succession took place at the transition from the Palaeozoic to the Mesozoic era (~250 Myr ago), from an ocean dominated by the green Archaeplastida to secondary endosymbiotic ...During Mesozoic, herbivorous vertebrates display an evolutionary trend towards gigantism; hence, methane emissions from that kind of reptilian biotas are also considered a climate-controlling factor: the vast herds of grazing reptiles might have released enhanced methane content in the atmosphere and therefore elevated the warm …The Triassic period, Jurassic period, and Cretaceous period each encompass about 50 to 80 millions years on a geologic time scale. The name Mesozoic means “middle life,” as it falls between the Paleozoic era, meaning “old life,” and Cenozoic era, meaning “new life.”. The flora and fauna in the world during ...Mesozoic marine gastropod shells are more robust and ornamented than are their Paleozoic predecessors. Post-Triassic gastropods exhibit more sculptural features, such as spines, tubercles, ribs, varices, and apertural obstructions such as plications and teeth, which appear to have served a mechanically defensive role. Gastropods with umbilicate …Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era. The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago; it followed the Jurassic Period and was succeeded by the Paleogene Period (the first of the two periods into which the Tertiary Period was divided). The Cretaceous is the …The Mesozoic was a time of significant tectonic, climate and evolutionary activity (e.g., García-Navarro 2005; Wallmann 2008; Jolivet 2015). For instance, during the Mesozoic took place the gradual rifting …Our natural history inspired Beasts of The Mesozoic Ceratopsian Series Dinosaur Action Figure Collectibles are crafted from design to sculpt. Our Ceratopsian dinosaurs are created with the everyday dinosaur lover and hobbyist in mind. Our Ceratopsians have solid articulation which make for some strong poses.The Paleozoic Era saw the rise of invertebrates, and the Mesozoic Era saw the evolution and extinction of dinosaurs. The era that Earth is currently existing in is the Cenozoic Era.Mesozoic Era, second of Earth’s three major geologic eras of Phanerozoic time. Its name is derived from the Greek term for “middle life.” The Mesozoic Era began 252.2 million years ago, following the conclusion of the Paleozoic Era , and ended 66 million years ago, at the dawn of the Cenozoic Era . The Cretaceous ( IPA: / krɪˈteɪʃəs / krih-TAY-shəs) [2] is a geological period that lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago (Mya). It is the third and final period of the Mesozoic Era, as well as the longest. At around 79 million years, it is the longest geological period of the entire Phanerozoic. The name is derived from the Latin ...Spanning around 200 million years, the Mesozoic Era was characterized by rapid evolution of life on the Earth, most noteworthy being the rise and fall of the dinosaurs. In the plant kingdom, the flowering plants appeared for the first time. Read this ScienceStruck article to know more about various characteristics of this era, like the plants, animals, climatic conditions, and major events.Illuminates the Mesozoic tectonic evolution of Marie Byrd Land with evidence of the metamorphic conditions, kinematics and rapid development of transcurrent structures responsible for large-scale ...Geologic Time Scale. Humans subdivide time into useable units such as our calendar year, months, weeks, and days; geologists also subdivide time. They have created a tool for measuring geologic time, breaking it into useable, understandable segments. For the purposes of geology, the “calendar” is the geologic time scale.Starting from a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, Beasts of the Mesozoic has transformed into one of the premier lines of dinosaur figures on the market today. We had a chance to chat with Silva a while back (I’m personally very sorry it took so long to get this interview up) about his process, the inspiration for his dinosaur models ...Mesozoic. The Mesozoic Era is an interval of geological time from about 252 to 66 million years ago. The climate was warmer, the seasons were very mild, the sea level was higher, and there was no polar ice. It is known as age of reptiles because this era becomes dominated by dinosaurs and reptiles .The Mesozoic Era is the geological period between 252 million and 66 million years ago and is subdivided into three epochs: the Triassic, Jurassic, and …Paleozoic (541-252 million years ago) means ‘ancient life.’. The oldest animals on Earth appeared just before the start of this era in the Ediacaran Period, but scientists had not yet discovered them when the geologic timescale was made. Life was primitive during the Paleozoic and included many invertebrates (animals without backbones) and ...The Sharks of the Mesozoic Era . Considering how common they were during the preceding geologic periods, sharks kept a relatively low profile during most of the Mesozoic Era, because of intense competition from marine reptiles like ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. By far the most successful genus was Hybodus, which was built for survival: …Mesozoic: [adjective] of, relating to, or being an era of geological history comprising the interval between the Permian and the Tertiary or the corresponding system of rocks that was marked by the presence of dinosaurs, marine and flying reptiles, ammonites, ferns, and gymnosperms and the appearance of angiosperms, mammals, and birds — see ...Repenomamus (Latin: "reptile" (reptilis), "mammal" (mammalis)) is a genus of opossum- to badger-sized gobiconodontid mammal containing two species, Repenomamus robustus and Repenomamus giganticus.Both species are known from fossils found in China that date to the early Cretaceous period, about 125-123.2 million years ago. R. robustus is one of …Mesozoic: [adjective] of, relating to, or being an era of geological history comprising the interval between the Permian and the Tertiary or the corresponding system of rocks that was marked by the presence of dinosaurs, marine and flying reptiles, ammonites, ferns, and gymnosperms and the appearance of angiosperms, mammals, and birds — see ...The Mesozoic Era (252–66 Ma) spread over an interesting time that witnessed splitting of the Pangaea supercontinent and the opening and spreading of the Atlantic and Indian oceans. It brackets the time interval sandwiched between two extreme events of biodiversity crisis i.e., the end Permian mass extinction (around 252 Ma) marking the base ...A. The unconformity is younger than the fossil ages on the tilted bed. B. The unconformity is older than the fossil ages in layers above the unconformity. C. The amount of time represented by the unconformity can be approximately bracketed by the ages of the fossils above and below. D. all of these E. a and b only.Paleozoic (541-252 million years ago) means ‘ancient life.’ The oldest animals on Earth appeared just before the start of this era in the Ediacaran Period, but scientists had not yet discovered them when the geologic timescale was made. Life was primitive during the Paleozoic and included many invertebrates (animals without backbones) and the earliest …Paleozoic Era, major interval of geologic time that began 538.8 million years ago with the Cambrian explosion, an extraordinary diversification of marine animals, and ended about 252 million years ago with the end-Permian extinction, the greatest extinction event in Earth history. The major.Mesozoica es un videojuego de estilo simulador desarrollado por Underdog Interactive que te transportará a la era de los dinosaurios. En concreto, tomarás el papel de un …Periods of the Paleozoic Era. The Paleozoic Era begins after the Pre-Cambrian about 297 million years ago and ends with the start of the Mesozoic period about 250 million years ago. Each major era on the Geologic Time Scale has been further broken down into periods that are defined by the type of life that evolved during that span of time.The Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic Era (about 252 to 66 million years ago) is divided into three periods—the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous—and is remarkable for the transgression of ancient seas and for the emergence of massive land formations containing interesting fossil remains. Marine formationsOctober 8, 2021. With the highly anticipated Tyrannosaur series already fully-funded and blowing through stretch goals, David Silva’s Beasts of the Mesozoic toy line has once again proven there’s a huge market for scientifically accurate dinosaur action figures. As he did for the Raptor and Ceratopsian series, Silva was kind enough to ...– the dinosaurs are just as scientifically accurate as they are in Beasts of the Mesozoic, and the same figure molds will be used allowing for extra compatibility with BotM. – this is a sci-fi story, but is still grounded in our own reality, albeit in the future.The Cretaceous–Paleogene (K–Pg) extinction event, also known as the Cretaceous–Tertiary (K–T) extinction, was a sudden mass extinction of three-quarters of the plant and animal species on Earth, approximately 66 million years ago. The event caused the extinction of all non-avian dinosaurs.Most other tetrapods weighing more than 25 kilograms (55 pounds) …The Age of Conifers in the Mesozoic Era provided the spread of seeded plants. Conifers store vast amounts of carbon. As a result, oxygen content in the atmosphere jumped to 35% compared to 21% today. In addition, they provided habitat, shelter, and a source of food for specific animal species to survive.The Mesozoic Era incorporates some of the most famous tectonic events, paleoclimatic and sea-level fluctuations and some of the most amazing ecological and evolutionary steps in …Beasts of the Mesozoic is a line of scientifically accurate, dinosaur action figure collectibles with elaborate detail and articulation. Latest Updates from Our Project: Wave 3 Test Shots and new paint samples! 1 day ago – Tue, Oct 17, 2023 at 07:59:37 PM . Hi All- Although there's a lot going on right now with the new Cyberzoic Kickstarter …A. The unconformity is younger than the fossil ages on the tilted bed. B. The unconformity is older than the fossil ages in layers above the unconformity. C. The amount of time represented by the unconformity can be approximately bracketed by the ages of the fossils above and below. D. all of these E. a and b only.The Giganotosaurus, an eight- to 10-ton, three-fingered predator whose remains have been found in close proximity to those of Argentinosaurus, is one of the biggest dinosaurs ever to walk the Earth. The inescapable conclusion: Giganotosaurus was one of the few theropods capable of taking down a full-grown titanosaur adult (or, at …Request PDF | On Jan 1, 2018, Chunju Huang published Astronomical Time Scale for the Mesozoic | Find, read and cite all the research you need on ResearchGateAmazon.com: The Mesozoic Era: Age of Dinosaurs (The Geologic History of Earth): 9781615301034: Rafferty, John P.: Books.Mesozoic (Smithsonian Institution) The world during the Mesozoic Era was a place both foreign and yet familiar when compared to Earth today. At this time, Pangea broke apart, and the massive Panthalassa Ocean broke …The paleolatitude of the Dras Arc during the Mesozoic is uncertain. However, based on the available evidence, it is likely that the Dras Arc formed in the Neotethyan Ocean during the Upper Jurassic and was active until the late Paleocene, around 60-50 Ma. The Dras Arc is believed to have developed together with the Spongtang Ophiolite-Spong Arc complex and the intraoceanic Zedong terrane of ...Those years are known as the Cretaceous period, the longest portion of the Mesozoic era, which ended approximately 66 million years ago (after a meteor strike, many scientists believe, eliminated ...The Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic Era is commonly subdivided into three geologic periods: . Triassic (252 to 201.3 million years ago) Jurassic (201.3 to 145 million years ago) Cretaceous (145 to 66 ...Mesozoic means "middle animals", and is the time during which the world fauna changed drastically from that which had been seen in the Paleozoic. Dinosaurs , which are perhaps the most popular organisms of the Mesozoic, evolved in the Triassic, but were not very diverse until the Jurassic.The boundary between the Paleozoic and Mesozoic eras and the Permian and Triassic periods is marked by the first occurrence of the conodont Hindeodus parvus. This is the first biostratigraphic event found worldwide that is associated with the beginning of the recovery following the end-Permian mass extinctions and environmental changes.The Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic Era (about 252 to 66 million years ago) is divided into three periods—the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous—and is remarkable for the transgression of ancient seas and for the emergence of massive land formations containing interesting fossil remains. Marine formationsThe Mesozoic Era is known as the “Age of Reptiles.” Today's reptiles represent only a fraction of the reptile groups and species that have lived. Reptile - Evolution, Paleontology, Adaptation: The first land vertebrates, the Tetrapoda, appeared near the middle of the Devonian Period. The earliest known reptiles, Hylonomus and Paleothyris, date from the …The Cenozoic Era literally means the era of “modern life.”. It is also called the age of mammals. Mammals took advantage of the extinction of the dinosaurs. They flourished and soon became the dominant animals on Earth. You can learn more about the evolution of mammals during the Cenozoic at the link below. The Cenozoic began 65 million ...Glorified Dinosaurs: The Origin and Early Evolution of Birds. Luis M. Chiappe. x + 263 pp. John Wiley and Sons, 2007. $69.95.The Cenozoic Era. The Cenozoic Era is the most recent of the three major subdivisions of animal history. The other two are the Mesozoic and Paleozoic Eras. The Cenozoic spans only about 65 million years, from the end of the Cretaceous Period and the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs to the present. The Cenozoic is sometimes called the Age of ...The Mesozoic Era (252 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. Large marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs, along with the coiled-shell ammonites, flourished in these …Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era. The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million years ago; it followed the Jurassic Period and was succeeded by the Paleogene Period (the first of the two periods into which the Tertiary Period was divided).
the sea floor spreading rate in the Atlantic ocean. During the Mesozoic Era as much as ______ percent of the cordillera region was added to North America. 70. What is the term for when a plate fragment rides up and over another plate. obduction.. 864 food trucks
Minmi. Fossils of the Minmi have been found in Queensland, Australia. No, its name isn't a reference to Mini-Me, Dr. Evil's tiny doppelganger in the Austin Powers movies. But it might as well be: As ankylosaurs go, Minmi was wee, "only" about 10 feet long and 500 to 1,000 pounds.The Age of Conifers in the Mesozoic Era provided the spread of seeded plants. Conifers store vast amounts of carbon. As a result, oxygen content in the atmosphere jumped to 35% compared to 21% today. In addition, they provided habitat, shelter, and a source of food for specific animal species to survive.Jurassic Period, second of three periods of the Mesozoic Era. Extending from 201.3 million to 145 million years ago, the Jurassic was a time of global change in the continents, oceanographic patterns, and biological systems. On land, dinosaurs and flying pterosaurs dominated, and birds made their first appearance.The overall picture is thus quite clear: throughout Mesozoic time there was a continuous dying out and renewal of dinosaurian life. It is important to note that extinction is a normal, universal occurrence. Mass extinctions often …Mesozoic The middle of three eras that constitute the Phanerozoic period of time, about 248–65 Ma ago. The Mesozoic (literally ‘middle life’) was preceded by the Palaeozoic Era and followed by the Cenozoic Era. The Mesozoic comprises the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods.Mesozoic means "middle animals," and is the time during which the world fauna changed drastically from that which had been seen in the Paleozoic. Dinosaurs, which are perhaps the most popular organisms of the Mesozoic, evolved in the Triassic, but were not very diverse until the Jurassic.The Mesozoic Era spanned 252 to 66 million years ago a tiny part of the Earth's long history. Imagine yourself at the dawn of the Mesozoic about 250 million years ago. Most large animals are reptiles rather than mammals; there are no dinosaurs, no bird sounds, and no flowers to pick or grass to mow.Mesozoica - A full featured dinosaur theme park tycoon simulator in which you focus on the construction and management of your dinosaur wonderland. From choosing your starting company to your prime …The GCR began in 1977 under the Nature Conservancy Council (NCC), and was a major step forward in Earth heritage conservation, and is an international first. No other country has attempted such a systematic and comprehensive review of its Earth heritage. The GCR was designed to identify those sites of national and international importance ...Cretaceous Period, in geologic time, the last of the three periods of the Mesozoic Era. The Cretaceous began 145.0 million years ago and ended 66 million …The salt, for the most part, has been deposited on oceanic crust. The new predrift reconstruction and early opening poles, taken together with the new identifications of the Mesozoic and Late Cenozoic sequences of magnetic anomalies, allow us to determine the magnitude and time interval of spreading center migration.The Mesozoic Era is sometimes called the "age of the dinosaurs" because dinosaurs were the dominant animals for much of the era. The Permian Extinction After the Permian Extinction wiped out over 95% of ocean-dwelling species and 70% of land species, the new Mesozoic Era began about 250 million years ago.The Mesozoic Era (252 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed, sea levels rose world-wide and seas expanded across the center of North America. Large marine reptiles such as plesiosaurs, along with the coiled-shell ammonites, flourished in these …Amazon.com: The Mesozoic Era: Age of Dinosaurs (The Geologic History of Earth): 9781615301034: Rafferty, John P.: Books.Cenozoic Era, third of the major eras of Earth’s history, beginning about 66 million years ago and extending to the present. It was the interval of time during which the continents assumed their modern configuration and geographic positions and during which Earth’s flora and fauna evolved toward those of the present.The Mesozoic Reader: Volume 1: An Anthology of Prehistoric Poetry and Deep Time Fiction [Hollon, Rick, Ahia, K.C., Brevik, J.S., Bruce, Rachel, Gomel, ...Following the Mesozoic era was the Cenozoic, which began about 66 million years ago. This period is also known as the "Age of Mammals," as large mammals, following the extinction of the dinosaurs, became the dominant creatures on the planet. In the process, mammals diversified into the many species still present on the Earth today.In fact, the first mammals evolved from a population of vertebrates called therapsids (mammal-like reptiles) at the end of the Triassic period and coexisted with dinosaurs throughout the Mesozoic Era. But part of this folktale has a grain of truth. It was only after the dinosaurs went kaput that mammals were able to evolve beyond their tiny ....