The following table is read from bottom to top.
Blue areas denote when dinosaurs existed, excluding neomithine dinosaurs.
Ma stands for Million years ago - how long ago a particular age began.
My stands for Million years - how long an age or period lasted.
|
|
Era |
Period |
Sub-period |
Epoch |
Age |
Ma |
My |
Products |
|
Cenzoic |
Quatemary |
Holocene |
0.01 |
0.01 |
22 |
|
|
Pleistocene |
1.64 |
1.63 |
Florida clam shell, Calif. Sand dollar |
|
Tertiary |
Neogene |
Pliocene |
Piacenzian |
3.4 |
3.6 |
|
|
Zanclian |
5.2 |
Peru Oyster shell |
|
Miocene |
Messinian |
6.7 |
5.2 |
|
|
Tortonian |
10.4 |
|
|
Serravalian |
14.2 |
5.9 |
|
|
Langhian |
16.3 |
France Turitella |
|
Burdigalian |
21.5 |
7 |
Tampa Bay Agatized Coral |
|
Aquitanian |
23.3 |
France Turitella |
|
Paleogene |
Oligocene |
Chattian |
29.3 |
6 |
42 |
|
|
Rupelian |
35.4 |
6.1 |
Tampa Bay agatized coral |
|
Eocene |
Priabonian |
38.6 |
3.2 |
Morocco shark's teeth, Colorado clam shell, Wyoming goniobasis |
|
Bartonian |
42.1 |
11.4 |
|
Lutetian |
50 |
|
Ypresian |
56.5 |
6.5 |
|
Paleocene |
Thanetian |
60.5 |
4 |
|
|
Danian |
65 |
4.5 |
|
|
Mesozoic |
Cretaceous |
Senorian |
Maastrichtian |
71.3 |
6.3 |
79.2 |
Last of the Dinosaurs
Morocco ammonites Morocco orthocerus
|
|
Campanian |
83.5 |
12.2 |
| Santonian |
85.8 |
2.3 |
| Coniacian |
89.9 |
4.1 |
|
Gallic |
Turonian |
93.5 |
3.6 |
| Cenomanian |
98.9 |
5.4 |
| Albian |
112.2 |
13.3 |
| Aptian |
121 |
8.8 |
| Barremian |
127 |
6 |
|
Neocomian |
Hauterivian |
132 |
5 |
| Valanginian |
137 |
5 |
| Berriasian |
144.2 |
7.2 |
|
Jurassic |
Malm |
Tithonian |
150.7 |
6.5 |
61.5 |
Madagascar ammonites |
| Kimmeridgian |
154.1 |
3.4 |
| Oxfordian |
159.4 |
5.3 |
|
Dogger |
Callovian |
164.4 |
5 |
| Bathonian |
169.2 |
4.8 |
| Bajocian |
176.5 |
7.3 |
| Aalenian |
180.1 |
3.6 |
|
Lias |
Toarcian |
189.6 |
9.5 |
| Pliensbachian |
195.3 |
5.7 |
| Sinemurian |
201.9 |
6.6 |
| Hettangian |
205.7 |
3.8 |
|
Triassic |
Tr3 |
Rhaetian |
209.6 |
3.9 |
42.5 |
|
| Norian |
220.7 |
11.1 |
|
| Carnian |
227.4 |
6.7 |
Earliest Dinosaurs |
|
Tr2 |
Ladinian |
234.3 |
6.9 |
|
| Anisian |
241.7 |
7.4 |
|
|
Scythian |
Spathian |
241.9 |
0.2 |
|
| Nammalian |
243.4 |
1.5 |
|
| Griesbachian |
248.2 |
4.8 |
|
| Paleozoic |
Carboniferous |
Pennsylvanian |
Bashkirian |
Changxingian |
247.5 |
2.5 |
33 |
|
|
Longtanian |
250 |
2.5 |
|
|
Capitanian |
252.5 |
2.5 |
|
|
Wordian |
255 |
2.5 |
|
|
Kinderscoutian |
322.8 |
1.3 |
|
| Mississippian |
Serpukhovian |
Alportian |
325.6 |
2.8 |
40 |
|
|
Chokierian |
328.3 |
2.7 |
|
|
Amsbergian |
331.1 |
4.5 |
|
|
Pendleian |
332.9 |
|
| Visean |
Brigantian |
336 |
17 |
|
| Asbian |
339.4 |
|
| Holkerian |
342.8 |
|
| Arundian |
345 |
|
| Chadian |
349.5 |
|
| Tourmaisian |
Ivorian |
353.8 |
13 |
|
| Hastarian |
362.5 |
|
| Devonian |
D3 |
Famennian |
367 |
15 |
46 |
Morocco trilobites |
| Frasnian |
377.4 |
| D2 |
Givetian |
380.8 |
9 |
| Eifelian |
386 |
| D1 |
Emsian |
390.4 |
22 |
| Prgian |
396.3 |
| Lochkovian |
408.5 |
| Silurian |
Pridoli |
410.7 |
2 |
31 |
|
| Ludlow |
Ludfordian |
415.1 |
13 |
|
| Gorstian |
424 |
|
| Wenlock |
Gleedonian |
425.4 |
6.5 |
|
| Whitwellian |
426.1 |
|
| Sheinwoodian |
430.4 |
|
| Llandovery |
Telychian |
432.6 |
8.5 |
|
| Aeronian |
436.9 |
|
| Rhuddanian |
439 |
|
| Ordovician |
Bala |
Ashgill |
Himantian |
439.5 |
4 |
71 |
|
| Rawtheyan |
440.1 |
|
| Cautleyan |
440.6 |
|
| Pusgillain |
443.1 |
|
| Caradoc |
Onnian |
444 |
21 |
|
| Actorian |
444.5 |
|
| Marshbrookian |
447.1 |
Missouri fossil sponge |
| Longvillian |
449.7 |
| Soudleyan |
457.5 |
| Harnagian |
462.3 |
| Costonian |
463.9 |
| Dyfed |
Llandeilo |
Late |
465.4 |
4.5 |
| Mid |
467 |
| Early |
468.6 |
|
| Llanvrim |
Late |
472.7 |
7.5 |
China fossil worm |
| Early |
476.1 |
|
| Canadian |
Arenig |
493 |
17 |
Canada brachiopod |
| Tremadoc |
510 |
17 |
|
| Cambrian |
Merioneth |
Dolgellian |
514.1 |
7 |
60 |
|
| Maentwrogian |
517.2 |
|
| St. David's |
Menevian |
530.2 |
19 |
|
| Solvan |
536 |
|
| Caerfai |
Lenian |
554 |
18 |
|
| Atdabanian |
560 |
16 |
|
| Tommotian |
570 |
|
| Sinian |
Vendian |
Ediacara |
Poundian |
580 |
20 |
40 |
|
| Wonokan |
590 |
|
| Varanger |
Mortensnes |
600 |
20 |
|
| Smalfjord |
610 |
|
| Sturtian |
800 |
190 |
|
|
| Riphean |
Karatau |
1050 |
250 |
|
Wyoming stromatolite |
| Yurmatin |
1350 |
300 |
|
|
| Burzyan |
1650 |
300 |
|
|
| Animikean |
2200 |
550 |
|
|
| Huronian |
250 |
250 |
|
|
|
Randian |
2800 |
350 |
|
|
|
Swazian |
3500 |
700 |
|
|
|
Isuan |
3800 |
300 |
|
|
|
Hadean |
Early Imbrian |
3850 |
50 |
|
|
|
Nectarian |
3950 |
100 |
|
|
|
Basin Groups 1-9 |
4150 |
200 |
|
|
|
Cryptic |
4560 |
410 |
|
|
|
|