Mesozoic periods

Aug 1, 2016 · Dinosaur Periods of the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs were alive in the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Together, these three periods make up the Mesozoic Era. Due to the dominance of the dinosaurs and other reptiles during the Mesozoic Era, it has become known as the ‘Age of Reptiles’. Mesozoic Era (252.17 to 66 million years ago)

Figure 8.3.1 8.3. 1: Geologic Time Scale with ages shown. The Hadean Eon, named after the Greek god and ruler of the underworld Hades, is the oldest eon and dates from 4.5–4.0 billion years ago. This time represents Earth’s earliest history, during which the planet was characterized by a partially molten surface, volcanism, and asteroid ...The final period of the Mesozoic era, the Cretaceous period, which happened about 145 to 65 million years ago, saw the largest and the most diverse range of dinosaurs. Some of the most heaviest and brutal dinosaurs, like the Tyrannosaurus rex, lived in the Cretaceous period. The end of the Mesozoic era was marked by the mass extinction, wiping ...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 ... 5: Evolution 5.10: Mesozoic Era - The Age of DinosaursOct 19, 2023 · 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. Periods. Just as eons are subdivided into eras, eras are subdivided into units of time called periods. The most well known of all geological periods is the Jurassic period of the Mesozoic era (the movie Jurassic Park, of course, has something to do with that). The Paleozoic era is divided into six periods.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 geological form ations belong to the period b etween 245 million years and 66 milli on years. It encompasses the formations of the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous ages.

You may be familiar with the chemical periodic table from school, but there’s more than meets the eye with this seemingly simple scientific chart. Learn more about the periodic table, including how it was developed and which elements have s...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.15.4: Prehistoric Climate Change. Over Earth history, the climate has changed a lot. For example, during the Mesozoic Era, the Age of Dinosaurs, the climate was much warmer and carbon dioxide was abundant in the atmosphere. However, throughout the Cenozoic Era (65 Million years ago to today), the climate has been gradually cooling.Cenozoic Era · Mid to late Mesozoic Era · Late Palaeozoic to early Mesozoic eras · Devonian · Early Palaeozoic Era · Precambrian · Background information · Note.The period dated between 250 and 65 million years ago. Many species evolved during the Mesozoic era to replace the ones that went extinct in the previous era. The humid and tropical climate of the Mesozoic era leads to the growth of many types of plants. Another incident that marks the Mesozoic period is the evolution of the …Lithospheric delamination is seismically imaged in the asthenosphere and is responsible for the lithospheric modification and the formation of a Mesozoic Basin and Range-style magmatic province in ...During the Mesozoic, or "Middle Life" era, life diversified rapidly and giant reptiles, dinosaurs and other monstrous beasts roamed the Earth. The period, which spans from about 252 million years ...The Cenozoic (/ ˌ s iː n ə ˈ z oʊ. ɪ k, ˌ s ɛ n-/ SEE-nə-ZOH-ik, SEN-ə-; lit. 'new life') is Earth's current geological era, representing the last 66 million years of Earth's history. It is characterised by the dominance of mammals, birds and flowering plants.It is the latest of three geological eras, preceded by the Mesozoic and Paleozoic.The Cenozoic started …

Over 170 new oxygen isotope measurements from Mesozoic calcitic brachiopods are ... R. E. et al. Coupling of surface temperatures and atmospheric CO2 concentrations during the Palaeozoic era ...The Cretaceous-Tertiary Mass Extinction (or K-T Extinction) became the dividing line between the final period of the Mesozoic Era—the Cretaceous Period—and the Tertiary Period of the Cenozoic Era. It is also the event that wiped out the dinosaurs. The dinosaurs were not the only species to go extinct, however—up to 75% of all known …Series: Geologic Time Periods in the Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air. As climate changed and rapid plate tectonics ...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 ...The Cretaceous is defined as the period between 145.5 and 65.5 million years ago,* the last period of the Mesozoic Era, following the Jurassic and ending with the extinction of the dinosaurs (except birds). By the beginning of the Cretaceous, the supercontinent Pangea was already rifting apart, and by the mid-Cretaceous, it had split into ...The Jurassic is the middle Mesozoic period spanning the time interval from ∼201 Ma to ∼145 Ma, according to the 2013 IUGS time scale. The major events of the Jurassic were the explosive adaptive radiation of dinosaurs and the evolution of birds ...

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Mid to late Mesozoic Era Cretaceous. In the Early Cretaceous, Britain experienced a warm climate with lagoonal, lake and fluvial environments. Rocks of this age contain dinosaur remains. Higher sea levels led to chalk deposition in the Late Cretaceous. Many groups of animals became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous, including ammonites and ...The geologic time scale or geological time scale ( GTS) is a representation of time based on the rock record of Earth. It is a system of chronological dating that uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochronology (a scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks).Find Mesozoic Era stock images in HD and millions of other royalty-free stock photos, 3D objects, illustrations and vectors in the Shutterstock collection.The Mesozoic Era spanned 252 to 66 million years ago – a tiny part of the Earth’s long history.There are three geological periods that make up the Mesozoic Era, and they are the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. The Triassic Period of the Mesozoic Era lasted 50.6 million years (251.902 to 201.3 million years ago). The Jurassic Period of the Mesozoic Era lasted 56 million years (201.3 to 145 million years ago).

The Mesozoic Era lasted from 252 to 66 MYA, contains three of the most widely recognized periods in the geologic time scale because of the giant creatures that roamed the earth, the sea and, even ...The basic rule for the capitalization of periods and events is to capitalize specific names but not general terms. If a general time period uses a proper noun, capitalize only the proper noun. Typically, these refer to periods of human history, as opposed to geological and archaeological periods, in which words like era or age are part of the ...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 …When we think about the age of the dinosaurs, we often forget about what was swimming in the ocean during that period. At the end of Jurassic World, the Mosasaurus is nearly forgotten until it terrifyingly jumps out of the water scaring those on land. Global sea levels were high during the Mesozoic period in which dinosaurs ruled the earth.Paleozoic Era, also spelled Palaeozoic, 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 divisions of the Paleozoic Era, …Tertiary Period, former official interval of geologic time lasting from approximately 66 million to 2.6 million years ago. It is the traditional name for the first of two periods in the Cenozoic Era (66 …Aug 1, 2016 · Dinosaur Periods of the Mesozoic Era. Dinosaurs were alive in the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Together, these three periods make up the Mesozoic Era. Due to the dominance of the dinosaurs and other reptiles during the Mesozoic Era, it has become known as the ‘Age of Reptiles’. Mesozoic Era (252.17 to 66 million years ago) During the Mesozoic periods, a 1,300 km wide intra-land orogenic belt was formed (Liu et al., 2013). The area has been influenced by multiple phases of tectonic movements including the Caledonian, Indo-Chinese, and Yanshan phases, resulting in distributions of large areas of Mesozoic igneous rocks . Typical igneous rocks include …

The time scale is divided into four large periods of time—the Cenozoic Era, Mesozoic Era, Paleozoic Era, and The Precambrian. Cenozoic Era. The Cenozoic Era (66 million years ago through today) is the "Age of Mammals." Birds and mammals rose in prominence after the extinction of giant reptiles. Common Cenozoic fossils include cat …

Events in Earth’s history are “calendared” according to the geologic time scale. Eons, eras, periods, epochs, and ages are a few of the named units of abstract time that it divides all of the time into. Read here to learn in detail about the geologic time scale. ... (Mesozoic) Jurassic- 201.4 to 145 million years ago (Mesozoic) Triassic ...In 2019, researchers published the discovery of another T. rex fossil, nicknamed "Scotty," that edged out Sue as the most massive of its kind, likely weighing in at 19,555 lbs. (8,870 kilograms ...Historical periods, eras, and ages. Long, distinct periods in history carry specific names. These time periods are generally bound by historical events or cultural movements and practices. While some …Mesozoic: An era in geologic history that contained three related periods which became renowned for their large reptiles: the Triassic (which spanned from 251 to 199.6 million years ago), the Jurassic (which spanned from 199.6 to 145.5 million years ago), and the Cretaceous (which spanned from 145.5 to 65.5 million years ago).groups of stick insects from two Mesozoic periods, ... Mesozoic insect fossils reveal the early evolution of twig mimicry, Science Bulletin (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.07.007groups of stick insects from two Mesozoic periods, ... Mesozoic insect fossils reveal the early evolution of twig mimicry, Science Bulletin (2022). DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2022.07.007The Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, and Cenozoic Eras. The Geologic Time Scale is the history of the Earth broken down into four spans of time marked by various events, such as the emergence of certain species, their evolution, and their extinction, that help distinguish one era from another. Strictly speaking, Precambrian Time is not an ...Jan 20, 2019 · Ages of the Dinosaurs (The Mesozoic Era) This chart is a simple overview of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, all of which were part of the Mesozoic era. In brief, this incredibly long period of time, measured in "mya" or "millions of years ago," saw the development of dinosaurs, marine reptiles, fish, mammals, flying animals ... Triassic Period. Learn about the time period that took place 251 to 199 million years ago. The start of the Triassic period (and the Mesozoic era) was a desolate time in Earth's history. Something ... Apr 10, 2022 · The Mesozoic era is an era of time between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic eras. The Cenozoic is the current era humans live in. The Mesozoic era is divided into three periods - the Triassic, Jurassic ...

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The Mesozoic Era. The Mesozoic era lasted about 185.5 million years, from about 251 million years ago to about 65.5 million years ago. It is divided into three periods. From the earliest to the most recent, these periods are the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. The Mesozoic era is sometimes called the Age of Reptiles because reptiles ...The climate extremes ranged from tundra in the western mountains during glacial periods to warm temperate conditions near the coast during interglacial periods. The spruce and hemlock forests found today on north-facing slopes and higher mountains are remnants of broad forests that once covered the state during glacial periods. Back to the MesozoicCretaceous 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... Tertiary Period. Tertiary Period, former official interval of geologic time lasting from approximately 66 million to 2.6 million years ago. In a relatively short period of time, mammals came to dominate virtually every environment on land. During the Paleogene and Neogene Periods, all of the current mammalian orders were established. The rest, as they say, is history. Whereas the Mesozoic Era is known as the ‘Age of Reptiles’, the Cenozoic Era is known as the ‘Age …To memorize the Eras: Precambrian, Paleozoic, Mesozoic, Cenozoic: Please pay my children! Pizza places make chicken. Peter Piper milks cows. To memorize the Periods:5 Jun 2018 ... ... periods of the Mesozoic Era, this 155-kilometer-long coastal strip has long been recognized as an important place in the study of earth science.The Geological time succeeding Azoic Era, was dramatic and rich in life. This period is divided into three eras. These were significant periods in earth's history. Of these, the oldest era was the Paleozoic era. It ranged from 600 to 210 million years ago. Thus its duration was nearly 390 million years.Jan 3, 2022 · The final period of the Mesozoic era, the Cretaceous period, which happened about 145 to 65 million years ago, saw the largest and the most diverse range of dinosaurs. Some of the most heaviest and brutal dinosaurs, like the Tyrannosaurus rex, lived in the Cretaceous period. The end of the Mesozoic era was marked by the mass extinction, wiping ... T. rex had strong thighs and a powerful tail, which counterbalanced its large head (Sue's skull is 5 feet, or 1.5 m, long) and allowed it to move quickly. The 2011 study, which also modeled T. rex ...Feb 28, 2020 · 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. ….

The K–Pg boundary marks the end of the Cretaceous Period, the last period of the Mesozoic Era, and marks the beginning of the Paleogene Period, the first period of the Cenozoic Era. Its age is usually estimated at around 66 million years, [2] with radiometric dating yielding a more precise age of 66.043 ± 0.011 Ma.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 ...Find out more about the Mesozoic paleontology and geology of North America at the Paleontology Portal's pages on the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous, and Permian Periods. See the Wikipedia page on the Paleozoic. Read more about the Permian-Triassic extinction on Wikipedia.Key Points. Angiosperms evolved during the late Cretaceous Period, about 125-100 million years ago. Angiosperms have developed flowers and fruit as ways to attract pollinators and protect their seeds, respectively. Flowers have a wide array of colors, shapes, and smells, all of which are for the purpose of attracting pollinators.The geologic time scale or geological time scale ( GTS) is a representation of time based on the rock record of Earth. It is a system of chronological dating that uses chronostratigraphy (the process of relating strata to time) and geochronology (a scientific branch of geology that aims to determine the age of rocks).The Mesozoic era has three periods that detail the period certain evolutionary events occurred. These periods highlight specific times in evolution. They include: Triassic Period. The Triassic period ushered in the Mesozoic era. The Triassic period lasted between 251 to 200 million years ago. Three unique formations were …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.At least two Tethyan seas successively occupied the area between Laurasia and Gondwana during the Mesozoic Era. The first, called the Paleo-Tethys Sea, or Paleo-Tethys Ocean, was created during the convergence of all landmasses into what would become the supercontinent of Pangea late in the Paleozoic Era. During the Permian and …1 / 11. The Jurassic period (199.6 million to 145.5 million years ago) was characterized by a warm, wet climate that gave rise to lush vegetation and abundant life. Many new dinosaurs emerged—in ... Mesozoic periods, Ages of the Dinosaurs (The Mesozoic Era) This chart is a simple overview of the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods, all of which were part of the Mesozoic era., The Mesozoic era is an era of time between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic eras. The Cenozoic is the current era humans live in. The Mesozoic era is divided into three periods - the Triassic, Jurassic ..., The Mesozoic Era (251.9 to 66.0 million years ago) was the "Age of Reptiles." During the Mesozoic, Pangaea began separating into the modern continents, and the modern Rocky Mountains rose. Dinosaurs, crocodiles, and pterosaurs ruled the land and air., Examples of Mesozoic Era animals include dinosaurs, pterosaurs, ammonites, sharks, plesiosaurs, ichthyosaurs, mosasaurs, pseudosuchians, insects, and early mammals. Although dinosaurs were the dominant land animals of the Mesozoic Era, many other important animal groups evolved and thrived during this time. On this page is …, The best selection of Royalty Free The Mesozoic Era Vector Art, Graphics and Stock Illustrations. Download 480+ Royalty Free The Mesozoic Era Vector Images., 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., The Mesozoic Era followed with the approximately 50-million-year-long Triassic Period, another major juncture in Earth history when the vast Pangean supercontinent completed its assembly and began its fragmentation (Chapter 3), and the global biota diversified and modernized after the end-Permian mass extinction., Historical periods, eras, and ages. Long, distinct periods in history carry specific names. These time periods are generally bound by historical events or cultural movements and practices. While some …, The Mesozoic Era spans from 251 to 65.5 Million years ago and is divided into three geologic periods inlcuding the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Mesozoic ..., Paleogene Period. The Cretaceous* saw the first appearance and initial diversification of flowering plants (Angiosperms). Insects and other organisms soon evolve to take advantage of the new food sources and opportunities these plants provide. Conifers continued replacing seed ferns, ginkgos and cycads. Marine life flourished, with many groups ..., 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 ... , C. If the intrusion occurred during the Cretaceous period, it is likely that Stratum A formed during the Cenozoic Era. D. If the intrusion occurred during the Cretaceous period, it is likely that Stratum A formed during the Jurassic period. 2. At left, Ancestral species 0 gives rise to Descendant species 1 and 2 , each with an Examplase gene., The supercontinent Pangaea in the early Mesozoic (at 200 Ma). Pangaea or Pangea (/ p æ n ˈ dʒ iː. ə /) was a supercontinent that existed during the late Paleozoic and early Mesozoic eras. It assembled from the earlier continental units of Gondwana, Euramerica and Siberia during the Carboniferous approximately 335 million years ago, and began to break apart …, The Mesozoic era includes three periods – Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous. Did you know that actually most of the dinosaurs featured in the Jurassic Park ..., Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. The Mesozoic is divided into three geologic periods; from oldest to youngest, these are the Triassic (252 million to 201 million years ago), Jurassic (201 million to 145 million years ago), and Cretaceous (145 million to 66 million years ago) periods.. This article provides an overview of the Mesozoic Era and the major events …, 18 Jan 2022 ... Mesozoic Era: 251.902 - 66.0 Ma. Period, Range (Ma). Cretaceous, 145.0 ... Period to discuss them. Mammals and their Ancestors In Early Triassic ..., The period dated between 250 and 65 million years ago. Many species evolved during the Mesozoic era to replace the ones that went extinct in the previous era. The humid and tropical climate of the Mesozoic era leads to the growth of many types of plants. Another incident that marks the Mesozoic period is the evolution of the …, Western Mesozoic Orogenies. At the end of this chapter, students should be able to: ... This process initiated during the Jurassic period of geologic time, but reached its zenith during the Cretaceous. Most of the Farallon Plate was subducted during that time, but two remnants persist into the present day: the Cocos Plate, currently being ..., The Mesozoic Era lasted about 180 million years, from about 245 million years ago to about 65 million years ago. The Mesozoic is divided into just three time periods: the Triassic, the Jurassic, and the Cretaceous. Since lots of things were going on in each time period, we can only summarize the events. You can learn more by going to your ..., The Mesozoic (from the Greek prefix meso meaning “between” and zoon, animal or "living being") era is an interval of about 186 million years defined on the geologic timescale as spanning roughly from 251 to 65 million years ago (mya), and as being the second of three eras of the Phanerozoic eon. The Mesozoic era lies between the earlier ... , For example, the Devonian Period is known as the 'Age of Fishes', as fish began to flourish at this stage. However, the end of the Devonian was marked by the predominance of a different life form, ... The Mesozoic Era (252 - 66 million years ago) The Holocene Epoch (10,000 years ago to the present) Wave Rock., 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 ... , Mesozoic era (245 to 65 ma) · Triassic Period (245-208 my) · Jurassic period (208 to 146 ma) · Cretaceous period (146 to 65 ma) · Life in the Mesozoic · Legal ..., The Mesozoic Era was a time of great change. The ancestors of major plant and animal groups that exist today first appeared during the Mesozoic, and the generally warm and habitable environment of the era supported great diversity of life-forms. However, the era is best known as the time of the dinosaurs. The Mesozoic Era began 252 million ... , 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 best selection of Royalty Free The Mesozoic Era Vector Art, Graphics and Stock Illustrations. Download 480+ Royalty Free The Mesozoic Era Vector Images., Oct 15, 2023 · 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. , Oct 2, 2012 · Paleogene Period. The Cretaceous* saw the first appearance and initial diversification of flowering plants (Angiosperms). Insects and other organisms soon evolve to take advantage of the new food sources and opportunities these plants provide. Conifers continued replacing seed ferns, ginkgos and cycads. Marine life flourished, with many groups ... , The Mesozoic Era is divided up into the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. New research suggests that reptiles that lived during the Dinosaur age were hard-hit. Here, the carnivorous lizard Palaeosaniwa chases a pair of young Edmontosaurus while the snake Cerberophis and the lizard Obamadon look on. Credit: Carl Buell Life and climate, Levi Bernardo. Sauropods --the long-neck, long-tailed, elephant-legged dinosaurs of the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods--were some of the largest animals ever to walk the earth. On the following slides, you'll find pictures and detailed profiles of over 60 sauropods, ranging from A (Abrosaurus) to Z (Zby). 02., The holdovers included the lycophytes, glossopterids, and dicynodonts. While those that went on to dominate the Mesozoic world include modern conifers, cycadeoids, and the dinosaurs. Tectonics and paleoclimate. As with almost any other period of the Earth's history, the Triassic had a unique climate and biota indigenous to that time., The Paleozoic Era - green signposts; The Mesozoic Era - blue signposts; The Cenozoic Era - yellow signposts; Each Era is split into even smaller parts known as Periods and Epochs. These boundaries were first defined by the appearance (evolution) or disappearance (extinction) of fossil species in rocks., The Mesozoic Era was a time of great change. The ancestors of major plant and animal groups that exist today first appeared during the Mesozoic, and the generally warm and habitable environment of the era supported great diversity of life-forms. However, the era is best known as the time of the dinosaurs. The Mesozoic Era began 252 million ...