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|
| Era |
Period
or System |
Epoch
or Series |
|
Cenozoic
(65 million years ago - Present)
"Age
of Recent Life"
|
An era of geologic time from the beginning
of the Tertiary period to the present. Its name is from Greek
and means "new life."
|
|
Quaternary
(1.8 million years ago - Present)
|
The second period of the Cenozoic era. It
contains two epochs: the Pleistocene and the Holocene. It is named
after the Latin word "quatern" (four at a time).
|
|
The several geologic eras were originally
named Primary, Secondary, Tertiary, and Quaternary. The first
two names are no longer used. Tertiary and Quaternary have been
retained but used as period designations. |
|
Holocene
(8,000 years ago - Present)
|
An epoch of the Quaternary period. It is
named after the Greek words "holos" (entire) and "ceno" (new).
|
|
Pleistocene
(1.8 million - 8,000 years ago)
"The Great Ice Age"
|
An epoch of the Quaternary period. It is
named after the Greek words "pleistos" (most) and "ceno" (new).
|
|
|
.
Tertiary
(65 - 1.8 million years ago)
|
The first period of the Cenozoic era (after
the Mesozoic era and before the Quaternary period).
|
 |
Pliocene
(5.3 - 1.8 million years ago)
|
Final epoch of the Tertiary period. It is
named after the Greek words "pleion" (more) and "ceno" (new).
|
|
Miocene
(23.8 - 5.3 million years ago)
|
A epoch of the upper Tertiary period. It
is named after the Greek words "meion" (less) and "ceno" (new).
|
|
Oligocene
(33.7 - 23.8 million years ago)
|
An epoch of the early Tertiary period. It
is named after the Greek words "oligos" (little, few) and "ceno"
(new). |
|
Eocene
(55.5 - 33.7 million years ago)
|
An epoch of the lower Tertiary period. Its
name is from the Greek words "eos" (dawn) and "ceno" (new).
|
|
Paleocene
(65 - 55.5 million years ago)
|
Earliest epoch of the Tertiary period. It
is named after the Greek words "palaois" (old) and "ceno" (new).
|
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