Cenozoic Era (Age of Mammals)

65,000,000 Paleogene Primates The first primates evolved around the

65MYA same time that the dinosaurs died out.
They eventually developed opposable
thumbs, very useful for living in trees.

47,000,000 Darwinius The newly publicized Darwinius was a lemurs, tarsiers

47MYA transitional form between the prosimians
(lemurs & tarsiers) and simians
(monkeys & apes). By this point,
primates had evolved forward-facing
eyes.

30,000,000 Aegyptopithicu Around this time, new world (South new world
30MYA s American) monkeys and old world monkeys
(African) monkeys started evolving in
different directions. Aegyptopithicus is
one the earliest known old world
monkeys

27,000,000 Proconsul Some old world monkeys eventually old world

27MYA evolved ape-like qualities such as monkeys,
stronger shoulders, larger brains, better gibbons
vision, and the lack of a tail. Proconsul is
one of the earliest known ape-like
primates.
13,000,000 Neogene Pierolapithecus The recently publicized Pierolapithecus orang-utans,
13MYA might be the common ancestor of all gorillas
great apes. The great apes are all larger,
stronger, more intelligent, and more
social than other primates.

7,000,000 Sahelanthropus Sahelanthropus, nicknamed "Toumai", chimpanzees,

7MYA Ttchadensis may represent the last ancestor common bonobos
ancestor between chimpanzees and
humans. At this point, the layrnx evolved,
which would eventually allow for more
complex speech.

4,400,000 Australopithicu It is believed that the jungle started to get Australopithicen

4.4Mya s Afarensis cooler and dryer around this time and es,
that this forced some apes to spend Paranthropus
more time on the ground, eventually
leading to bipedalism. One of the first
species to walk on two feet was
Australopithecus Afarensis (nicknamed
"Lucy").

2,500,000 Quaternary Homo Habilis The earliest human species, homo Homo Erectus,
2.5 MYA habilis had larger brains than its Homo
predecessors, ate more meat, and Floresiensis?
started using the first stone tools
1,700,000 Homo Ergaster Homo Ergaster had shorter arms (like
1.7Mya modern humans), less body hair and the
ability to use fire. They lived entirely on
the ground and developed greater
cooperation between males and females.
Humans also left Africa for the first time
during this period.

500,000 Homo Homo Heidelbergensis had a larger brain Neanderthals

500Kya Heidelbergensi and used more advanced tools. He is
s also the ancestor of the Neanderthals --
the last major human species to co-exist
with homo sapiens.

100,000 Homo Sapiens The first biologically modern Homo

100Ky Sapiens evolved around 100,000 years
ago in Africa. However, it was until about
50,000 years ago that they developed
modern behaviours such as jewellery-
making, wall painting, musical
instruments, funeral customs, religion,
long-distance trade, fishing, advanced
language and abstract thought.