πŸ¦• Prehistoric World Map

The Neogene period

23.04 to 2.58 million years ago Β· Cenozoic era. Ages from the ICS International Chronostratigraphic Chart.

The Earth about 15 million years ago (Merdith et al. 2021 plate model). Explore this period on the timeline: 5 Ma Β· 15 Ma

Began23.04 million years ago
Ended2.58 million years ago
EraCenozoic
EpochsMiocene (23.04–5.333 Ma), Pliocene (5.333–2.58 Ma)
Duration20.5 million years

← PaleogeneQuaternary β†’

About the Neogene

The Neogene ( NEE-Ι™-jeen) is a geologic period and system that spans 20.45 million years from the end of the Paleogene Period 23.04 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the present Quaternary Period 2.58 Ma. It is the second period of the Cenozoic and the eleventh period of the Phanerozoic. The Neogene is sub-divided into two epochs, the earlier Miocene and the later Pliocene. Some geologists assert that the Neogene cannot be clearly delineated from the modern geological period, the Quaternary. The term "Neogene" was coined in 1853 by the Austrian palaeontologist Moritz HΓΆrnes (1815–1868). The earlier term Tertiary Period was used to define the span of time now covered by Paleogene and Neogene and, despite no longer being recognized as a formal stratigraphic term, "Tertiary" still sometimes remains in informal use.

Featured animals of the Neogene (33)

MammuthusMammuthus23.04 Ma to the presentAustralopithecusAustralopithecus11.63–0.0117 MaSmilodonSmilodon4.7 Ma to the presentMammutMammut27.3 Ma to the presentParaceratheriumParaceratherium37.71–15.98 MaParanthropusParanthropus5.333–0.0117 MaArdipithecusArdipithecus11.63–2.58 MaMegatheriumMegatherium27.3 Ma to the presentElasmotheriumElasmotherium5.333 Ma to the presentGlyptodonGlyptodon36 Ma to the presentDiprotodonDiprotodon23.04 Ma to the presentMacraucheniaMacrauchenia23.04 Ma to the presentGomphotheriumGomphotherium33.9–0.0117 MaPlatybelodon20.45–4.7 MaPhorusrhacosPhorusrhacos29–13.82 MaChalicotheriumChalicotherium23.04–0.129 MaArctodusArctodus4.7 Ma to the presentMegalocerosMegaloceros7.246 Ma to the presentToxodonToxodon23.04 Ma to the presentPurussaurusPurussaurus27.3–0.0117 MaProcoptodonProcoptodon27.3 Ma to the presentDaeodonDaeodon29.5–16.3 MaLivyatanLivyatan23.04–3.6 MaThylacoleoThylacoleo5.333 Ma to the presentPelagornisPelagornis41.03–2.58 MaMegalonyxMegalonyx9.4 Ma to the presentDoedicurusDoedicurus5 Ma to the presentArgentavisArgentavis8–5 MaCoelodontaCoelodonta7.246 Ma to the presentAcanthostegaAcanthostega443.1 Ma to the presentDeinotheriumDeinotherium23.04–0.0117 MaHomoHomo5.333 Ma to the presentOtodusOtodus93.9–0.34 Ma

Text in β€œAbout” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Neogene (revision 1381242853), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim. Ages and colours: ICS chart (v2024/12) via the Paleobiology Database.