The Paleogene period

About the Paleogene

The Paleogene Period (IPA: PAY-lee-ə-jeen, -⁠lee-oh-, PAL-ee-; also spelled Palaeogene or Palæogene) is a geologic period and system that spans 43 million years from the end of the Cretaceous Period 66 Ma (million years ago) to the beginning of the Neogene Period 23.04 Ma. It is the first period of the Cenozoic Era, the tenth period of the Phanerozoic and is divided into the Paleocene, Eocene, and Oligocene epochs. The earlier term Tertiary Period was used to define the time now covered by the Paleogene and subsequent Neogene periods; despite no longer being recognized as a formal stratigraphic term, Tertiary sometimes remains in informal use. Paleogene is often abbreviated Pg, although the United States Geological Survey uses the abbreviation Pe for the Paleogene on the Survey's geologic maps.

Featured animals of the Paleogene (23)

Mammut27.3 Ma to the presentParaceratherium37.71–15.98 MaMosasaurus100.5–61.66 MaPakicetus56–41.03 MaBasilosaurus56–33.9 MaMegatherium27.3 Ma to the presentHyracotherium56–45.9 MaGlyptodon36 Ma to the presentGastornis61.66–48.07 MaUintatherium56–37.71 MaGomphotherium33.9–0.0117 MaPhorusrhacos29–13.82 MaAmbulocetus48.07–41.03 MaAndrewsarchus48.07–37.71 MaPurussaurus27.3–0.0117 MaProcoptodon27.3 Ma to the presentDaeodon29.5–16.3 MaPurgatorius66–57.5 MaPelagornis41.03–2.58 MaPrognathodon100.5–61.66 MaAcanthostega443.1 Ma to the presentOtodus93.9–0.34 MaBaculites137.05–56 Ma

Text in “About” is quoted from the Wikipedia article Paleogene (revision 1373018793), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0; introduction excerpted verbatim. Ages and colours: ICS chart (v2024/12) via the Paleobiology Database.