Question

Name the 3 Epochs of the Cenozoic Era AFTER the Oligiocene, describe a primate event that happened during each one and name a fossil primate that lived during that time:

Answer 1

The three epochs following the Oligocene are the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene, each marked by significant primate evolutionary events like the emergence of the first apes, the evolution of bipedal hominins, and the rise of the genus Homo, including modern humans respectively.

Step-by-step explanation:

After the Oligocene Epoch, the three epochs of the Cenozoic Era are the Miocene, Pliocene, and Pleistocene epochs. During the Miocene (23 to 5.3 MYA), primates continued to evolve, leading to the emergence of the first apes. A fossil primate from this epoch is Australopithecus, an early ancestor of humans. In the Pliocene (5.3 to 2.6 MYA), hominins evolved to become bipedal and exhibit primitive cultural behaviors, with Australopithecus afarensis, best known as "Lucy," being a notable fossil from this epoch. The Pleistocene (2.6 MYA to 11.7 KYA) saw the rise of the genus Homo, including modern humans, Homo sapiens, and the appearance of primitive stone tools.