Geological Time/Mesozoic Era/Cretaceous Period

Cretaceous

145 to 66 million years ago. The final period of the Mesozoic; ended in the K–Pg mass extinction.

Cretaceous · 145–66 Mya79 Myr durationMesozoic Era

Where in time

Cambrian538.8–486.9 Mya

Ordovician486.9–443.1 Mya

Silurian443.1–419.6 Mya

Devonian419.6–358.9 Mya

Carboniferous358.9–298.9 Mya

Permian298.9–251.9 Mya

Triassic251.9–201.4 Mya

Jurassic201.4–143.1 Mya

Cretaceous143.1–66 Mya

Paleogene66–23.0 Mya

Neogene23.0–2.6 Mya

Quaternary2.6–0 Mya

About

The Cretaceous closed the Mesozoic era with the rise of flowering plants, diversification of mammals and birds, and the dominance of tyrannosaurs and ceratopsians. It ended abruptly with the Chicxulub bolide impact.

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