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: 01 Physical/Biological Anthropology
Module : 11 Geological Time Scale
Development Team
Prof. Anup Kumar Kapoor
Principal Investigator
Department of Anthropology, University of Delhi
Learning objectives
Ø What is geologic time scale?
Ø What are the different subdivisions of geologic time scale?
Ø How the environment changed with geological time?
Ø How Earth changed from its origin with geological time?
Ø How life forms changed since its origin?
According to the geological time scale the time periods since the origin of Earth can be divided into
four major subdivisions or Eon. These are Hadean, Archean, Proterozoic and Phanerozoic. The first
three Eons are collectively known as Precambrian Eon (Figure 1).
There are two subdivisions of the Precambrian eon, the older Archaean (4000 mya to 2500 mya) and
younger Proterozoic eon (2500 mya to 545 mya). The Archean eon is subdivided into four eras: the
Neoarchean (2800 mya to 2500 mya), Mesoarchean (3200 mya to 2800 mya), Paleoarchean (3600 mya
to 3200 mya), and Eoarchean (4000 to 3600 mya). The Proterozoic eon is further subdivided into the
Neoproteroxoic (1000mya to 545mya), Mesoproterozoic (1600 mya to 1000 mya) and
Palaeoproterozoic (2500mya to 1600mya). The Neoproterozoic is again subdivided into the Riphean
(1000 mya– 600mya) and Vendian (600 mya – 545 mya).
The Archaean and Proterozoic subdivisions of the Precambrian are dated and identified on the basis of
absolute dating of rock samples belonging to these eons. However, no rocks on Earth are known that
are older than the Archaean eon i.e. 4000 mya. The time period between the formation of Earth and the
Archaean eon was designated by the term Hadean (4600 mya-4000 mya).
With the beginning of Cambrian period Rodinia, the supercontinent formed during the a part of
Precambrian eon, began to fragment into smaller continents. Invertebrates with hard parts first
appeared in the earlier part of Cambrian period. During this period many new forms of algae also
appeared and diversified. Earliest vertebrate jawless fish called ostracoderms first appeared at the end
of Cambrian period.
a b c
Figure 6. Silurian Flora and Fauna (a. Cooksonia, the Oldest Known Land Plant; b. Dalmanites Limuluris, a Trilobite; c
Grammysia Cingulata, a Brachiopod).
Vascular land plants and coral reefs were made their first appearance during the middle Silurian.
Silurian was also significant for the evolution of fish. Fishes became progressively more abundant
during the period and the first jawed fish evolved during late Silurian.
Amphibians first appeared in the fossil record during the Devonian period. The Devonian period is
commonly known as the “Age of Fish”, because all major fish groups were present during this time
period. Both cartilaginous fish (Chrondrichthyes) and bony fish (Osteichthyes) first evolved during the
Devonian period.
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The first land snails and insects with wings appeared, flourished and radiated during this period. One of
the most important evolutionary features of this period was the evolution of amniote egg, which gave
the ancestors of birds and reptiles the ability to lay their eggs on land. Reptiles made their appearance
for the first time during the Mississippian. During Pennsylvanian period amphibians were abundant
and diversified widely.
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a. b.
Figure 10. Jurassic Fauna (A. Ichthyosaurus Intermedius, B. Diplodocus, A Large, Long-Necked Sauropod).
(Source: University of California museum of paleontology website)
During the Jurassic period land fauna was dominated by dinosaurs. Giant quadruped herbivores
Dinosaurs (Brachiosaurus, Apatosaurus) were abundant. The first birds, including the Archaeopteryx
also evolved during this period. Coccolithophores phytoplankton also first evolved during the Jurassic
period. Fauna in the seas included giant marine crocodiles, and modern-looking sharks and rays during
the Jurassic period.
One of the most important incidents in terrestrial life of floral evolution was the appearance of the first
flowering plants during Cretaceous period. Coccolithophores was the dominant phytoplankton during
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Eocene was the time when most living mammal orders were present and widely diversified. The largest
terrestrial mammal, like Elephant, was evolved for the first time during the Eocene. The fossil evidence
indicated that whales also first appeared during the early Eocene. During the end of Eocene epoch, the
anthropoids (higher primates) evolved from a prosimian lineage.
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