MESOZOIC ERA

Mesozoic- Age of Reptiles Mamals: Ornithischia - bird-like pelvis of dinosaurs

>Cordilleran Belt Therapsids (Permian)- mammal like reptiles Saurischia - lizard-like pelvis of dinosaurs Saurichian
1. Sonoma Orogeny Cynodonts- Therapsid group (most mamal like reptile) Theropods - bipedal carnivores (lizard-like)
2. Neradan Orogeny 1. Monotremes- egg laying Sauropods - herbivore, giant quadropedal
3. Serier Orogeny originated from
2. Marsupial- pouched mammals Eupanthoteres
4. Laramid Orogeny 3. Placental- with placenta Endotherms- warm blooded (dinosaurs are believed to be
endotherms)
a. Cephalopods (squid) Rudist- important reef builders of Ectotherms - cold-blooded
b. Ammonoids most abundant the mesozoic era Pterosaurs - flying reptiles
c. Foraminefers Dinoflagelates - common
invertebrates mesozoic and are major primaryin Ichthyosaurs - dolphins
d. Reef building Rudist Pleisosaurs - marine reptile
producers in the warm seas today Mesasurs - Earth’s last great marine reptile

TRIASSIC
Triassic-Jurassic Mass Extinction
252Ma by F. Von Alberti 53% casualty of marine genum Mamals -rodent family
Age of Cycads- trees “living fossils” 80% maine species went extinct Coccolithophores - calcareous pytoplankton
Dinoflagellates
Significant Geologic Event Gondwana Sea Urchin (Arkana)
Late Triassic- break up of Pangaea Extinction of Conodont
Laurasia -no clear cause
Upper Triassic
Atlantic Ocean opened when North America and Evolution of Life Protoavis - oldest bird
Africa rifted -first appearance of frogs and Late Triassic
Late Triassic to Early Jurassic - break up of turtles Cynodonts - group of therapsids which are the most
Gondwana mammal- like reptile
(Antarctica & Australia separated) Archosaurs - protodinosaurs Middle Triassic
Sonoma Orogeny - followed by Antler Orogeny (crocodiles) Scleractinian Corals - modern reef builders
205-191 Ma -Central Atlantic Magmatic Province Pterosaurs - flying reptiles

JURASSIC
201 Ma by A. Von Humbolt (Age of Dinosaurs) Evolution of Life
Significant Geologic Events -first appearance of crocodiles
-rifting of South America and Africa (Gondwana) 1. Planctonic Foraminefera
Nevada Orogeny (200 Ma) 2. Archaeopteryx - meaning old wing (found in Solnholfen Limestone, Germany)
- first pulse of Cordilleran Orogeny (Seirra Nevada)
Rifting of India (150 Ma) - Gondwana Diversification of Ammonites
-Jurassic Ammonites in Mansalay & Mindoro

CRETACEOUS
145 Ma by d’Halloy End of Cretaceous
Australia rifts from Africa, India Evolution of Life
Significant Geologic Event near equator - first appearance of:
India broke away from Gondwana Cretaceous-Tertiary Mass Extinction 1. Marsupial
140 Ma Sevier Orogeny (K-T/K-Pg ME) 2. Diatoms-silica phytoplankton
120 Ma Ontong Java Plateau 76% of all species 3. Angiosperms-flowering plants
88 Ma Phanerozoic Komatiites (only known) Cause: Meteorite Impact
80 Ma Laramide Orogeny Evidence: Chicxulub Crater (150km); snake diversification
69-65 Ma Deccan Traps 2nd largest Cretaceous Ammonite (Catanduanes)
66 Ma Alpine Orogeny (Late Mesozoic to Cenozoic) Extinction of Dinosaurs and
formed the mountain ranges of the Alpine Belt Ammonites Late Cretaceous
1. Abundance of Lizards
2. Appearance of Insectivores
Rudist (bivalves) were important
reef builders; they may have driven
scleratinian corals out in tropical
environment