The Mesozoic era is something we hear mentioned all the time but exactly does it mean? Here’s a brief guide to the Mesozoic Era!
The Mesozoic Era, also known as the Age of Reptiles, spanned from approximately 252 million to 66 million years ago. It is divided into three periods: the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous periods. During this time, the Earth experienced a wide range of geological and biological changes, including the evolution and extinction of some pretty big beasts known as dinosaurs. The supercontinent Pangaea was broken up, and we saw the emergence of modern continents.
A supercontinent might sound a little bit confusing but up to about 200 million years ago all the continents of Earth (Asia, North America, Antarctica, Africa, Europe, South America and Oceania) were one massive block of land. It was from this giant block of land that we get the modern-day globe we recognise.
During this period the climate was warm and tropical so do take your sun hat if you visit.
Here’s a brief guide to the Mesozoic era.
dinosaurs
The first dinosaurs appeared during the Mesozoic Era. They evolved in the Triassic period and flourished during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. Some of the most famous dinosaurs, such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Stegosaurus, lived during the late Cretaceous period.
Diversity
The Mesozoic Era was also a time of great diversity for marine life. The oceans were home to various types of reptiles, including ichthyosaurs and plesiosaurs. These creatures are often mistaken for dinosaurs, but they are actually aquatic reptiles.
Mammals ahoy!
Whilst the Mesozoic era is known as the “age of reptiles” we did see the first mammals appearing during this period. They were small shrew-like creatures that lived alongside the dinosaurs. It wasn’t until after the extinction of the dinosaurs that mammals were able to diversify and become the dominant land animals. Mostly because they weren’t being scoffed for tea.
Plant life
The Mesozoic era also saw the evolution of flowering plants. These plants first appeared in the fossil record during the early Cretaceous period and quickly diversified. They played a crucial role in the evolution of many animal species, as they provided a new source of food and habitat.
Fossil fuels
The Mesozoic Era saw the formation of significant deposits of coal, oil and natural gas, as well as the development of modern mountain ranges.
The K-pg extinction
The Mesozoic Era ended with a mass extinction event, known as the K-Pg extinction. This event occurred roughly 66 million years ago and resulted in the extinction of the non-avian dinosaurs, as well as many other species. The cause of the extinction is still debated, but we’ve all heard the asteroid theory.
And that is a very brief guide to the Mesozoic Era.
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Thanks once again for reading. My name is Andy Lickley and I’ll see you next time!