Palaeocene

views updated Jun 11 2018

Palaeocene The earliest geological epoch of the Tertiary period. It began about 65 million years ago, following the Cretaceous period, and extended for about 11.1 million years to the beginning of the Eocene (the Palaeocene is sometimes included in the Eocene). It was named by the palaeobotanist W. P. Schimper in 1874. A major floral and faunal discontinuity occurred between the end of the Cretaceous and the beginning of the Palaeocene: following the extinction of many reptiles the mammals became abundant on land. By the end of the epoch primates and rodents had evolved.

Palaeocene

views updated May 23 2018

Palaeocene (Paleocene) The lowest epoch of the Tertiary Period, about 65.5–55.8 Ma ago. The name is derived from the Greek palaios ‘ancient’, eos ‘dawn’, and kainos ‘new’, and means ‘the old part of the Eocene’ (the subsequent epoch).

Palaeocene

views updated May 08 2018

Palaeocene (Paleocene) The lowest epoch of the Tertiary Period, about 65–56.5 Ma ago. The name is derived from the Greek palaios ‘ancient’, eos ‘dawn’, and kainos ‘new’, and means ‘the old part of the Eocene’ (the subsequent epoch).

Palaeocene

views updated May 21 2018

Palaeocene(Paleocene) The lowest epoch of the Tertiary Period, about 65–56.5 Ma ago. The name is derived from the Greek palaios ‘ancient’, eos ‘dawn’, and kainos ‘new’, and means ‘the old part of the Eocene’ (the subsequent epoch).

Palaeocene

views updated May 11 2018

Palaeocene (Paleocene) The lowest epoch of the Tertiary Period, about 65–54.9 Ma ago. The name is derived from the Greek palaios ‘ancient’, eos ‘dawn’, and kainos ‘new’, and means ‘the old part of the Eocene’ (the subsequent epoch).

Palaeocene

views updated Jun 08 2018

Palaeocene Geological epoch that extended from c.65 to 55 million years ago. It is the first epoch of the Tertiary period, when the majority of the dinosaurs had disappeared and the small early mammals were flourishing.

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