TERRESTRIAL LIFE DURING THE NEOGENE PERIOD
Mammals
Global climate trends, combined with the spread of newly evolved grasses, made the Neogene period the golden age of open prairies and savannahs.
These extensive grasslands spurred the evolution of even- and odd-toed ungulates, including prehistoric horses and camels (especially in North America), as well as deer, pigs and rhinoceroses. During the later Neogene, the interconnections between Eurasia, Africa, and North and South America set the stage for a confusing network of species interchanges, resulting (for example) in the near extinction of South America's Australia-like megafauna.
From a human perspective, the most important development of the Neogene period was the evolution of apes and hominids. During the Miocene epoch, a huge number of hominid species inhabited Africa and Eurasia; during the ensuing Pliocene, most of these hominids (among them the direct ancestors of modern humans) were clustered in Africa. It was immediately after the Neogene period, during the Pleistocene epoch, that the first human beings (genus Homo) appeared on the planet.
Mammals
Global climate trends, combined with the spread of newly evolved grasses, made the Neogene period the golden age of open prairies and savannahs.
These extensive grasslands spurred the evolution of even- and odd-toed ungulates, including prehistoric horses and camels (especially in North America), as well as deer, pigs and rhinoceroses. During the later Neogene, the interconnections between Eurasia, Africa, and North and South America set the stage for a confusing network of species interchanges, resulting (for example) in the near extinction of South America's Australia-like megafauna.
From a human perspective, the most important development of the Neogene period was the evolution of apes and hominids. During the Miocene epoch, a huge number of hominid species inhabited Africa and Eurasia; during the ensuing Pliocene, most of these hominids (among them the direct ancestors of modern humans) were clustered in Africa. It was immediately after the Neogene period, during the Pleistocene epoch, that the first human beings (genus Homo) appeared on the planet.
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