In the Cenozoic era there were several periods. He Neogene period it was the second of this era and began about 23 million years ago and ended approximately 2.6 million years ago. During this period of time, our planet underwent a series of changes and transformations both at the geological level and at the level of biodiversity. The Neogene fauna It was characterized by having one of the most momentous events in the history of the earth, such as the appearance of the first hominids.
In this article we are going to tell you all the characteristics and evolution of the Neogene fauna.
Neogene Period
This Neogene period lasted approximately 20 million years and had great changes at the geological level and the level of biodiversity. It is known to be the time period where the first hominids known as Australopithecus appeared. This species of hominids they represent the oldest ancestors of man.
During the Neogene Period, there was a major shift in global geological activity. The continents continued their slower movement from their current locations. This continental shift caused ocean currents to change and physical barriers to emerge, such as the Isthmus of Panama. These geological movements were important events that influenced the decrease in temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean.
All these changes at the geological and temperature level influenced the appearance and development of certain biodiversity. Throughout this period a great animal biodiversity was observed. The groups of animals that underwent the greatest transformation they were terrestrial and marine mammals, birds and reptiles.
Development of life in the Neogene
Throughout this period there was an expansion of existing life forms. Because of the climate, the terrestrial temperatures had great influence on the development and new establishment of living beings. Both flora and fauna underwent various changes, with fauna experiencing the greatest diversification. The flora remained somewhat more stagnant.
The Neogene flora stands out for being more stagnant due to the climate. Since the climate in this period was somewhat colder, it limited the development of large jungles and forests. In addition, this drop in temperatures also caused the disappearance of large areas of them. Because of these environmental conditions, some types of plants had to thrive that could adapt to a lower temperature environment.
Plants that can thrive under more adverse conditions are those that belong to the herbaceous family. Some specialists refer to the Neogene period as the age of herbs. Not everything was negative for the plants. Some species of angiosperms were also established and developed successfully.
Neogene fauna
We are going to see how the climate and geological development affected the Neogene fauna. During this period, various groups of animals diversified, among which we recognize as more evolved such as mammals, reptiles, and birds. Marine ecosystems had extensive development, especially the group of cetaceans.
Let's analyze one by one the groups of animals that developed the most during the Neogene fauna.
Birds
Within the group of birds the most developed were those that they belonged to the group of passerines. Some of the birds from the Neogene Period are also known as terror birds. This large group of animals settled on the American continent. Today, the passerine group is the most diverse and extensive group. They have managed to maintain a high level of survival over time.
Among their main characteristics, we find that they are animals characterized by having legs that allow them to perch on tree branches. They also have the ability to sing. These abilities are used to establish complex mating rituals. The passerine group is also known as the songbird group. During the Neogene period The group of birds began to gain more and more strength and become more widespread.. Since the continents kept moving towards the current situation, these animals diversified.
The largest number of fossil records have been found primarily in South America. These records attest to the existence of large birds. Many of these birds were large but unable to fly. However, they became major predators during this time. This group of birds was also known as terror birds.
Neogene fauna: mammals
Mammals were a group of animals that experienced great changes. One of the groups that evolved the most were animals belonging to the family Bovidae and Cervidae. In these two groups of animals we find goats, sheep, antelope, deer and deer. All these animals expanded their area of distribution remarkably.
Likewise, there are other large mammals such as elephants, mammoths and rhinos that experienced great development. Some of these species such as mammoths have not been able to survive until today due to certain changes that came later.
It should also be taken into account that in the Neogene fauna some primates, specifically monkeys, stood out. Each group of primates had a specific habitat and underwent several transformations during their evolutionary process. Most primates were found on the African and American continents.
In the Neogene fauna, we also find the development of other major mammals, such as felines and canines. Several types of bears and hyenas also diversified during this period. Within the mammal group, one of the most important events in human evolution took place. the first hominid emerged and developed.
The first hominid developed was baptized by the name of Australopithecus. It was characterized mainly by having a small size and a bipedal movement.
reptiles
Finally, reptiles also developed in the Neogene fauna. Among them we find the frogs, toads and snakes that were able to expand their dominions. This was due to the large amount of food available. Their food is mainly based on insects, which were very abundant.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about the Neogene fauna.