Asked by Akash singhania on Jul 21, 2024
Verified
During which epoch did the first major extinction occur?
A) Eocene
B) Oligocene
C) Miocene
D) Pleistocene
E) Ordovician
First Major Extinction
Refers to the Ordovician-Silurian extinction event, which is believed to be the first of the five major extinction events in Earth's history, occurring approximately 443 million years ago.
Epoch
A division of time that is smaller than a period and greater than an age, used in geology to describe sections of the geologic timescale.
Ordovician
A geologic period and system which is the second period of the Paleozoic Era, characterized by the diversification of marine life.
- Acquire understanding of crucial geological epochs and occurrences in the Earth's historical timeline.
Verified Answer
SA
Stephen ArrowsmithJul 28, 2024
Final Answer :
E
Explanation :
The first major extinction event occurred during the Ordovician period, around 440 million years ago, where an estimated 85% of marine species were wiped out.
Learning Objectives
- Acquire understanding of crucial geological epochs and occurrences in the Earth's historical timeline.