Cretaceous

E1446

The Cretaceous was the final period of the Mesozoic Era, marked by high sea levels, diverse dinosaurs, and ending with the mass extinction that wiped them out about 66 million years ago.

All labels observed (8)

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (48)

Predicate Object
instanceOf geological period
stratigraphic unit
associatedWith Chicxulub impact event
Deccan Traps volcanism
biota abundant ammonites in marine ecosystems
diverse theropod and sauropod dinosaurs
dominance of conifers in many forests
early evolution of marsupial mammals
early evolution of placental mammals
expansion of reef-building rudist bivalves
characterizedBy active plate tectonics
breakup of supercontinent Pangaea
chalk deposition in many marine basins
diverse dinosaur faunas
extensive shallow epicontinental seas
flowering plant diversification
high global sea levels
warm greenhouse climate
chronostratigraphicRank system
climate generally ice-free poles
high atmospheric CO2 levels
duration approximately 79 million years
endedWith Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event
linked to: Cretaceous

mass extinction about 66 million years ago
endTime approximately 66 million years ago
followedBy Paleogene
follows Jurassic
geochronologicalRank period
hasBoundaryEvent Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary
Jurassic–Cretaceous boundary
linked to: Jurassic
hasSubdivision Early Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous
nameOrigin Latin word "creta" meaning chalk
notableFor diversification of birds
diversification of mammals
extinction of non-avian dinosaurs
large flying reptiles such as pterosaurs
large marine reptiles such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs
rise of angiosperms
paleogeography continued separation of Gondwana
development of modern ocean basins
opening of the South Atlantic Ocean
partOf Mesozoic Era
Mesozoic Era time scale
Phanerozoic Eon
precededBy Jurassic Period
startTime approximately 145 million years ago
succeededBy Paleogene Period
linked to: Paleogene

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (53)

Full triples — surface form annotated when it differs from this entity's canonical label.

Mount Whitney geologicalAge Cretaceous
Cretaceous endedWith Cretaceous–Paleogene extinction event
linked to: Cretaceous
Deccan Traps volcanism beganInPeriod Late Cretaceous
linked to: Cretaceous
Cretaceous–Paleogene boundary marksTransitionBetween Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Jurassic Period precedes Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Mesozoic Era hasPart Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
El Capitan geologicalAge Cretaceous
North Downs geologicalPeriod Cretaceous
Phanerozoic Eon contains Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
International Chronostratigraphic Chart includes Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
DinoLand U.S.A. targetTheme Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Late Jurassic precedes Early Cretaceous
linked to: Cretaceous
Maastrichtian partOf Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Maastrichtian endOf Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Maastrichtian system Cretaceous System
linked to: Cretaceous
Maastrichtian series Upper Cretaceous Series
linked to: Cretaceous
FMNH PR 2081 geologicalPeriod Late Cretaceous
linked to: Cretaceous
Tyrannosaurus timePeriod Late Cretaceous
linked to: Cretaceous
Alpha Ridge formedDuring Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Greensand Ridge geologicalPeriod Cretaceous
Prehistoric Planet depicts Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Kentish ragstone geologicalAge Cretaceous
Gondwana fullyFragmentedBy Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Jurassic Coast geologicalTimeSpan Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Sousa hasGeologicalPeriodFossils Cretaceous
Beachy Head inGeologicPeriod Cretaceous
Monteregian Hills geologicalAge Cretaceous
Aequornithes timeOfOrigin Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Afrotheria hasTemporalOrigin Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Tethys Ocean existedDuring Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Esociformes hasFossilRecordSince Cretaceous
Osteoglossidae fossilRecord Cretaceous
Spirits of the Ice Forest depicts Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Spinosaurus fossilRange Cretaceous
Archosauria fossilRecord Cretaceous
Gantheaume Point dinosaurFootprintsAge Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Kerguelen Plateau formedDuring Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Acanthopterygii timeOfOrigin Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
Yanshanian orogeny endTime Cretaceous
Lulworth Cove geologicalPeriod Cretaceous
Late Cretaceous partOf Cretaceous Period
linked to: Cretaceous
Greensand hasGeologicalAge Cretaceous period
linked to: Cretaceous
MPEF-PV 3400 geologicalAge Cretaceous