Oligocene Epoch

E252484

The Oligocene Epoch was a geologic time interval roughly 34 to 23 million years ago marked by global cooling, the expansion of grasslands, and significant evolution and diversification of mammals.

All labels observed (4)

Label Occurrences
Oligocene 19
Oligocene Series 2
Oligocene Epoch canonical 1

How this entity was disambiguated

Statements (49)

Predicate Object
instanceOf chronostratigraphic unit ⓘ
geologic epoch ⓘ
baseDefinedBy extinction of planktonic foraminifer Hantkenina ⓘ
characterizedBy continued breakup of Gondwana-derived landmasses ⓘ
development of modern-type ecosystems ⓘ
diversification of mammals ⓘ
expansion of grasslands ⓘ
global cooling ⓘ
climate generally cooler and drier than Eocene ⓘ
climateEvent Antarctic glaciation expansion ⓘ
strengthening of latitudinal temperature gradients ⓘ
climateTrend cooling relative to Eocene ⓘ
duration about 11 million years ⓘ
end approximately 23.03 million years ago ⓘ
fauna decline of many archaic mammal groups ⓘ
diversification of early cetaceans ⓘ
diversification of early primates ⓘ
diversification of early rodents ⓘ
diversification of marine invertebrates ⓘ
evolution of early ruminants ⓘ
evolution of more modern-type horses ⓘ
presence of large browsing mammals ⓘ
radiation of early carnivorans ⓘ
flora decline of some tropical forests at mid-latitudes ⓘ
early spread of grasses ⓘ
expansion of open woodlands ⓘ
followedBy Miocene Epoch ⓘ
linked to: Miocene
follows Eocene Epoch ⓘ
linked to: Eocene
geochronologicEquivalent Oligocene Series ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
GSSPDefinedBy base at Massignano, Italy ⓘ
nameCoined 1854 ⓘ
namedBy Heinrich Ernst Beyrich ⓘ
nameEtymology from Greek words meaning "few" and "recent" ⓘ
oceanography development of Antarctic Circumpolar Current ⓘ
paleogeography continued opening of the North Atlantic ⓘ
development of more modern continental configurations ⓘ
increasing isolation of Antarctica ⓘ
partOf Paleogene Period ⓘ
linked to: Paleogene
positionInCenozoic third epoch of the Cenozoic Era ⓘ
positionInPaleogene final epoch of the Paleogene Period ⓘ
seaLevel generally lower than in Eocene ⓘ
significance important stage in evolution of modern mammal faunas ⓘ
transition toward modern Cenozoic climates ⓘ
start approximately 33.9 million years ago ⓘ
subdivision Early Oligocene ⓘ
Late Oligocene ⓘ
tectonics continued uplift of the Alps ⓘ
continued uplift of the Himalayas ⓘ
rifting and volcanism in East Africa ⓘ

How these facts were elicited

Referenced by (23)

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

Alpine orogeny → mainPhase → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Western Cascades → geologicPeriod → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Badlands National Park → geologicalPeriodRepresented → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Procyonidae → firstAppearance → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Poebrotherium → temporalRange → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Mysticeti → timeOfOrigin → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Oligocene Epoch → geochronologicEquivalent → Oligocene Series ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Miocene → follows → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Palaeocastor → temporalRange → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Riversleigh → geologicalAge → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Navajo Volcanic Field → geologicalAge → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Tsé Bitʼaʼí → geologicalAge → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Thylacoleonidae → timeRange → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Sokoto Basin → geologicalPeriod → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Neoceti → timeOfOrigin → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Eocene → precedes → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Eocene → followedBy → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Yemen flood basalts → geologicAge → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Tertiary System → historicallyIncluded → Oligocene Series ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Agathla Peak → age → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
La Garita Mountains → geologicalAge → Oligocene ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch
Mesohippus → livedDuring → Oligocene epoch ⓘ
linked to: Oligocene Epoch