When was the Cretaceous Period?

The Cretaceous Period lasted from about 145 to 66 million years ago, roughly 79 million years, making it the longest period of the dinosaur age.

What ended the Cretaceous?

A massive asteroid impact, combined with intense volcanic activity, caused a global catastrophe that wiped out all non-bird dinosaurs and about 75% of all species on Earth.

Did any dinosaurs survive the Cretaceous extinction?

Yes, birds. Birds are technically avian dinosaurs, and about 10,000 species survive today. Every bird you see is a living dinosaur.

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Cretaceous Period Pronunciation

How to Pronounce Cretaceous

kreh-TAY-shus

ALL CAPS = stressed syllable

145-66 million years ago

The Cretaceous Period is the last chapter of the dinosaur age and the most famous. T. rex, Triceratops, Velociraptor, and Ankylosaurus all lived here. The continents were taking shape into roughly what we know today, flowering plants appeared for the first time, and dinosaurs reached their greatest diversity before the asteroid impact 66 million years ago ended everything.

Dinosaurs of the Cretaceous

Carcharodontosaurus

kar-KAR-oh-don-toe-SORE-us

Deinonychus

dye-NON-ick-us

Muttaburrasaurus

MUT-a-BURR-a-SORE-us

Nigersaurus

NEE-zhair-SORE-us

Timimus

TIM-ih-mus

Fun Facts

✓The Cretaceous ended 66 million years ago when an asteroid roughly 6 miles wide struck what is now Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
✓Flowering plants first appeared and spread during the Cretaceous Period.
✓The Cretaceous was the longest period of the Mesozoic Era, lasting about 79 million years.
✓A shallow inland sea split North America in half during much of the Cretaceous.
✓More dinosaur species have been discovered from the Cretaceous than from any other period.

Questions About the Cretaceous

Other Prehistoric Periods

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