Chapter 18: Problem 4

Which animals took the place of large Mesozoic reptiles in Paleogene oceans?

Short Answer

Expert verified

The animals that replaced the large Mesozoic reptiles in the Paleogene oceans were primarily large marine mammals such as earlier forms of whales, dolphins and seals.

Step by step solution

Understand the Time Periods and their Fauna

Understand that the Mesozoic era was an age of reptiles, including those in the seas such as dinosaurs and marine reptiles. The Paleogene period follows the Mesozoic era and is part of the larger Cenozoic era, commonly referred to as the age of mammals.

Identify the Change in Fauna

Understand that as one moves from the Mesozoic era to the Paleogene period, there is a change in the dominant animal species. This shift is largely due to the mass extinction event at the end of the Mesozoic era that wiped out many of the dominant large reptiles including dinosaurs.

Research the New Dominant Species

Now, upon researching and recalling from one's knowledge of paleontology or earth's history, note down the new dominant species in the ocean ecosystem of the Paleogene period.

Identify the Animals that Took the Place of Large Mesozoic Reptiles in Paleogene Oceans

The animals that took the place of large Mesozoic reptiles in Paleogene oceans were predominantly large marine mammals. These included the ancestors of present-day whales, dolphins and seals. Other significant marine life included crustaceans, mollusks, fishes, and certain shark species.

Validate the Answer

Check the obtained answer against reliable sources, text-books, or online data to validate its correctness. Our research shows that large marine mammals, particularly cetaceans like early whales and dolphins, took up the ecological spaces left empty by the extinction of large Mesozoic reptiles in the oceans during the Paleogene period. The provided answer to the given exercise would hence be: The animals that replaced the large Mesozoic reptiles in the Paleogene oceans were primarily large marine mammals such as earlier forms of whales, dolphins and seals.

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Which animals took the place of large Mesozoic reptiles in Paleogene oceans?

Short Answer

Step by step solution

Understand the Time Periods and their Fauna

Identify the Change in Fauna

Research the New Dominant Species

Identify the Animals that Took the Place of Large Mesozoic Reptiles in Paleogene Oceans

Validate the Answer

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