Late Cretaceous Epoch

The Late Cretaceous Epoch was the final period of the Mesozoic Era, spanning from approximately 100.5 million to 66 million years ago. It followed the Jurassic Period and preceded the Paleogene Period. This epoch is notable for its significant geological and biological events, including the breakup of the supercontinent Pangea into Laurasia and Gondwana, leading to the formation of the Atlantic Ocean.12

During the Late Cretaceous, global sea levels were exceptionally high, inundating large portions of the continents and creating shallow epicontinental seas. The climate was generally warmer and more humid than today, with polar regions free of ice sheets.13

Biologically, the Late Cretaceous was characterized by the dominance of dinosaurs, such as Triceratops and hadrosaurs. Marine reptiles like mosasaurs and plesiosaurs were common in the seas, while pterosaurs ruled the skies. Flowering plants (angiosperms) emerged and became widespread. The epoch concluded with a major mass extinction event, famously known as the K-T extinction, which led to the demise of the dinosaurs and many other species. This event is often linked to a catastrophic meteorite impact, evidenced by the Chicxulub crater.124