Editing Neogene (section)

==Flora and fauna==
Marine and continental flora and fauna have a modern appearance. The reptile group [[Choristodera]] went extinct in the early part of the period, while the amphibians known as [[Albanerpetontidae|Allocaudata]] disappeared at the end of it. Neogene also marked the end of the reptilian genera ''[[Langstonia]]'' and ''[[Barinasuchus]]'', terrestrial predators that were the last surviving members of [[Sebecosuchia]], a group related to crocodiles. The oceans were dominated by large carnivores like [[megalodon]]s and [[livyatan]]s, and 19 million years ago about 70% of all pelagic shark species disappeared.<ref>[https://www.discovermagazine.com/environment/almost-20-million-years-ago-sharks-nearly-went-extinct-nobody-knows-why Almost 20 Million Years Ago, Sharks Nearly Went Extinct]</ref> [[Mammal]]s and [[bird]]s continued to be the dominant terrestrial vertebrates, and took many forms as they adapted to various habitats. [[Ungulate|Ungulates]] in North America became noticeably more [[cursorial]] and increased their stride lengths across the Oligocene-Miocene boundary, likely in response to the increased habitat openness during the Miocene.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Levering |first=David |last2=Hopkins |first2=Samantha |last3=Davis |first3=Edward |date=15 January 2017 |title=Increasing locomotor efficiency among North American ungulates across the Oligocene-Miocene boundary |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0031018216307738 |journal=[[Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology]] |language=en |volume=466 |pages=279–286 |doi=10.1016/j.palaeo.2016.11.036 |access-date=13 February 2022 |via=Elsevier Science Direct}}</ref> An explosive radiation of ursids took place at the Miocene-Pliocene boundary.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Krause |first1=Johannes |last2=Unger |first2=Tina |last3=Noçon |first3=Aline |last4=Malaspinas |first4=Anna-Sapfo |last5=Kolokotronis |first5=Sergios-Orestis |last6=Stiller |first6=Mathias |last7=Soibelzon |first7=Leopoldo |last8=Spriggs |first8=Helen |last9=Dear |first9=Paul H |last10=Briggs |first10=Adrian W |last11=Bray |first11=Sarah CE |last12=O'Brien |first12=Stephen J |last13=Rabeder |first13=Gernot |last14=Matheus |first14=Paul |last15=Cooper |first15=Alan |last16=Slatkin |first16=Montgomery |last17=Pääbo |first17=Svante |last18=Hofreiter |first18=Martin |date=28 July 2008 |title=Mitochondrial genomes reveal an explosive radiation of extinct and extant bears near the Miocene-Pliocene boundary |journal=[[BMC Evolutionary Biology]] |language=en |volume=8 |issue=1 |page=220 |doi=10.1186/1471-2148-8-220 |doi-access=free |issn=1471-2148 |pmc=2518930 |pmid=18662376 |bibcode=2008BMCEE...8..220K }}</ref> The first [[Hominini|hominin]]s, the ancestors of humans, may have appeared in southern Europe and migrated into Africa.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://phys.org/news/2017-05-scientists-million-year-old-pre-human-balkans.html|title=Scientists find 7.2-million-year-old pre-human remains in the Balkans|website=Phys.org|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.researchgate.net/blog/post/9-7-million-year-old-teeth-fossils-raise-questions-about-human-origin|title=9.7 million-year-old teeth found in Germany resemble those of human ancestors in Africa|website=ResearchGate|access-date=17 December 2017}}</ref> The first humans (belonging to the species ''[[Homo habilis]]'') appeared in Africa near the end of the period.<ref name="homo-habilis"/>

About 20 million years ago [[gymnosperm]]s in the form of some [[conifer]] and [[cycad]] groups started to diversify and produce more species due to the changing conditions.<ref>[https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/science/gymnosperm-origin-evolution/ DNA duplication linked to the origin and evolution of pine trees and their relatives]</ref> In response to the cooler, seasonal climate, tropical plant species gave way to [[deciduous]] ones and grasslands replaced many forests. Grasses therefore greatly diversified, and herbivorous mammals evolved alongside it, creating the many grazing animals of today such as [[horse]]s, [[antelope]], and [[bison]]. Ice age mammals like the [[mammoth]]s and [[woolly rhinoceros]] were common in [[Pliocene]]. With lower levels of {{CO2}} in the atmosphere, [[List of C4 plants|{{C4}} plants]] expanded and reached ecological dominance in grasslands during the last 10 million years. Also [[Asteraceae]] (daisies) went through a significant [[adaptive radiation]].<ref>{{cite journal | doi=10.1038/s41467-021-27897-y | title=The rise of grasslands is linked to atmospheric CO2 decline in the late Palaeogene | year=2022 | last1=Palazzesi | first1=Luis | last2=Hidalgo | first2=Oriane | last3=Barreda | first3=Viviana D. | last4=Forest | first4=Félix | last5=Höhna | first5=Sebastian | journal=Nature Communications | volume=13 | issue=1 | page=293 | pmid=35022396 | pmc=8755714 | bibcode=2022NatCo..13..293P }}</ref> ''[[Eucalyptus]]'' fossil leaves occur in the [[Miocene]] of New Zealand, where the genus is not native today, but have been introduced from Australia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://mikepole.wordpress.com/2014/09/22/eucalyptus-fossils-in-new-zealand-the-thin-end-of-the-wedge/|title=Eucalyptus fossils in New Zealand – the thin end of the wedge – Mike Pole|date=22 September 2014}}</ref>