Late Miocene

The Late Miocene, also called the Upper Miocene, was a time in Earth's history. It was part of the larger Miocene epoch and had two main stages: the Tortonian and the Messinian. This period lasted from about 11.63 million years ago to 5.333 million years ago.

During the Late Miocene, the world looked different from today. Changes in climate and where continents were placed affected life on Earth. Scientists study this time to learn how Earth has changed over many millions of years.

Biology

Gibbons and orangutans were the first groups to split from the line that leads to humans, gorillas, chimpanzees, and bonobos. Some believe this split happened between 4 and 8 million years ago, during the Late Miocene.

In the Iberian Peninsula, more animals that eat grass appeared, while those that eat leaves or fruits became fewer. This change happened as the climate became drier. During this time, cats and dogs also became more diverse in this area.