Lower Proterozoic Stromatolites from Bolivia, South America
The Proterozoic is a geological eon representing a period before the first abundant complex life on Earth. The name Proterozoic comes from the Greek "earlier life." The Proterozoic Eon extended from 2500 Ma to 542.0 ± 1.0 Ma (million years ago), and is the most recent part of the old, informally named ‘Precambrian’ time.
The Proterozoic consists of 3 geologic eras, from oldest to youngest:
The well-identified events were:
- The transition to an oxygenated atmosphere during the Mesoproterozoic.
- Several glaciations, including the hypothesized Snowball Earth during the Cryogenian period in the late Neoproterozoic.
- The Ediacaran Period (635 to 542 Ma) which is characterized by the evolution of abundant soft-bodied multicellular organisms.
See also[]
- Timetable of the Precambrian
External links[]
- Proterozoic - Palaeos
| Preceded by Archean eon | 2.5 Ga - Proterozoic eon - 542 Ma | Followed by Phanerozoic eon | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2.6 Ga - Paleoproterozoic era - 1.6 Ga | 1.6 Ga - Mesoproterozoic era - 1.0 Ga | 1.0 Ga - Neoproterozoic era - 542 Ma | |||||||||
| Siderian | Rhyacian | Orosirian | Statherian | Calymmian | Ectasian | Stenian | Tonian | Cryogenian | Ediacaran | ||
