Describe one of the 5 known mass extinction events. What is it called? When did it happen? What groups of organisms were impacted? What are the leading hypotheses for the cause of the event?
Out of the 5 major mass extinctions, one is Cretaceous - Paleogene extinction (K-Pg extinction) also known as Cretaceous - Tertiary extinction (K-T extinction).
It happened 66 million years ago marked by end of Cretaceous period.
It was a sudden extinction of about three quarters of plants and animal species kn Earth. Except leatherback sea turtles and crocodiles, no tetrapod over 25 kg weight survived. Affected animals were Archeoaurs, Turtles, Lepidosauria, Mammals like monotremes etc. extincted in thjs event.
The cause of this mass extinction was 6 to 9 miles wide asteroid hit on Earth crust and change in Earth's climate after it. The Chicxulub crater in Gulf of Mexico provide evidence of asteroid impact.
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