Fossil Sand Dollar Echinoid from Pliocene – Great for Collectors and Home Decor

Pliocene Information

The Pliocene Epoch (5.3–2.58 million years ago) was a time of cooling climates, marking the transition to the Ice Ages of the Pleistocene. Grasslands and savannas expanded as forests shrank, driving the evolution of large grazing mammals like early horses, antelope, and elephants. The first modern mammals and birds became widespread, and early hominins, including Australopithecus, began walking upright in Africa. In the oceans, whales and seals thrived, while the Isthmus of Panama formed, connecting North and South America and altering ocean currents, which contributed to further global cooling. The Pliocene set the stage for both the Ice Ages and the eventual rise of modern humans.