The following table gives a visual impression of the ages of the Mesozoic Era. Within some of the Ages are examples of dinosaurs and marine reptiles that lived during that time. Many of the examples are of Australian animals, although several species from other parts of the world are also included.
| PERIOD | AGE | YEARS AGO (millions) | SPECIES |
| Early Triassic | Induan | 248-245 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Olenekian | 245-242 |
| Middle Triassic | Anisian | 242-234 |
| Ladinian | 234-227 |
| Late Triassic | Carnian | 227-221 | Herrerasaurus, Plateosaurus
| Norian | 221-210 | Coelophysis
| Rhaetian | 210-206 |
| |
| Early Jurassic | Hettangian | 206-202 | Heterodontosaurus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sinemurian | 202-195 | Fabrosaurus
| Pliensbachian | 195-190 | Dilophosaurus, Scelidosaurus
| Toarcian | 190-180 | Anchisaurus
| Middle Jurassic | Aalenian | 180-176 | Magnosaurus
| Bajocian | 176-169 |
Ozraptor, Rhoetosaurus
| Bathonian | 169-164 | Cetiosaurus
| Callovian | 164-159 | Eustreptospondylus
| Late Jurassic | Oxfordian | 159-154 | Mamenchisaurus
| Kimmeridgian | 154-151 | Archaeopteryx, Compsognathus, Apatosaurus, Stegosaurus
| Tithonian | 151-144 | Ornitholestes
| |
| Early Cretaceous | Berriasian | 144-137 | Chilantaisaurus | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Valanginian | 137-132 | Wuerhosaurus
| Hauterivian | 132-127 | Afrovenator, Pelecanimimus
| Barremian | 127-121 |
* Broome tracks
| Aptian | 121-112 |
Minmi,
Qantassaurus, | Fulgurotherium Albian | 112-99 |
Muttaburrasaurus,
Leaellynasaura,
Timimus,
Atlascopcosaurus,
Nanantius,
Rapator,
Kronosaurus
| Late Cretaceous | Cenomanian | 99-93.5 |
Austrosaurus,
* Lark Quarry, Troodon
| Turonian | 93.5-89 |
"Gingin mosasaur"
| Coniacian | 89-85.8 | Unenlagia
| Santonian | 85.8-83.5 | Saurornithoides
| Campanian | 83.5-71.3 | Velociraptor, Gallimimus, Oviraptor, Protoceratops
| Maastrictian | 71.3-65 | Tyrannosaurus, Triceratops
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