The Mesozoic Era ( /ˌmɛzəˈzoʊ.ɪk, -zoʊ-, ˌmɛs-, ˌmiːz-, ˌmiː.s-/ mez-ə-ZOH-ik, mez-oh-, mess-, mee-z-, mee-s-), also called the Age of Reptiles and the Age of Conifers, is the second-to-last era of Earth´s geological history, lasting from about 252 to 66 million years ago, comprising the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous Periods. It is characterized by the dominance of archosaurian reptiles, like the dinosaurs; an abundance of conifers and ferns; a hot greenhouse climate; and the tectonic break-up of Pangaea. The Mesozoic is the middle of the three eras since complex life evolved: the Paleozoic, the Mesozoic, and the Cenozoic.
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