Miocene: 23 to 5 mya
The Miocene was a time of warmer global climates than those in the preceeding Oligocene, or the following Pliocene. It is particularly notable in that two major ecosystems first appeared at this time: kelp forests and grasslands. The expansion of grasslands is correlated to a drying of continental interiors as the global climate first warmed and then cooled.
[http://www.ucmp.berkeley.edu/]
Miocene: Tertiary Period
Fourth epoch of the Tertiary period in the Cenozoic era of geologic time (see Geologic Timescale, table), lasting from around 24.6 to 5.1 million years ago.
[http://www.slider.com/]
Miocene: Animals
The Miocene Epoch (meaning "moderately recent") extends from approximately 23 million years ago until 5 million years ago. It was during the Miocene that a new ecological niche was filled, as grazing animals became common after the rise of grasses in the Oligocene. Both the grazers and their associated predators became fleet of foot to maneuver around the relatively protection-free grass plains.
[http://seaborg.nmu.edu/]
