Neoproterozoic Era
Snowball Earth Event
The Neoproterozoic Era is in the Proterozoic Eon, occurring after the Mesoproterozoic Era, and before the Paleozoic Era of the Phanerozoic Eon.
Geologic Age
1,000–541 million years ago
Subdivisions
Ediacaran Period: 635–541.0±1.0 Ma
Cryogenian Period: 720–635 Ma
Tonian Period: 1,000–720 Ma
Eon
What happens during this time?
Geophysical
Extreme glaciation event, known as the Snowball Earth event
Biological
The split between freshwater streptophyte and chlorophyte green algae lineages occurred during this time
Origin of special cell division structures in algae
Phycoplast in chlorophyte green algae between 700 - 900 Ma
Phragmoplast in the streptophyte green algae late Neoproterozoic
First animal fossils
Possible water mold (oomycete) fossils
"First mass extinction of complex life" at the end of Neoproterozoic (Darroch et al., 2015)
Additional Resources
Giant ice bulldozers: How ancient glaciers helped life evolve (Phys.org 25Feb2025)
└Kirkland et al. (2025) The Neoproterozoic glacial broom
Arya et al. (2023) Himalayan magnesite records abrupt cyanobacterial growth that plausibly triggered the Neoproterozoic Oxygenation Event