The 'Early Cretaceous' (
timestratigraphic name) or the 'Lower Cretaceous' (
logstratigraphic name), is the earlier of the two major divisions of the
Cretaceous Period. It began about 146
million years ago.
During this time many new types of
dinosaurs appeared or came into prominence, including the
Psittacosaurs,
Spinosaurs and
Coelurosaurs, while other survivors from the
Late Jurassic continued.
In the seas, the
ichthyosaurs declined and eventually died out at the start of the
Late Cretaceous.
Neognathous birds and
angiosperms, appear for the first time.