BioConcepts

neozoicneozoisch (ger.)

• Of, relating to, or designating an era following the Palaeozoic era, comprising both the Mesozoic and Cenozoic (Cainozoic) eras. (OED 2012)
  category fossil

  1854

  I think few geologists and naturalists who have studied both the palæozoic and the after—I must coin a word—neozoic mollusca will doubt that a large portion of the earlier Brachiopoda—the Productidæ for example—performed the offices and occupied the places of the shallower-water ordinary bivalves of succeeding epochs.

  Forbes, E. (1854). Anniversary Address of the President. QJGS 10, xix-lxxxi: lxxix.

  1854

  Instead of four periods [viz. cainozoic, mesozoic, palaezoic and azoic], it has been proposed to reduce them to three, viz. the Neozoic, embracing the Cainozoic and Mesozoic; the Palæozoic; and the Azoic.

  Page, D. (1854). Introductory Text-book of Geology: 40.

  1854

  We are accustomed to group all geological epochs under three great sections, the Palæozoic, or oldest, the Mesozoic or middle, and Cainozoic, more commonly termed Tertiary, or newest. If we consider the faunas (and floras) of these three great sections, we cannot but perceive that there is a far stronger affinity between the Mesozoic and Tertiary epochs than between the Mesozoic and Palæozoic. [...] For this reason I propose to denominate the sum of the epochs after the Palæozoic, by the name of Neozoic.

  Forbes, E. (1854). On the manifestation of polarity in the distribution of organized beings in time. Notes Proc. Roy. Inst. Great Britain 1, 428-433: 430.

  1857

  Fossiliferous, or Sedimentary, rocks are divided into three great series,-

  The Palæozoic (most ancient forms of life), or Primary.

  The Mesozoic (middle life period), or Secundary.

  The Neozoic or Cainozoic (more recent forms of life), or Tertiary.

  Haydn, J.T. (1841/57). Dictionary of Dates: 289.

  1873

  the Mesozoic and the next succeeding time, which may be know as Neozoic or Tertiary

  Dawson, J.W. (1873). The Story of the Earth and Man: 235.