"The Cretaceous (/kr\u0268\u02C8te\u026A\u0283\u0259s/, kr\u0259-TAY-sh\u0259s), derived from the Latin \"creta\" (chalk), usually abbreviated K for its German translation Kreide (chalk), is a geologic period and system from 145 \u00B1 4 to 66 million years (Ma) ago. In the geologic timescale, the Cretaceous follows the Jurassic Period and is followed by the Paleogene Period of the Cenozoic Era."@en .