Figure 3.

Maps illustrating the evolution of New Zealand’s landscape and its position relative to Australia, Tasmania, and Antarctica throughout the Cenozoic. Green shading indicates terrestrial areas; grey lines show modern-day coastlines. A, Zealandia breaks from Gondwana 82–50 Mya; B, the Oligocene marine transgression submerges most of the continent c. 25–23 Mya; C, the North and South Islands are separated by marine seaways, and the Chatham Islands form c. 5–3 Mya; D, land bridges during the Last Glacial Maximum (29–19 Kya) connect the three main islands; E, presently, the North and South Islands are separated by Cook Strait.