Biology as Poetry: Paleontology

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Paleozoic

Era in planet Earth's geological record lasting from ~540 million years ago to ~250 million years ago.

The Paleozoic era begins with the Cambrian explosion and ends with the Permian mass extinction.

Making up the Paleozoic era are six periods (mya = million years ago):

• Cambrian (~540 to ~490 mya) → Cambrian explosion
  
  
• Ordovician (~490 to ~445 mya) → Colonization of land by plants, fungi, & animals
  
  
• Silurian (~445 to ~415 mya) → Diversification of vascular plant, e.g., trees
  
  
• Devonian (~415 to ~360 mya) → "Age of fish" (diversification); first tetrapods & insects
  
  
• Carboniferous (~360 to ~300 mya) → Extensive coal deposits; first seeds & amniotes
  
  
• Permian (~300 to ~250 mya) → Amniote & insect diversification; Permian extinction

The Paleozoic era is preceded by the Proterozoic eon and is followed by the Mesozoic era.

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