Campus Moncloa
Campus of International Excellence
Permian
299-252 M.a.
Ginko biloba leaves and seeds (Gymnosperma).
Cupedidae Coleoptera (Arthropod, Insect).
The last period of the Paleozoic is characterised by a single continent paleogeography, Pangaea, surrounded by a global ocean, Panthalassa.
The abundance of algae and photosynthetic microorganisms in the seas does not differ much from the previous period, but the primitive armoured fish disappear and there are fewer sharks and more bony fish.
The spread of insect on the continents is remarkable, especially the expansion of beetles (currently the biological group with greatest diversity). There are plenty of amphibians; the variety and size of reptiles increase; they can be as large as rhinoceroses. The end of the Permian marks the most important extinction in Earth’s history which killed 95% of marine and 75% of terrestrial species. It is the end of an era: life on earth will never be the same again. This catastrophe appears to be due to the largest volcanic episode that our planet has ever known.
Estenmmenosuchus miralbis (Synapsida, Therapsid).
Hadean | ~4600-4000 M.a. |
Archean | 4000-2500 M.a. |
Proterozoic | 2500-541 M.a. |
Cambrian | 541-485 M.a. |
Ordovician | 485-443 M.a. |
Silurian | 443-419 M.a. |
Devonian | 419-359 M.a. |
Carboniferous | 359-299 M.a. |
Permian | 299-252 M.a. |
Triassic | 252-201 M.a. |
Jurassic | 201-145 M.a. |
Cretaceous | 145-66 M.a. |
Paleogene | 66-23 M.a. |
Neogene | 23-2,6 M.a. |
Quaternary | 2,6 M.a.-act. |