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542 BCE
Cambrian: 542-485
Large number of new animal species appear in a relatively short time. First fish appear but no signs of life on land yet. -
488 BCE
Ordovician: 488-443
Land plants appear, fungi and seaweed appear, the oceans are full of corals, mollusks, worms, primitive fish, and echinoderms like starfish -
419 BCE
Devonian: 419-358
Fish spread across the oceans. Amphibians appear . The first tree and other plants spread across the land creating the first forest. -
359 BCE
Carboniferous: 359-299
Many swamps on land and sponge reefs in the oceans. Reptiles appear. Early winged insects and cockroaches appear. -
298 BCE
Permian: 298-251
Amphibians dominate the land. Early cone-bearing plants like pine trees appear. Period ends with largest mass extinction known with 95% of all marine species and 50% of all animals going extinct. -
251 BCE
Triassic: 251-199
The few survivors of the Permian extinction go on to populate the land and oceans. New species like mammals, dinosaurs and crocodiles appear. -
443
Silurian: 443-416
Spiders, scorpions, insects, complex plants, and fish with bony jaws appear. fish adapt to living in the rivers and fresh water for the first time.
