The 12 Most Relevant Animals of the Paleozoic Era

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Simon Doyle
The 12 Most Relevant Animals of the Paleozoic Era

Some of the Paleozoic era animals they are placoderms, trilobites, cockroaches and pelycosaurs. This era began 542 million years ago and ended 251 million years ago..

During the Paleozoic era the supercontinent Pangea was formed and large reptiles began to dominate the world.

Some of the animals that inhabited Earth during the Paleozoic now exist as species that have evolved over time. However, a large number of the species that existed in that era do not currently exist..

Most representative animals of the Paleozoic era

1- Placoderm

These are a class of primitive fish that arose and disappeared during the Paleozoic.

Placoderms are the first vertebrate animals to have a jaw, which is why they marked a very important point in the evolution of animals.

2- Archeociato

Archaeocytes were cylindrical-shaped animals that existed during the Paleozoic era.

Currently fossils of these animals can be found on all continents. These fossils are believed to have formed reefs in the past.

3- Meganeura

Millions of years ago there was a species of dragonfly called meganeura, which dominated the skies with a wingspan of almost one meter and a length of 70 centimeters.

This carnivore is the largest flying insect ever discovered by man.

4- Arthropleura

This is a genus of invertebrates that lived in what is now North America and Scotland.

These animals are the largest invertebrates recorded by man in history. It is believed that they were similar to a giant millipede and inhabited humid forests.

5- Trilobite

Trilobites are currently considered the most characteristic fossils of the Paleozoic era due to the large number of species that can be described based on the fossils obtained..

These animals are considered an independent group within the arthropods. It is said that they appeared at the beginning of the Paleozoic era, in the Cambrian (541 million years ago), and disappeared before the arrival of the dinosaurs.

6- Thisanuro

The name Tisanuro is the informal term used to recognize the ancient order thysanura.

They are currently known as zygentoma. They are an order of insects that measure no more than 2 centimeters and began to inhabit the Earth in the Devonian.

7- Ephemericopter

Ephemeroptera are among the recorded giant insects of the Paleozoic Era. Its fossils reveal a wingspan of around 18 inches, with wings that do not fold into its abdomen..

They are called "ephemeral" because of the short life they have.

8- Cockroaches

This insect, which can be seen commonly on a day-to-day basis, has a great history. Thanks to its ability to survive, it has inhabited the Earth for millions of years.

The first recorded fossils resembling the blatodeans (the order of insects where cockroaches are found) date from the Carboniferous period..

9- Pelicosaurus

Pelycosaurs were an order of amniotes that appeared in the Carboniferous. These are considered mammals despite their great resemblance to reptiles.

Some had dorsal candles, which are believed to regulate their body temperature, releasing or capturing heat.

10- Archosaurs

This is a group of animals that emerged at the end of the Paleozoic, from which crocodiles and birds come.

Certain people deny the kinship of dinosaurs with archosaurs; However, the similarity between the characteristics of both puts in doubt that there is no relationship between dinosaurs and archosaurs.

11- Brachiopods

Brachiopods appeared on warm reefs, being one of the first marine beings of the Paleozoic era, specifically during the Lower Cambrian. Up to 16,000 fossils have been counted, although the number of species has dropped to less than 400 today.

12- Milpies

They appeared during the Silurian about 430 million years ago. They were the first terrestrial myriapods and, since then, more than 12,000 species classified in 16 orders have appeared. 

References

  1. "Animals of the Paleozoic Era" in: Encyclopedia of Examples (2017) Retrieved: November 25, 2017 from Encyclopedia of Examples: examples.co
  2. Short Notes "Insects - Paleozoic Era" in: CiberTareas. Retrieved on: November 25, 2017 from CiberTareas: cibertareas.info
  3. "The origin of the dinosarurs: The archosaurs" (May 2007) in: Duoips. Retrieved on: November 25, 2017 from Duoips: duoips.net
  4. "Pelicosaurio" in: EcuRed. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from EcuRed: ecured.cu
  5. "What are trilobites?" in Asturnatura. Retrieved on November 25, 2017 from Asturnatura: asturnatura.com

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