Permic

Permic refers to the final period of the Paleozoic Era, spanning approximately 298 to 251 million years ago. It followed the Carboniferous period and preceded the Triassic period. Characterized by significant geological and climatic changes, including the formation of the supercontinent Pangaea, the Permic witnessed a diversification of reptiles and synapsids, the ancestors of mammals, while the oceans teemed with various marine organisms. The period culminated in the Permian-Triassic extinction event, the largest mass extinction in Earth's history, which wiped out approximately 96% of all marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.

Permic meaning with examples

• Fossil evidence reveals that the Permic saw the proliferation of reptile groups, many of which evolved from their amphibian ancestors. Their diversity is seen in fossils found in the Karoo Basin. The Permic fossils discovered are particularly valuable to the evolutionary history of the reptile lineages that predate the dinosaurs.
• The Permic climate was significantly influenced by the formation of Pangaea. This supercontinent led to dramatic shifts in ocean currents, regional climate patterns, and the distribution of terrestrial biomes, fostering major developments, like the emergence of a wide range of synapsids.
• The late Permic is notorious for the most severe extinction event in Earth's history. The exact causes of the Permian-Triassic extinction are still being researched, but major factors have been proposed that might have influenced the major loss of life.
• Stratigraphic studies in the Permic show the slow shifting of the continents as they joined together. The geologic record of the Permic offers valuable insights into Earth's dynamic history, and the dramatic changes to the environment.
• The Permic saw the development of large reptiles. These included the emergence of many new forms of synapsids, the reptilian predecessors to modern mammals. These groups began to diversify and exploit various ecological niches, including both land and water.