THE DEVONIAN PERIOD

DEVONIAN PERIOD

• started 417 million years ago
• ended 354 million years ago
• The fourth period of the Paleozoic Era

The vegetation of the early Devonian Period consisted primarily of small plants, the tallest being only 1 meter tall.

During this period, the world's land was collected into two supercontinents, Gondwana and Euramerica

Large shallow seas in North America, central Asia, and Australia became basins in which great quantities of rocksalt, gypsum, and other minerals precipitated

During this
Period, North America and Europe collided forming a large continent called Euramerica. This caused the formation of the Appalachian Mountain range

The climate was very warm and generally quite dry. I think it's best for the visitor to wear spring or summer clothing. Also bring lots of water. Ocean temperatures reach 80 to 85 degrees

ANIMALS

• Tretrapods (four footed vertebrates)
• Dunkleosteus
• Trilobites
• Cladoselache

PLANTS

• Rhacophyton
• Arborescent lycopside

Several groups of plants had evolved leaves and true roots. Free-sporing vascular plants began to spread across dry land forming extensive forests which covered the continent

Fish also reached substantial diversity during this time

MASS EXTINCTION
The late Devonian extinction which started about 375m years ago, severely affected marine life, killing off all Placoderms and all Trilobites

BIBLIOGRAPHY

• "Plants and Soils." Devonian Times -. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
• "Devonian Period, Age of Fishes Information, Prehistoric Facts -- National Geographic." National Geographic. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
• "The Devonian Period: The Age of Fish." Fossils Facts and Finds.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 May 2014.
• Bagley, By Mary. "Devonian Period: Climate, Animals & Plants." LiveScience. TechMedia Network, 22 Feb. 2014. Web. 15 May 2014.
• "The Age of Giant Armored Fish and Seven-Toed Tetrapods." About.com Dinosaurs. N.p., n.d. Web. 14 May 2014.