Before the Dinosaurs: Organisms in the Permian Period
INTRODUCTION Before the dinosaurs ruled the earth, there was a period in the world around 299 to 251 million years ago. It was a vast ecosystem with various different organisms and species. During this time, insects, amphibians, and reptiles such as synapsids(the precursors of mammals) and diapsids(the precursors of modern reptiles such as snakes or lizards) flourished. However, this extraordinary period ended with the largest mass extinction in the Earth’s history. LANDSCAPE The landscape of the Permian period was a region of extreme climates and strange animals. All of the continents that we know of today were combined into a massive landmass called Pangea. It was surrounded by a singular ocean named Panthalassa. Early in the period, most of the southern part of the continent was covered in an ice age. Later, the climate became very hot and dry, especially in the center of Pangea, where temperatures would reach up to 73 degrees celsius. Most flora grew near the coast or in cool...