After the "Life in the Late Paleozoic" lecture and readings you should be able to answer and discuss the following questions.

Where is life on Earth found in the early Paleozoic?

When do hard body part first appear in the rock record?

What are the two major evolutionary events at the beginning of the Cambrian?

What possible explanation is there for why hard body parts appear at this time?

What are trilobites? Why are they important?

What are the three major groups of Molluscs?

What is the difference in shell morphology between brachiopods and molluscs?

What were the first vertebrate animals to evolve?

What physical features did these first fish have?

What were the first living organisms to move from the ocean to land?

When did the first organisms move on to land?

List and describe the three major evolutionary adaptations needed by plants in order for them to survive on land.

What evolutionary event happened at the end of the Ordovician Period?

What are the first animals to move onto land?

When did animals first move on to land?

When did jaws evolve in fish?

From which existing anatomical structure did jaws evolve?

Which geologic Period is considered to be the Age of Fishes? Why?

What are placoderms?

What is the difference between Chrondrichthyes and Osteichthyes?

When did amphibians first evolve?

Which organism is considered to be the immediate ancestor of amphibians?

What happened at the end of the Ordovician Period?

What evolutionary event happened at the end of the Devonian Period?

During which Period did conifers, seed ferns and scaled trees all evolve?

What are the evolutionary and atmospheric significant events of the Pennsylvanian Period? Why are they significant?

When did reptiles first evolve?

Which organism is considered to be the immediate ancestor of reptiles?

What is a pelycosaur and which is the best known pelycosaur?

What was the function of the pelycosaur sail?

What are therapsids and why are they significant?

What evolutionary event happened at the end of the Permian Period?

What is unique about this event?

What caused this event?

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