HOME Precambrian Super Eon (4.6GA-542MA) Cambrian Period (542MA-488.3MA) Silurian Period (488.3MA-443.7MA) History Timeline Index

542 MA
PHANEROZOIC EON (542MA-p)
PALEOZOIC542 ERA (290 M) (542-251 MA)
CAMBRIAN542 PERIOD (53.7 M) (542-488.3 MA)
Vendian Supercontinent (Pannotia) breaks up in Early Cambrian
Avalonia drifts northward from Gondwana
Iapetus Ocean (600-400 MA)
Many aquatic plants
Some plants invade land
First shell-forming invertebrate animals - attributed to rising alkilinity of ocean
Trilobites
Paradoxides - large Middle Cambrian trilobite of the Atlantic/Avalonian faunal culture - good guide fossil
Bracholopods and many other invertebrates
Shell fossils begin to appear commonly
EARLY CAMBRIAN EPOCH (29 M) (542-513 MA)
TERRENEUVIAN EPOCH (21 M) (542-521 MA)
FORTUNIAN STAGE (14 M) (542-528 MA)
528 MA
STAGE 2 (7 M) (528-521 MA)
521 MA
SERIES 2 (11 M) (521-510 MA)
STAGE 3 (6 M) (521-515 MA)
513 MA
MIDDLE CAMBRIAN EPOCH (12 M) (513-501 MA)
515 MA
STAGE 4 (5 M) (515-510 MA)
510 MA
SERIES 3 (11 M) (510-499 MA)
STAGE 5 (3.5 M) (510-506.5 MA)
506 MA
DRUMIAN STAGE (3.5 MA) (506.5-503 MA)
503 MA
GUZHANGIAN STAGE (4 M) (503-499 MA) 501 MA
LATE CAMBRIAN EPOCH (12 M) (501-488.3MA)
500 MA
Gondwana Supercontinent forms (-200MA)
499 MA
FURONGIAN EPOCH (10.7 M) (499-488.3 MA)
PAIBIAN STAGE (3 M) (499-496 MA)
496 MA STAGE 9 (4 M) (496-492 MA)
492 MA
STAGE 10 (3.7 M) (492-488.3)


HOME Precambrian Super Eon (4.6GA-542MA) Cambrian Period (542MA-488.3MA) Silurian Period (488.3MA-443.7MA) History Timeline Index