The Permian Period (from Perm, a Russian province) began approximately 290 million years ago and ended catastrophically some 250 million years ago. The largest extraterrestrial object ever to strike the Earth ended the Permian Period, and with it the Paleozoic Era, taking 96% of all species with it.

      Classic Fossil-Bearing Sites

      Glass Mountains, Texas
      Abo Formation, New Mexico
      Kuperschiefer, Germany
      Glossopteris flora, Gondwana localities

      Astroblemes

      A 22 km crater near the start of the period (290 mya) is found at Clearwater Lake, Quebec, and 13 and 12 km structures somewhat less than 300 million years in age are found in Manitoba and Brazil. None of these, however compare to the imact that occurred at the end of the period.

      While no crater has yet been discovered, "shocked" quartz grains of the appropriate age have recently been found in Australia and Antarctica, confirming the presence of an impact. An estimate of the crater's size puts it at 400-500 km in diameter.

      Significant Events

      Formation of Pangaea

      During the entire Permian all the world's landmasses were congregated into one large supercontinent that scientists call Pangaea, almost bisected by the equatorial Tethys Sea.

      Therapsid Development

      Mammals are in a direct line of descent from the pelycosaurs. Late in the Permian, some of the pelycosaurs developed into the ancestors of mammals, the therapsids. Therapsids were meat-eaters, with mammal-like skulls, differentiated teeth, and separate nasal openings.

      Mass Extinction

      At the close of the Permian, fully 96% of all species were wiped out. This included 75% of all amphibian families, and 80% of all reptile families. While the supposed extraterrestrial impact may very well have accounted for most of these annihilations, it is probable that loss of near-shore habitat with the joining of the continents was also responsible for species loss.

      Permian Graphics

       

       

       

       Permian Landscape

      Eryops and Dimetrodon

       Eryops

           

       

       

       

       Dimetrodon

       Permian Seafloor

       Cooperoceras

           

       

       

       

       Permian Sponges

       Permian Seafloor

       Brachiopods and Coral

           

       

       

       

       Omphalotrochus

       Girtyocoelia sponge

       Permian Seafloor

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