-
What percentage of time is represented by the Paleozoic Era since the Precambrian?
50%
-
What type of fossil was used to redefine the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary in 1991?
Body fossil of the trilobite Olenellus
-
Sort the 7 periods of the Paleozoic Era in order from oldest to youngest
- Cambrian
- Ordovician
- Silurian
- Devonian
- Mississippian
- Pennsylvanian
- Permian
-
How does the US subdivide the Carboniferous Period?
- Mississippian
- Pennsylvanian
-
What was Laurentia?
Ancestral North America
-
In the Early Paleozoic, where was Texas located (in reference to the equator)?
South of the Equator
-
What is eustatic sea level?
World-wide
-
Describe an epicontinental sea
widespread, shallow seas that transgress or regress over craton
-
What is a transgressive sea?
a rise in sea level
-
Describe (draw) a rock sequence associated with a transgressive sea?
-
What is a regressive sea?
a fall in sea level
-
Describe (draw) a rock sequence associated with a regressive sea
-
In general, what can be said about average sea levels during the Cambrian as compared to today?
much higher
-
What was the transcontinental arch?
series of large, late Cambrian island arcs that extended to southern New Mexico and West Texas
-
Where do we find Cambrian age rocks in Texas?
- Bliss Sandstone (El Paso)
- Enchanted Rock (Central Texas)
- Hickory Sandstone (Mason)
-
What is the Cambrian explosion?
many different fossils appearing at once for this time
-
Why would animals with protective shells be more likely to survive?
Harder to for predators to get to
-
What is meant by "unknown phyla" of the Cambrian?
have no living organisms with their basic body plan
-
Which geologic period had the most diverse phyla?
Cambrian
-
What is the significance of the Cambrian Chinese fossil site and it's fossils?
- Best Early Cambrian fossils found in China
- The fossils are really complex considering life is just beginning on Earth
-
Why are the Burgess Shale and its fossils so important to understanding the Cambrian Period?
Best examples of soft bodied flora and fauna known
-
What represents the first known vertebrate?
fish
-
What period is known as the Age of the Trilobites?
Cambrian
-
What marks the end of the Cambrian?
Colder temperatures and mass extinction of the trilobites
-
What type of tectonic zone is associated with orogenies?
Convergent
-
Which mountains were formed with the Taconic Orogeny?
Appalachian Mountains
-
Why do mountains persist for hundreds of millions of years despite erosion?
Because they have deep roots. As erosion happens the roots are pushed upwards
-
What do we call the deeper parts of mountains?
mountain roots
-
Why is the Ordovician Ellenberger Formation important to Texas?
associated with 90 large oil fields and 50 major gas fields
-
When did plants become widespread in the seas?
-
Which plants may have invaded land during the Ordovician?
-
Why is the Silurian Period Fusselman Dolostone important to Texas?
-
What major evolutionary step did fish undergo during the Silurian?
-
Which was the first life form that moved into land?
-
What was the first animals life form that moved onto land?
-
During what period did this land invasion take place?
-
At the end of the Devonian, Laurentia is now called________
-
Which state contains a large portion of the mini-continent Antler Highlands?
-
What mineral is associated with the Antler Highlands?
-
What period is called the Age of Fish?
-
-
What advantage might a lobe-fin give to a fish?
-
Besides insects, which was the second group of animals to invade the land?
-
When did Earth's second mass extinction occur?
-
Name an important Mississippian Period formation found in Texas and why is it important?
-
What type of eggs had to evolve for animals to advance to other environments?
-
Which Period is known as the Age of the Insects?
-
How long has cockroaches been around?
-
Which Texas uplift is associated with the Ouachita Orogeny?
-
Which widespread energy "mineral" was formed in the Pennsylvanian Period?
-
Where are Pennsylvanian Period age rocks found in Texas?
-
Name the three orogenies associated with the Appalachian Mountains?
-
How long will Earth's fourth ice age last in the Permian?
-
Which thick evaporate deposit was formed in the Texas Permian basin?
-
Which Texas mountain cliff is an ancient Permian reef?
-
What valuable resources is found in the Texas Permian basin?
-
What do Seymouria, Eryops, and Diplocaulus have in common?
-
Which carnivorous mammal-like retiles occurred in the Permian Period and also in Texas?
-
Where have Dimetrodons been found in Texas?
-
What can be considered mammal-like?
-
What happened at the end of the Permian (life forms)?
-
During which three Paleozoic Periods did Earth suffer major extinctions?
-
Which of the three was the worst?
-
What is the probable cause of this extinction?
-
What defines a mass extinction?
-
What is the effect of extinction of a major dominant species?
|
|
