 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
|
• Basic Overview
 A Colossal Continent
Earth’s continents are constantly—slowly—on the move. When the Permian Period began 290 million years ago, the continents were drifting together to form one giant supercontinent: Pangaea.
Many different environments existed on Pangaea.
As this vast landmass formed, the amount of coastline shrank, along with the tropical swamps it supported. Pangaea came to be a patchwork of different environments, from desert to lush forest.
New four-legged animals walked the earth.
 In this new world, tetrapods—four-limbed vertebrates—evolved new forms with new ways of living. Among them were early reptiles, and synapsids: the group that would, one day, include mammals. A new type of egg let these newcomers live full-time, for the first time, on land.
Continue to Continents and Climates. >>
|
|
|
|
|
|
