Paleozoic Life (continued)•Mass extinction at end of Ordovician wiped out mostwarm-water invertebrates•Survivors: cold-adapted animals fromhigh latitudes ordeep water•Low diversity in Silurian•Marineecosystemrecovered by Devonian
What lived in the Middleand Late Paleozoic?•Marineinvertebrates–new species of trilobites, brachiopods, corals, graptolites (until end Silurian) etc. –trilobites become less abundant–straight nautiloids gradually replaced by the ammoniteancestors (mostly coiled)–“sea scorpions” (Eurypterids) becomedominant predators in the Silurian
Eurypterids(“Sea scorpions”)dominant predators in Silurian, spreading into freshwater environments
What lived in the Middleand Late Paleozoic?
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Fall '08
RICHTER
Geology,Ordovician,RTE,inant pre dators,theMiddleand Late,Marineinve brate