Cambrian Period
E88508
The Cambrian Period was an early division of geologic time marked by a rapid diversification of life known as the "Cambrian explosion," during which most major animal groups first appeared in the fossil record.
Aliases (2)
- Cambrian period ×4
- Cambrian ×1
Statements (49)
| Predicate | Object |
|---|---|
| instanceOf |
geologic period
→
stratigraphic unit → |
| characterizedBy |
appearance of most major animal phyla in the fossil record
→
development of complex food webs → evolution of hard body parts → increased bioturbation of seafloor sediments → rapid diversification of animal life → widespread marine ecosystems → |
| duration |
about 56 million years
→
|
| endTime |
about 485 million years ago
→
|
| fieldOfStudy |
geology
→
paleontology → stratigraphy → |
| followedByEvent |
Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event
→
|
| follows |
Ediacaran Period
→
|
| hasBoundaryDefinedBy |
first appearance of the trace fossil Treptichnus pedum
→
|
| hasClimate |
generally warm climate
→
|
| hasEnvironment |
predominantly marine habitats
→
|
| hasKeyEvent |
Cambrian explosion
→
|
| hasLifeForm |
annelid worms
→
archaeocyathids → arthropods → brachiopods → cnidarians → early chordates → early echinoderms → lobopodians → small shelly fossils → sponges → trilobites → |
| hasNotableFossilSite |
Burgess Shale
→
Chengjiang biota → Emu Bay Shale → Sirius Passet → |
| hasSeaLevel |
high global sea levels
→
|
| hasTectonicContext |
assembly of early Paleozoic continents
→
breakup of supercontinent Pannotia → |
| namedAfter |
Cambria
→
Wales → |
| partOf |
Paleozoic Era
→
|
| precededByEvent |
Ediacaran biota decline
→
|
| precedes |
Ordovician Period
→
|
| recognizedBy |
International Commission on Stratigraphy
→
|
| startTime |
about 541 million years ago
→
|
| subdividedInto |
Furongian
→
Miaolingian → Series 2 → Terreneuvian → |
| usedIn |
geologic time scale
→
|
Referenced by (10)
| Subject (surface form when different) | Predicate |
|---|---|
|
Paleozoic Era
→
Phanerozoic Eon → |
contains |
|
Agnatha
("Cambrian period")
→
Crustacea ("Cambrian period") → |
firstAppearance |
|
Ordovician Period
→
|
follows |
|
Amadeus Basin
("Cambrian")
→
|
geologicalPeriod |
|
Vertebrata
("Cambrian period")
→
|
hasFossilRecordSince |
|
International Chronostratigraphic Chart
→
|
includes |
|
Cambrian explosion
("Cambrian period")
→
|
partOf |
|
Neoproterozoic Era
→
|
precedes |