1. By: Ryan Erickson 6th Hour
Pennsylvanian Period
By: Ryan Erickson
6th Hour

2. Relation To The State ?
The period is related to the state of Pennsylvania
It is named after the coal deposits in Pennsylvania that formed during the period

3. Date of Pennsylvanian Period
318 MYA-299 MYA
Late part of Carboniferous Period (359 MYA – 299 MYA)

4. Continental Position/Activity
Laurussia (North America and Europe) and Siberia formed Laurasia
Parts of Gondwana (southern supercontinent) drifted north
Pangaea (single supercontinent) was starting to form at the end of Pennsylvanian Period (299 MYA)

5. Climate and Vegetation
Ice covered most of Southern Hemisphere (Gondwana) from Karoo Ice Age (360 MYA – 260 MYA)
Large tropical swamps formed near equator
The organic matter from these swamps formed the period’s well-known coal deposits over millions of years

6. Atmosphere
The large tropical swamps created a surplus of oxygen (from photosynthesis – taking in carbon dioxide and returning oxygen)
Atmospheric oxygen levels reached 35% (some of the highest in all of history)

7. Immense Insects
The astronomical atmospheric oxygen levels of the period created some of the largest insects in history
Meganeura
Arthropleura

8. Immense Insects (continued)
Meganeura
Massive insect resembling a dragonfly
Could have wingspan of 70 cm (27.56 in)
Carnivores (ate insects)
Arthropleura
Massive arthropod resembling a millipede
Could be 2 meters in length (80 in.)
Herbivores (had mouthparts for eating
and chewing plants)

9. Reptiles The first reptiles appeared during the Pennsylvanian Period
One of the first reptiles was the hylonomus lyelli
Hylonomus lyelli
The earliest known reptile
Lizard-like
Carnivores (feed on millipedes and insects)
20 cm (8 in.) long including tail

10. Citations
"Arthropleura". N.p., n.d. Web. <
bASlxnvsqk/TeK_6zjlFAI/AAAAAAAAACw/zHNBMWFkL8k/s1600/arthropleura1.jpg>.
"Carboniferous Period". N.p., n.d. Web.
<
"Carboniferous Period". N.p., n.d. Web. <
live/photos/000/008/cache/carboniferous-landscape_869_600x450.jpg>.
"Carboniferous Period Article, Carboniferous Information, Prehistoric Facts." National Geographic.
N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. <
"HowStuffWorks "Pennsylvanian Period"." HowStuffWorks. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
<
"Hylonomous Lyelli". N.p., n.d. Web. <
"Hylonomus: The Earliest Reptile: Natural History Notebooks." Canadian Museum of Nature –
Musée canadien de la nature. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014. <
"Late Carboniferous." Home Page. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
<
"Late Carboniferous". N.p., n.d. Web. <
"Meganeura". N.p., n.d. Web. <
"Oxygen Symbol". N.p., n.d. Web. <
"Pennsylvanian : Overview." Paleobiology Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
<
"Pennsylvanian : Pennsylvanian Animal Life." Paleobiology Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
<
"Pennsylvanian : Pennsylvanian Climate and Tectonics." Paleobiology Home. N.p., n.d. Web.
8 Mar. 2014. <
"Pennsylvanian : Plant Life and the Coal Forests." Paleobiology Home. N.p., n.d. Web. 8 Mar. 2014.
<
"Pennsylvanian State Outline". N.p., n.d. Web.
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