Precambrian | Paleozoic | Mesozoic | Cainozoic |
Cambrian 590 MYRBP | Silurian 438 MYRBP | Devonian 408 MYRBP | Carboniferous 360 MYRBP | Permian 286 MYRBP |

At the end of the Ordovician the first fish appear - agnathans, flat fish without jaws that fed by sieving planktonic organisms from the water. The increased mobility provided by their strong tail allowed them to find new feeding areas.This lamprey is a living agnathan: it attaches its sucker-like mouth to its prey, and uses its tooth-covered jaw to lacerate the flesh. This one has attached itself to the camera lens.
![]() |
Next ![]() |