The Palaeozoic Era began 541 million years ago with the Cambrian explosion. An extraordinary diversification of marine animals, and ended 252 years ago with the end-Permian extinction, the greatest extinction event in earth history.
The major divisions of the Palaeozoic Era from oldest to youngest are: Cambrian ~541 million - 485.4 million years ago~ Ordovician ~485.4 - 443.8 million years ago~ Silurian ~443.8 - 419.2 million years ago~ Devonian ~419.2 - 358.9 million years ago~ Carboniferous ~358.9 - 298.9 million years ago~ Permian ~298.8 - 252.2 million years ago.~
