How long did the Paleozoic Era last?

The Paleozoic Era lasted about 300 million years. This era comprised six periods: the Cambrian, Ordovician, Silurian, Devonian, Carboniferous and Permian. The Paleozoic saw the appearance of almost all groups of life.

The Paleozoic Era began about 540 million years ago and ended 248 million years ago. The supercontinent of Pannotia broke apart, and Pangaea formed from fragments of Pannotia during the Paleozoic.

At first life forms were confined to the Cambrian oceans, but later during the Ordovician, plants began colonizing the land. At the end of the Paleozoic Era, a cataclysmic mass extinction caused the disappearance of 90 percent of all marine animal species. This was the biggest mass extinction in history.