The Cambrian began 541 million years ago, and it ended 485 million years ago. It was the period when a huge number of different lifeforms with hard skeletons appeared immediately, after the appearance of worms collapsed the Ediacaran fauna. These animals were the ancestors of nearly every animal group which exist still today. During the Cambrian, arthropods, molluscs and echinoderms emerged as wide-spread animals. The first vertebrates appeared also for the first time, and this period is marked by the origin of Trilobites. These pill-bug like arthropods were the first life while a rigid skeleton made of hard minerals. They even had compound eyes with mineral lenses! The climate was very warm, sometimes it was hot. No signs of permanent ice caps have been found. On the picture, you can see typical animals from the Cambrian. These are the arthropods Anomalocaris and Opabinia, trilobites, the lobopod Hallucigenia, jellyfish, primitive echinoderms and different sponges. There are also blue algal reefs on the picture. You can see also primitive vertebrates like the conodonts and early jawless fishes like Pikaia for example.
The Cambrian was also home to a special species; conodonts. These toothy eels are among the earliest definite ancestors to modern fish, reptiles, birds, and even humans. Many other animals used to be highly debated. However their relationships to living animals have mostly been resolved.
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