Early Triassic Period
251 Million years ago · Prehistoric
The Early Triassic (251.9-247.2 million years ago) followed the Permian-Triassic extinction event, which eliminated approximately 81% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrates. The supercontinent Pangaea dominated global geography. Recovery was slow; the dicynodont Lystrosaurus comprised roughly 90% of terrestrial vertebrates. Marine ecosystems featured early ichthyosaurs and surviving temnospondyl amphibians. Full ecological recovery required an estimated 5-10 million years, with complex food webs rebuilding gradually throughout the period.
Key Figures
Friedrich August von AlbertiEdward T. TozerLubov D. Kiparisova
Locations
Salt RangeSpitiSiberia
Topics
dinosaursperiodslife
Connected Events — 2 Connections
The surviving therapsid fauna of the Early Triassic, particularly Lystrosaurus-dominated ecosystems, provided the ecological foundation and evolutionary pressure that enabled the emergence of early dinosaurs in the Late Triassic Late Triassic Period
The Early Triassic Period marks the beginning of the Mesozoic Era's biotic recovery, establishing the foundational ecosystems and evolutionary lineages that would define the entire 186-million-year span known as the Age of Reptiles Mesozoic Era
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