= Silurian
{c}
The <Silurian> is a geological period between the <Ordovician> and the <Devonian>. Its rocks preserve evidence relevant to the diversification of jawed <vertebrates> and early terrestrial <ecosystems>.
A <Silurian> <placoderm> with marginal jaw <bones> resembling those of <Osteichthyes> illustrates its evolutionary importance: a <fossil>'s combination of characters can challenge a simple sequence in which each major group acquires a wholly separate body plan.<A Silurian placoderm with osteichthyan-like marginal jaw bones by Min Zhu and others>[2013, character combination in Entelognathus]{ref}
Back to article page
