Amphibians: History of Life on Earth
Life originating in the oceans colonizes the land.

Complex life forms evolved and thrived
in the oceans and shallow seas
over 600 million years ago. 600,000,000
However
years ago . . . No plants were growing on the land.
No animals were moving about. About 500 million years ago,
primitive plant life
began to grow
close to shore creating new habitats
for other living things. scorpions! the very FIRST ANIMALS
to survive on land were . . .
About 440 million years ago

Other ARTHROPODS
soon followed - centipedes and
millipedes
Arthropods? scorpions
lobsters
crabs
spiders
mites
insects
centipedes
millipedes Creepy crawlies - everywhere! Scorpions and Other Arthropods Escape to Land History of Life on Earth AFTER
the scorpions
first walked on land
40 million years

and FEET
to plow through
thick plant growth
developed LUNGS
to survive the low oxygen
in the water
Fish living in swampy wetlands AMPHIBIANS! These flat-footed,
air-breathing "fish"
were evolving into . . .
4 legged animals escape to land Breathing air and walking on four legs
Amphibians
--
the first vertebrates
to leave their water world
to live on land Carboniferous The First Amphibians Dominate the Land CLOSE this tab to return to the book. The first VERTEBRATES to walk on land Amphibians!