Devonian

De·vo·ni·an  (d-vn-n)

adj.

Of or belonging to the geologic time, system of rocks, or sedimentary deposits of the fourth period of the Paleozoic Era, characterized by the development of lobe-finned fishes, the appearance of amphibians and insects, and the first forests. See Table at geologic time.

n.

The Devonian Period or its system of deposits.

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[After Devon, a county of southwest England.]

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Devonian

Adjective

1. Geol of the period of geological time about 405 million years ago

2. of or relating to Devon

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Devonian  (d-vn-n)

The fourth period of the Paleozoic Era, from about 408 to 360 million years ago. During this time there were three major landmasses: most of modern day North America and Europe were located along the equator; a portion of Siberia was located to the north; and a continent consisting of South America, Australia, Africa, India, and Antarctica was located in the Southern Hemisphere. In the early Devonian small plants dominated the landscape, but by the end of the Devonian ferns and seed plants had appeared, as had the first forests. The first tetrapods (terrestrial vertebrates) and terrestrial arthropods appeared, as did many new types of fish. See Chart at geologic time.

Thesaurus

Noun

1.

Devonian - from 405 million to 345 million years ago; preponderance of fishes and appearance of amphibians and ammonites Age of Fishes, Devonian period Paleozoic, Paleozoic era - from 544 million to about 230 million years ago