The Pelitolacene Epoch: 200-250 Million Years

The Pelitolacene Epoch, or the Epoch of Muddy Shores, marked a pivotal transition in Atmos’s history and the end of the Thalassian Era. This epoch was characterized by the remaking of muddy coastal environments that served as the cradle for future terrestrial life. Oxygen-breathing flora begin to dominate these shores, paving the way for the later invasion of land by more complex life forms. With shifting tides and nutrient-rich sediments accumulating along the coast, new ecological niches emerge, fostering evolutionary experimentation among both flora and fauna. Cyanophytes evolved thick, protective coatings around their soft, gelatinous bodies, allowing them to anchor themselves in dry soil and withstand periods of desiccation. Hardy, amphibious sporepores took root in the nutrient-rich sediment, some adapting to brief periods of exposure to air. Filter-feeding and scavenging organisms flourished in the shallows, capitalizing on the abundant organic matter stirred up by the tides. Predatory lineages, in turn, adapted to the dynamic shoreline, preying on the organisms that ventured too far into unfamiliar terrain. Though true land-dwelling fauna had yet to emerge, the ecological foundations for their arrival were firmly laid in the Pelitolacene Epoch.

Explore the Pelitolacene: