Silurian System

The Silurian System represents rocks formed during the Silurian Period, which spanned from 443.8 to 419.2 million years ago, following the Ordovician Period and preceding the Devonian Period. This era saw a dramatic rise in global sea level as glaciers from the Late Ordovician ice age melted, leading to the flooding of large continental areas and the formation of widespread coral reefs.1

The Silurian System is divided into four rock series: Llandovery, Wenlock, Ludlow, and Pridoli, each corresponding to specific time intervals within the period. These divisions are defined by the first appearance of certain index fossils, such as graptolites and conodonts, which are crucial for correlating rock strata globally. Early Silurian marine life recovered from a mass extinction event at the end of the Ordovician, with vascular plants beginning to colonize coastal areas. The Silurian Period is named after the Silures, a native people of Wales, and was formally established through the work of geologist Roderick I. Murchison.234156