The Permian Period is the last period of the Paleozoic Era, spanning from 299 to 251 million years ago. It is named after the region of Perm in Russia.
During the Permian Period, the Earth's landmasses were joined together in the supercontinent of Pangaea. The climate was generally dry and arid, with extensive desert regions.
The Permian Period saw the diversification of reptiles and the emergence of early mammal-like reptiles known as synapsids. The period also witnessed the proliferation of insects, as well as the dominance of plant life such as conifers and early seed-bearing plants.
The end of the Permian Period is marked by the largest mass extinction event in Earth's history, known as the Permian-Triassic extinction event. It resulted in the loss of over 90% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate species.