A paleontologist discovers a fossilized rock stratum containing abundant fossils of seed ferns and early amphibians, but completely lacking any fossils of true reptiles and angiosperms. Based on the evolutionary history of flora and fauna, this rock stratum most likely belongs to which geological period?

Step-by-step solution

According to the geological time scale and evolutionary history in NCERT, seed ferns and amphibians were prominent during the Carboniferous period. True reptiles evolved later and diversified in the Permian and Mesozoic eras, while angiosperms evolved much later in the Cretaceous period. The Devonian period is known as the age of fishes and predates the dominance of seed ferns. Therefore, the presence of seed ferns and amphibians without true reptiles strongly indicates the Carboniferous period. Answer: Carbonifero