Isikhathi seCarboniferous yisikhathi sokwakheka komhlaba esathatha cishe 359 kwa- 299 eminyakeni eyizigidi edlule, ngesikhathi sePaleozoic. Iqanjwe kude ngamadiphozithi amaningi amalahle akhiwe ngalesi sikhathi. Isikhathi seCarboniferous sihlukaniswe ngama-subperiods amabili, iMississippian kanye nePennsylvania.
Ngesikhathi seCarboniferous, isimo sezulu soMhlaba ngokuvamile sasifudumele futhi sinomswakama, enohlaza oluningi namahlathi ayemboze ingxenye enkulu yezwe. Izilwandle nazo zazigcwele ukuphila, kuhlanganise nezilwane ezingenamgogodla zasolwandle, izinhlanzi, noshaka bokuqala. Lesi sikhathi sabona ukuvela kwamaqembu amaningi amasha ezinto eziphilayo, kuhlanganise nezilwane ezihuquzelayo zokuqala kanye nezilwane ezihlala emanzini.
Esinye sezehlakalo noma izehlakalo eziphawuleka kakhulu ngesikhathi seCarboniferous kwaba ukukhuphuka kwezinkulu, ama-arthropods ahlala ehlathini, njengezicabucabu nama-millipedes. Lezi zidalwa zakwazi ukukhula zaba osayizi abakhulu ngenxa yamazinga aphezulu omoya-mpilo wasemkhathini ngaleso sikhathi..
Inkathi yeCarboniferous yaphela ngesenzakalo sokuqothulwa okukhulu okwaqothula amaqembu amaningi avelele ezilwane nezitshalo., ukuvulela indlela yokuvela kwamaqembu amasha esikhathini esilandelayo sokuma komhlaba, iPermian.