This time we go onto the next group of Conodonts the order Panderodontida which itself only contains one family the Panderodontidae and only five genera. You might be rather surprised by the rather sudden shift from the sorta eel like conodonts we've met before. That is because the most famous member of this group Panderodus. Is one of only 3 conodonts known from more than just their teeth and given it's uniqueness I thought it made since to draw from it for the other genera here,
This was a long lived genus emerging in the Middle Ordovician around 486.85 million years ago and lasting until the the Late Devonian about 382.31 million years ago. While the vast majority of this timespan is only known from teeth one exceptional specimen from the Waukesha Lagerstätte which is one of the few such areas in the Silurian, specifically the Telychian and Sheinwoodian ages of the early dating to 438 million years ago to 433 million years ago. This fossil showed that this species was a lot more robust and thick compared to other later conodonts. In addition the large teeth are believed to have allowed it to live as an active predator, something not seen in most vertebrates at the time due to a lack of well jaws. Interestingly enough the teeth had grooves which indicate it may have been venomous, which if true would make it one of the earliest animals with venom.
Left to Right:
Top Row: Panderodus, Belodina
Middle Row: Naimanodus, Nudibelodina
Bottom Row: Parapanderodus
If you like to support my art I recently released a book which has gotten an updated second edition as well as now being available as an ebook check it out here.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DX5PBN9V
and the second Book here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTGL2MVT