In this picture we continue our coverage of the large group known as the conodonts in what is my Jawless Fish Art Series. Last time we introduced the last major group of conodonts that there are. We also explained that there are outside of the two major orders the Prioniodinina and Ozarkodinida that there are two families that don't fit in either. While the Paracordylodontidae warranted their own image due to being a transitional group. These guys warrant one for having one of the three conodont genera known from more than teeth.
Promissum is a monotypic genus that was collected in the Soom Shale of what is now South Africa dating to the Hirnantian stage 445.2 to 443.1 million years ago. Which is the last stage of the Ordovician and dates to right before the end Ordovician mass extinction event. It was the first conodont body fossil discovered, a huge animal by conodont standards, the largest one for which we have a confident size estimate reaching 16 inches in length. It would have been a proficient swimmer but not one capable of rapid bursts of speed. For coloration I based it off of the Marbled Eel (Anguilla marmorata)
Left to Right:
Top Row: Promissum
Second Row: Amorphognathus
Third Row: Baltoniodus, Birksfeldia
Fourth Row: Icriodella, Notiodella
Fifth Row: Polyplacognathus, Prioniodus
Bottom Row: Pterospathodus
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https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DX5PBN9V
and the second Book here
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FTGL2MVT