#panderodus

Panderodus/Eustreptospondylus

"Underdog's Venom" Panderodus/Michelinoceras Silurian, 433 million years ago, Brandon Bridge Formation (United States, Wisconsin) Panderodus was a conodont, best known for their freaky-ass teeth that they left on the ground after the rest of their largely skeleton-less bodies decomposed. A recent body fossil of Panderodus here indicates that unlike most conodonts, this guy was wider and flatter and likely used its big old chompers to hunt large prey. Plus, the creature was quite possibly venomous. Michelinoceras is a fun orthocerid that somehow lasted up to the Triassic, making it one super long-lived genus. This individual has gone up against the venomous conodont, ignored the warnings, and is clearly experiencing...something. That can't be comfortable! Cephalopods tend to have blue blood.

Trying out some fish, here's a doodle of Panderodus, a tiny Conodont jawless fish from the Silurian. This one's about six to seven times life size.