Gnathodus is an extinct conodont genus in the family Idiognathodontidae.
Palaeobiology
Feeding Dental microwear indicates that the occlusal cycle of Gnathodus bilineatus consisted of rotation of the P1 elements in the transverse plane of the anterior–posterior axis, with separation of the P1 elements occurring to enable the entry of food particles.
Use in stratigraphy The Tournaisian, the oldest age of the Mississippian (also known as Lower Carboniferous), contains eight conodont biozones, 3 of which are defined by Gnathodus species: the zone of Gnathodus pseudosemiglaber and Scaliognathus anchoralis the zone of Gnathodus semiglaber and Polygnathus communis the zone of Gnathodus typicus and Siphonodella isosticha
The Visean, the second age of the Mississippian, contains four conodont biozones, two of which are defined by Gnathodus species: the Gnathodus bilineatus Zone the Gnathodus texanus Zone
The Serpukhovian, the third or youngest age of the Mississippian, includes four conodont biozones, two of which are defined by Gnathodus species: the Gnathodus postbilineatus Zone the Gnathodus bollandensis Zone
References
Proposal of Gnathodus bilineatus (Roundy, 1926) as type species of the genus Gnathodus Pander, 1856 (Conodonts). HR Lane and W Ziegler, Senckenbergiana lethaea, 1984
External links
Gnathodus at fossilworks.org (retrieved 15 May 2016)