The document provides an overview of conodonts, which are jawless vertebrates known for their distinct feeding apparatus and serve as important index fossils for various geological periods. It details the physical characteristics, types, and applications of conodonts in biogeographic and palaeoecological studies, emphasizing their relevance in geological research and hydrocarbon exploration. Additionally, it touches on bryozoans, describing their anatomy, colony structure, and feeding methods.

1. Conodonts
Pander
(1856)

2. (Briggs, 1983)
Permian age Granton
beds (Edinburgh)
conodont animal
c. 40 mm and
eel like

4. Prof. Aldridge
University of Leicester
Dr Sarah Gabbot
University of Leicester
Assigned it to Phylum
chordata (animals possesing
notochord- a dorsal nerve
chord

5. Conodonts
Conodonts (or Euconodonts) were jawless vertebrates and
are primarily known from their feeding apparatus known as
conodont elements.
Conodonts elements range in size from 0.25-2 mm.
They are composed of calcium phosphate (apatite).
They range from upper Cambrian to upper Triassic.

6. Simple cones:
Formed by a single tooth or
denticle.
They are important time markers
for the Cambrian and Ordovician.
They are elongate, laterally
compressed units formed by a row
of denticles which are fused except
at their tips.
Blade-type conodonts:
They include index fossils from
Silurian to Triassic.
Conodont types

7. thin bars with or without a bent
shaft with needlelike cusps
Bar type:
They are long ranging and are less
useful in determining age
Platform type:
These are most probably derived
from bar and blade type and
developed broad flanges into
plates
Most of them are excellent
indicators from Ordovician to
Triassic

8. Many conodonts have short ranges and have worldwide
geographic distribution which makes them excellent index
fossils for Palaeozoic and Triassic sedimentary rocks. Marine
strata from Cambrian to Triassic are divided into about 150
conodont biozones.
Conodonts are also used in biogeographic and
palaeoecological studies.
Conodonts color alteration is used to interpret basin
histories, metamorphic studies and for the search of
hydrocarbons.
Conodonts elements geochemistry is used in the studies of
palaeoclimates and palaeoceanography.
Applications

9. They are most abundant in
shallow seas of temperate
and tropical zones
Bryozoan colonies grow on
the sea bottom, attached to
a foreign object, cemented
by their base, or anchored
by small root-like
appendages, or lying loose
on the sea floor
Most of the bryozoans are
sessile but few of them
which lack hard parts crawl
on the sea bottom
Their food supply consists
of microscopic floating
organisms such as diatoms
and radiolarians
Bryozoa

10. Anatomy of a zooid
The individual bryozoan animal
is known as zooid
Bryozoans live as colonies
Zooids remain in
communication through out
Each zooid has a circular or
crescentic fleshy structure
called lophophore
Lophophore bears a series of
slender, ciliated and post-oral
tentacles.
The anus is near the mouth
The nervous system is
represented mainly by a small
nerve (ganglion) between the
mouth and the anus

11. Excretory organs are absent
Respiratory and circulatory
system are absent
Hard parts consists of calcium
carbonate
They reproduce asexually by
budding
Colonies which reproduce
sexually are hermaphrodite