From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Promissum |
| Type |
fish, conodont |
| Length |
16 in (40 cm) |
| Movement |
swimming |
| Age |
500 million years ago |
| Diet |
carnivore |
| Environment |
coastal waters |
| Distribution |
South Africa |
Promissum is an extinct genus of primitive chordate that lived in the Ordovician period, about 500 million years ago.
A conodont, Promissum had a primitive mouth under its eyes with mineralized teeth (typical for conodonts), and also a primitive backbone. It probably looked like a small eel or large worm, lacking any kind of fins except for perhaps a small one on the tail. Well-preserved specimens were discovered in South Africa in 1994.
