Conodonta (Noun)
Meaning
Extinct order of primitive vertebrates; the precise taxonomy is not clear; in some classifications considered a separate phylum.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The conodonts are small eel-like jawless fish with large eyes and teeth made of a hard tissue resembling bone but are still distinct from other fish species.
- Paleontologists continue to debate the precise taxonomic position of the conodonta in relation to other ancient vertebrates.
- Research has led to multiple conflicting classifications for the conodonta, making their placement in the tree of life a challenge to define.
- It has been argued by some that conodonta is distinct enough to warrant consideration as a separate phylum from the rest of the chordates.
- Early fossils of the conodonta discovered have given insights into the structure of some of the first vertebrates that roamed Earth.