Bandringa | 3D Dinopedia

Bandringa

Period of life:

309 million years ago

Period:

Permian period

Habitat:

Freshwater environment

Taxonomy:

Sharks and rays

Height:

0.2 m

Countries:

Start a discussion

Bandringa (309 million years ago)

Name meaning: Named in honor of its discoverer, Ray Bandring.

Bandringa was one of the most unusual creatures of the Carboniferous period. Imagine a fish whose elongated, spear-shaped snout made up almost half its body length, and whose entire body was covered in sharp, spine-like scales. That was this ancient predator, which lived in the fresh and brackish waters of what is now North America around 309 million years ago.

An adult Bandringa reached about half a meter in length, with nearly half of that taken up by its long head and narrow rostrum—a bony projection extending from the front of its skull. Along this “nose” were electroreceptors that allowed it to detect faint electrical impulses produced by moving prey. This adaptation made it possible for Bandringa to hunt even in murky waters where vision was nearly useless.

Scientists believe Bandringa was a bottom-dwelling predator. It moved along the seafloor and fed by suction, drawing in small prey such as crustaceans and other benthic organisms. Its downward-facing jaws created a “vacuum strike” effect: when the mouth opened suddenly, the pressure around it dropped, pulling water and prey inside. This is considered one of the earliest known examples of suction feeding in vertebrate history.

The sharp spines covering its body served as reliable protection against larger predators. In its ancient world, Bandringa was not merely a strange-looking creature, but an impressively efficient survival machine—combining sensitivity, agility, and natural armor.

Other animals