Scientists discover a bizarre Jurassic “squid” unlike anything ever seen
Researchers have identified a new species of Jurassic-era belemnite, Wyoteuthis linsterorum, characterized by an unusually thick, barrel-shaped internal skeleton. Found in Wyoming, this fossil provides new insights into the diversity of ancient squid-like marine animals.
Why it matters
This discovery expands our understanding of prehistoric marine biodiversity and the evolutionary history of cephalopods.
Two extraordinarily rare fossils found in Wyoming have revealed a strange new species of squid relative that lived approximately 160 million years ago, during the Jurassic Period.
Named Wyoteuthis linsterorum , the prehistoric creature belonged to an extinct group of marine animals known as belemnites, which were related to modern squid and octopuses. What makes this species particularly remarkable is its unusually thick, barrel-shaped internal skeleton, earning it the distinction of being the "chunkiest" or "fattest" belemnite ever identified.
An international research team from the United States, United Kingdom, and New Zealand, including Dr. Dean Lomax, an Honorary Research Fellow at The University of Manchester, detailed the discovery in the scientific journal Papers in Palaeontology .
An Unusually Thick Jurassic Squid Relative
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