The Chunky Jurassic Squid Relative That Outlived Its Family
belemnite
An extinct sea animal related to modern squid and octopuses.
rostrum
The hard inner part of a belemnite that can become a fossil.
Megateuthididae
An old family of belemnites.
What was found
Two fossils from Wyoming, a state in the United States, reveal a strange animal from about 160 million years ago. The new species is Wyoteuthis linsterorum, a Jurassic belemnite. Belemnites were extinct sea animals related to modern squid and octopuses. Their hard inner parts often survive as fossils.
The new fossil part was unusually thick. Common Wyoming belemnite rostra are usually 1–2 centimeters wide. This one reached about 6 centimeters across. It is the thickest known belemnite rostrum. Researchers estimate the living animal reached about 55–60 centimeters, including its arms. That estimate remains uncertain because soft bodies fossilize poorly. The findings are described in the peer-reviewed study and the University of Manchester research summary.
Why the animal looked so unusual
Belemnite fossils are common because their hard parts survive. Wyoming’s Sundance Formation preserves rocks from an ancient sea. Many belemnites from the area have narrow, bullet-shaped rostra. The new fossils were much shorter and thicker in proportion.
The discovery also took years. One specimen was noticed in the late 1990s. It then remained in a museum collection. A second specimen was found near Ten Sleep, Wyoming. Cliff Linster donated it to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in 2019. Two examples finally gave researchers enough evidence to describe a new species.
Why the find matters
The researchers placed Wyoteuthis in Megateuthididae. This was an old belemnite family. The family flourished earlier in the Jurassic. Most of its branches were thought to have disappeared before this animal lived.
The new species appears to be a relict branch. That means it was a surviving remnant of an older family. The fossils suggest that a small refuge existed in the northeastern Pacific. This changes the story from simple disappearance to longer survival in a hidden place.
What researchers could confirm
The team used CT scans to study the fossils without damaging them. They compared the rostrum’s shape, inner position, and grooves near its tip. Those features supported the new classification.
Researchers from the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand worked on the study. The paper appeared in Papers in Palaeontology. Only two specimens are known today. Both are displayed at the Wyoming Dinosaur Center.
What remains unknown
The fossils do not preserve the animal’s soft body. Scientists therefore cannot know its exact shape or size. They also do not know its diet. The animal may have hunted smaller belemnites, but that is only a possibility.
A thick rostrum does not automatically mean a huge animal. Researchers also do not know why this lineage survived after related groups declined. Its unusual shape may reflect a narrow way of living, but more evidence is needed.
What to watch next
New fossils could show whether Wyoteuthis was truly isolated. Similar specimens from other places could reveal a wider range. Museum collections may also contain overlooked examples.
This discovery shows why old collections still matter. A fossil can wait for decades before its importance becomes clear. The next clue may already be stored in a drawer.
Sources: the peer-reviewed paper, the University of Manchester research page
A very thick fossil from a Jurassic squid relative
📰 Full story: The Chunky Jurassic Squid Relative That Outlived Its Family
Scientists studied two fossils from an unusual sea animal. Its hard inner part was much thicker than usual.
belemnite
An extinct sea animal related to squid and octopuses.
rostrum
A hard part inside a belemnite's body.
Megateuthididae
An old belemnite family.
💡 The gist
- Wyoteuthis linsterorum was a new Jurassic squid relative.
- Its hard inner part was unusually thick.
- Its family may have survived longer than scientists thought.
Wyoming is a state in the United States. Scientists found two fossils from about 160 million years ago. These animals were belemnites. Belemnites were extinct relatives of squid and octopuses.
Most belemnite fossils preserve a hard part from inside the body. This part is called a rostrum. Common Wyoming rostra are only 1–2 centimeters wide. This one was about 6 centimeters wide. That made it the thickest known belemnite rostrum.
Researchers estimate the animal reached 55–60 centimeters. That estimate includes its arms. The number may change. Soft bodies rarely become clear fossils.
One fossil was noticed in the 1990s. It stayed in a museum collection for years. A second fossil was donated in 2019. Two examples helped scientists recognize a new species.
Researchers used CT scans to see inside the fossils. The scans did not damage them. Scientists compared their shapes and inner details. Those comparisons supported the new name.
The animal belonged to Megateuthididae. This was an old belemnite family. Scientists thought most of its branches had disappeared earlier. The new fossils suggest one small branch survived in the northeastern Pacific.
The animal may have hunted smaller belemnites. Scientists have not proved that idea. They also do not know why its hard part became so thick. A thick rostrum does not always mean a huge body.
More fossils could answer these questions. Museum drawers may hold more clues. New finds could show whether this animal lived only nearby. They could also show a wider range.
Sources: the paper, the research page
A very chunky squid cousin lived long ago
📰 Full story: The Chunky Jurassic Squid Relative That Outlived Its Family
Two old fossils showed scientists a strange sea animal.
belemnite
An old sea animal related to squids and octopuses.
Wyoteuthis linsterorum
The new name for this animal.
A very long time ago, Wyoming was under water. The animal lived about 160 million years ago. Its name was Wyoteuthis linsterorum, a kind of belemnite. Belemnites were sea animals related to squids and octopuses.
Scientists found two fossils. The fossils kept a hard part from inside the animal. Most such parts were thin. This one was much thicker. It was about 6 centimeters wide.
Scientists think the whole animal was 55 to 60 centimeters long. That guess includes its arms. The guess may change. Soft bodies do not leave clear fossils.
Scientists thought this animal family was gone. The new fossils show some family members lived longer. Nobody knows what this animal ate. Maybe it ate small belemnites. Scientists need more fossils to learn more.
Sources: the paper