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Jurassic squid-like animal unearthed in Wyoming is “fattest” ever discovered
BBC Wildlife Magazine • • science
Key Points:
- Researchers have identified a new species of belemnite, Wyoteuthis linsterorum, from two rare fossils found in Wyoming’s Sundance Formation, marking the thickest belemnite ever recorded with a barrel-shaped rostrum up to 6cm wide.
- The living animal is estimated to have reached about 60cm in length, and the fossils date back to the Late Jurassic period, belonging to the family Megateuthididae, previously thought extinct in North America during the Bathonian period.
- The discovery was made possible by combining two specimens found decades apart and analyzed using CT scanning, revealing unique internal features that distinguish this species from others studied over 200 years.
- The species name honors fossil collector Cliff Linster and his family, recognizing his contribution to paleontology; the find is considered exceptionally rare and may reflect ecological specializations during its time.
- The study was published in the journal Papers in Palaeontology and involved an international team led by Wyoming palaeontologist Bill Wahl and belemnite expert Alexey Ippolitov.
