The Discovery
In Wyoming's Sundance Formation—a geological site preserving evidence of a Jurassic-era inland sea—paleontologists have described a remarkably unusual ancient squid relative. The discovery relies on two extremely rare fossils. Dr. Burkhard Pohl uncovered the first specimen in the late 1990s, though it sat unstudied in museum storage for decades. The investigation gained new momentum when fossil collector Cliff Linster found a second example near Ten Sleep, Wyoming, and donated it to the Wyoming Dinosaur Center in 2019. Combining both specimens allowed an international team of researchers to officially identify the new species, named Wyoteuthis linsterorum.
What Scientists Found
Living roughly 160 million years ago during the Jurassic Period, the creature was a member of the belemnites, an extinct group of marine animals related to modern octopuses and squids. Paleontologists typically recognize belemnites by their narrow, bullet-shaped internal skeletons, which generally measure 5 to 10 centimeters long and 1 to 2 centimeters across. However, the internal skeleton of Wyoteuthis linsterorum spans about 10 centimeters in length and reaches 6 centimeters in width, making it the thickest belemnite ever discovered. Scientists estimate that the living animal, including its arms, reached a total length of approximately 60 centimeters (about two feet).
Why It Matters
By using computed tomography (CT) scans to examine the interior structures of the fossils without causing damage, researchers revealed a surprise connection to a belemnite family previously believed to have vanished millions of years earlier. Experts suggest its unusual width may have provided a physical advantage when hunting smaller, co-existing belemnites of the genus Pachyteuthis. Detailed in the journal Papers in Palaeontology, the study highlights how fossil collectors contribute to scientific progress, while honoring the legacy of Cliff Linster, who passed away shortly before the findings were published.
Source: dinosaur fossil discovery - BingNews · Published October 20, 2026 · Photo by Sean Foster on Unsplash