Coleoids
22nd February 2009

Here's a group of fossil coleoids (dibranchiate cephalopods) from Carboniferous hematitids (Carboniferous belemnoids are discussed by Doguzhaeva et al. 2003) to Mesozoic and Paleogene belemnitids and Mesozoic teuthids. Several of these show soft part preservation, including tentacles and ink sacks.

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Hematites barbarae, 93 mm coleoid. Fayetteville Shale, Upper Mississippian. Washington County, AR, USA. One of three coleoid genera known from the Mississippian. The order Hematitida (Doguzhaeva, Mapes and Mutvei, 2002), family Hematitidae (Gustomesov, 1976). Formerly classified in order Aulacocerida or Aulacoceratida.
Hematites barbarae, 93 mm coleoid. Fayetteville Shale, Upper Mississippian. Washington County, AR, USA. One of three coleoid genera known from the Mississippian. The order Hematitida (Doguzhaeva, Mapes and Mutvei, 2002), family Hematitidae (Gustomesov, 1976). Formerly classified in order Aulacocerida or Aulacoceratida.
 Hematites barbarae, 29 mm coleoid. Fayetteville Shale, Upper Mississippian. Washington County, AR, USA.
Hematites barbarae, 29 mm coleoid. Fayetteville Shale, Upper Mississippian. Washington County, AR, USA.
 Cuspiteuthis tabularis (Youngibelus tubularis), 25.5 cm belemnite, Upper Lias, Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Cuspiteuthis tabularis (Youngibelus tubularis), 25.5 cm belemnite, Upper Lias, Whitby, North Yorkshire.
 Acrocoelites sp., belemnite, 10 cm, Upper Lias, Early Jurassic. Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Acrocoelites sp., belemnite, 10 cm, Upper Lias, Early Jurassic. Whitby, North Yorkshire.
Jeletzkyteuthis agassizi (DESLONGCHAMPS, 1835), very rare 17 cm teuthid cephalopod in pyritic concretion. Upper Lias, falcifer zone, exaratum subzone, Jet Rock. Hawsker, N Yorkshire. (see Doyle 1990). According to Doyle this species can be distinguished from the similar Loligosepia by its
Jeletzkyteuthis agassizi (DESLONGCHAMPS, 1835), very rare 17 cm teuthid cephalopod in pyritic concretion. Upper Lias, falcifer zone, exaratum subzone, Jet Rock. Hawsker, N Yorkshire. (see Doyle 1990). According to Doyle this species can be distinguished from the similar Loligosepia by its "narrow, elongate and less ornamented gladius".
 Belemnite, Passaloteuthis paxillosus (63mm) with ammonite (Garantiana cf garantiana 14mm) and brachiopod (Lobothyris punctata 30mm x 30mm). Inferior Oolite, Garantiana Zone, Middle Jurassic. Burton Bradstock, Dorset, UK.
Belemnite, Passaloteuthis paxillosus (63mm) with ammonite (Garantiana cf garantiana 14mm) and brachiopod (Lobothyris punctata 30mm x 30mm). Inferior Oolite, Garantiana Zone, Middle Jurassic. Burton Bradstock, Dorset, UK.
Complete 24 mm coleoid, 3D in pyrite. Early Callovian, Middle Jurassic, Ravin des Mines at La Boissine, to the west of the town of La Voulte-sur-Rhône in Ardèche, Southern France. Length to width ratio of the body is a little over 2. Head and arms make up 37% of total length and the arms seem to be webbed. Seems to be a juvenile Vampyronassa rhodanica.
Complete 24 mm coleoid, 3D in pyrite. Early Callovian, Middle Jurassic, Ravin des Mines at La Boissine, to the west of the town of La Voulte-sur-Rhône in Ardèche, Southern France. Length to width ratio of the body is a little over 2. Head and arms make up 37% of total length and the arms seem to be webbed. Seems to be a juvenile Vampyronassa rhodanica.
 A tiny (9 mm) belemnite, Suebibelus pressulus of the Late Jurassic, Sengenthal, Germany.
A tiny (9 mm) belemnite, Suebibelus pressulus of the Late Jurassic, Sengenthal, Germany.
Duvalia sp, 54 mm, Late Jurassic, France. This has an unusual highly laterally compressed guard. Height is 17 mm whereas width reaches 5 mm.
Duvalia sp, 54 mm, Late Jurassic, France. This has an unusual highly laterally compressed guard. Height is 17 mm whereas width reaches 5 mm.
 7 cm Rachiteuthis donovani, complete with soft part preservation. Cenomanian Stage, Cretaceous. Hjoula Lebanon. A possible vampyromorph (Fuchs and Schultze 2008). Slender 43 mm gladius with L/W > 8.
7 cm Rachiteuthis donovani, complete with soft part preservation. Cenomanian Stage, Cretaceous. Hjoula Lebanon. A possible vampyromorph (Fuchs and Schultze 2008). Slender 43 mm gladius with L/W > 8.
 6 cm complete teuthoid. Cenomanian Stage, Cretaceous. Hjoula Lebanon. This one has a much broader gladius than the Rachiteuthis (L/W about 5).
6 cm complete teuthoid. Cenomanian Stage, Cretaceous. Hjoula Lebanon. This one has a much broader gladius than the Rachiteuthis (L/W about 5).
 Detail showing ink sack.
Detail showing ink sack.
Belemnitella mucronata, 8 cm, chalk, Late Maastrichtian. Eben empel, Vise, Belgium.
Belemnitella mucronata, 8 cm, chalk, Late Maastrichtian. Eben empel, Vise, Belgium.
 Belemnitella mucronata, 8 cm. Chalk, Late Maastrichtian. Eben empel, Vise, Belgium.
Belemnitella mucronata, 8 cm. Chalk, Late Maastrichtian. Eben empel, Vise, Belgium.
 Belemnella lanceolata lanceolata (Schlottheim) , 8 cm in chalk. Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous. Nasilow, Poland.
Belemnella lanceolata lanceolata (Schlottheim) , 8 cm in chalk. Maastrichtian, Late Cretaceous. Nasilow, Poland.
 Hibolites jaculoides, 53 mm individual. Speeton Clay, Hauterivian, Early Cretaceous. Speeton, Yorkshire.
Hibolites jaculoides, 53 mm individual. Speeton Clay, Hauterivian, Early Cretaceous. Speeton, Yorkshire.
40 mm coleoid Styracoteuthis orientalis Crick 1905 from the Paleogene Jafnayn Formation of Oman.
40 mm coleoid Styracoteuthis orientalis Crick 1905 from the Paleogene Jafnayn Formation of Oman.
66 mm coleoid Styracoteuthis orientalis Crick 1905 from the Paleogene Jafnayn Formation of Oman.
66 mm coleoid Styracoteuthis orientalis Crick 1905 from the Paleogene Jafnayn Formation of Oman.
 Belosaepia blainvillei Deshayes, 14 mm, terminal prong of an Eocene squid. nr Ghent, Belgium. The spine and corona at the tip of modern Sepia from the local beaches here look very similar.
Belosaepia blainvillei Deshayes, 14 mm, terminal prong of an Eocene squid. nr Ghent, Belgium. The spine and corona at the tip of modern Sepia from the local beaches here look very similar.
 Spirula spirula, 15 mm internal shell. Recent, Madagascar.
Spirula spirula, 15 mm internal shell. Recent, Madagascar.
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