Jurassic squid-like animal unearthed in Wyoming is “fattest” ever discovered

A 160‑million‑year‑old fossil with an unusually broad mantle was uncovered in Wyoming, expanding the scant North American record of Jurassic cephalopods. The Times of India reported that the specimen had sat in collector Cliff Linster’s private cache for three decades before paleontologists recognized it as a new squid‑like belemnite species. The organism is classified as a belemnite, an extinct group of cephalopods related to modern squids. Subsequent coverage described the fossil as the “chunkiest” belemnite yet found, noting a bulbous, ‘squid‑butt’ morphology that makes it the fattest example on record.

Discover Magazine and BBC Wildlife Magazine highlighted the extraordinary size, while Phys.org called the find ‘peculiar’ and stressed its value for reconstructing Jurassic marine ecosystems. BBC Wildlife Magazine explicitly called it the fattest belemnite ever discovered. The reports collectively underscore the specimen’s deviation from typical belemnite proportions. Nautilus presented the specimen within the broader context of Jurassic giant squids, implying it fits established size ranges, which contrasts with the “fattest ever” claim in other outlets.

The divergent framing illustrates that the fossil’s classification and significance are still under review. Researchers plan to submit a taxonomic paper to a peer‑reviewed journal.