This Specimen has been sold.
3.6" Cretaceous Squid (Pos/Neg) - Soft-Bodied Preservation
This is a rare, 3.6" fossilized squid (indeterminate species) from the famous Lebonese lagerstätten with soft bodied preservation including tentacles and ink sac. It's Upper Cretaceous in age and comes from a quarry near Hakel, Lebanon. Both the positive and negative impression is included.
Soft bodied preservation such is this is extremely rare in the fossil record, the the Lebonese lagerstätten is famous for it. These rare cephalopod fossils have been the subject of several research papers and news articles over the past few years. They compared the preserved organic granules in the ink sacks with the structures in modern squid ink and found them to be identical. In fact by dissolving the graduals in an ammonia solution they were even able to write with it. I've linked several of the papers and articles below.
A NEW LOOK AT FOSSIL CEPHALOPODS - Neal Larson, Robert Morton, Peter Larson & UWE Bergman
SQUIDS: THE CRETACEOUS INK WELL
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC - Fossil Ink Sacs Yield Jurassic Pigment - A First
The Upper Cretaceous, Lebonese lagerstätten yields some of the most exquisitely preserved fossil fish in the world. The deposit represents a shelf that is estimated to have been 270m below the surface of the sea. Over 80 genre are currently described, with many more still awaiting description. These beautiful fossils have been quarried near Byblos, Lebanon for well over a century and include sharks, rays, shrimp, ray-finned fishes and more.
Soft bodied preservation such is this is extremely rare in the fossil record, the the Lebonese lagerstätten is famous for it. These rare cephalopod fossils have been the subject of several research papers and news articles over the past few years. They compared the preserved organic granules in the ink sacks with the structures in modern squid ink and found them to be identical. In fact by dissolving the graduals in an ammonia solution they were even able to write with it. I've linked several of the papers and articles below.
The Upper Cretaceous, Lebonese lagerstätten yields some of the most exquisitely preserved fossil fish in the world. The deposit represents a shelf that is estimated to have been 270m below the surface of the sea. Over 80 genre are currently described, with many more still awaiting description. These beautiful fossils have been quarried near Byblos, Lebanon for well over a century and include sharks, rays, shrimp, ray-finned fishes and more.
SPECIES
Unidentified Squid
LOCATION
Hakel, Byblos, Lebanon
FORMATION
Sannine Formation
SIZE
3.6" long
CATEGORY
SUB CATEGORY
ITEM
#48541
We guarantee the authenticity of all of our
specimens. Read more about our
Authenticity Guarantee.
specimens. Read more about our
Authenticity Guarantee.