| Belemnotheutis Temporal range:
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| B. antiquus fossil (NHMUK 25966) showing soft anatomy, Field Museum of Natural History | |
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| Genus: | †Belemnotheutis Pearce, 1842
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| †Belemnotheutis antiquus Pearce, 1847
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See text | |
Belemnotheutis is an extinct coleoid cephalopod genus from the middle and upper Jurassic, related to but morphologically distinct from belemnites. Belemnotheutis fossils are some of the best preserved among coleoids. Remains of soft tissue are well-documented in some specimens, even down to microscopic muscle tissue. In 2008, a group of paleontologists even recovered viable ink from ink sacs found in several specimens.
This genus was the subject of a dispute between several eminent 19th century British paleontologists, notably between Richard Owen and Gideon Mantell. Some authors incorrectly spell the genus Belemnoteuthis following the usual spelling teuthis (τευθίς) for 'squid'.