Long-lost fossil is a 30-million-year-old ‘vampire squid’
Recommended for Middle Grades
You know about ‘vampires’ but have you ever read about a ‘vampire squid’?
Vampire squids are a type of squid found in the deep ocean, where there is little oxygen.
But, don’t worry. Despite their name, they do not drink blood. Their name comes from their dark colour and the skin that connects the arms, which looks like a cape. A cape is a piece of clothing that hangs from your shoulders. For example, Superman also wears a red cape.
Recently, scientists re-discovered a fossil that they thought had been lost in 1956. When it was first discovered, it was believed to be the fossil of an ancient cuttlefish.
But now, they have found that it is the fossil of an ancient vampire squid. It lived during the Oligocene period, 23 million to 34 million years ago.
This fossil helps scientists understand how and when the vampire squid got its ability to live in areas with little oxygen. This deepwater lifestyle could also have helped it survive incidents that killed other creatures, like dinosaurs.
Watch a video of this squid below. Video credit: EVNautilus/Youtube
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