A NEW species of vampire squid has been discovered after researchers found its 183 million-year-old fossil clutching its last meal.
The vampire squid was likely distracted by hunting its prey, a mistake that resulted in its death.
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The fossil was found in 2022 by German researchers, who found the fossil in Bascharage, Luxembourg.
The fossil is incredibly preserved, not only showing the vampire squid but also its prey: two little fish in its grasp, per Science Alert.
Researchers found that the squid had suffocated to death.
They theorized that it likely drifted into an area with no oxygen in the ocean while on its hunt, resulting in its death.
The squid couldn’t even enjoy its last meal, with the fossil holding on to the fully preserved fish.
The fossil contained the structures of soft tissue and plenty of details, which allowed researchers to learn that they’d found an undiscovered species.
They named it Simoniteuthis michaelyi and published their findings in the Swiss Journal of Paleontology.
Researchers believe the fossil sank to the depths and was covered by sand, which ultimately protected it from decomposition.
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It’s the first instance of a fossil found with its meal in its clutches.
“Although there is fossil evidence of Jurassic vampyromorphs inhabiting deeper waters, at least their earliest representatives more likely roamed and hunted in shallower waters,” said the researchers.
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“[S. michaelyi] here confirms that Early Jurassic precursors of the Vampyromorpha were either limited to or had a range including continental shelves.”
While vampire squids have the name because of their color and slightly vampiric looks, they’re not squids.
The species are cephalopods, having eight arms that are connected by a web of skin.
These animals are incredibly rare and are only found in the depths of the ocean.
They’re amongst the only living creatures that can withstand the temperatures and low oxygen that are present in this environment.
As of this writing, there’s only one species of vampire squid that is still alive.
Its name is Vampyroteuthis infernalis and it fittingly has reddish skin and eyes.
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This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
