{"id":19250,"date":"2020-03-24T22:49:04","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T22:49:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/?page_id=19250"},"modified":"2021-08-20T11:57:41","modified_gmt":"2021-08-20T11:57:41","slug":"belemnites","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/","title":{"rendered":"Belemnites"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t\t<section class=\"hero-section hero-section-with-social\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hero-info\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1>Belemnites<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology &mdash; Fossils and geological time<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t<div class=\"social-wrap social-wrap-inline-them\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"sea-background-f\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Share this article<\/span><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/sharer\/sharer.php?u=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/\"><span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span class=\"hidden\">Facebook<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/intent\/tweet?text=Belemnites&#038;url=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/\"><span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span class=\"hidden\">Twitter<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   onclick=\"javascript:void( (function() {var e=document.createElement('script' );e.setAttribute('type','text\/javascript' );e.setAttribute('charset','UTF-8' );e.setAttribute('src','\/\/assets.pinterest.com\/js\/pinmarklet.js?r='+Math.random()*99999999);document.body.appendChild(e)})());\"  href=\"javascript:void(0);\"><span class=\"icon-pinterest\"><span class=\"hidden\">Pinterest<\/span><\/span><\/a><a target=\"_blank\"  href=\"https:\/\/wa.me?text=https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/\"><span class=\"icon-whatsapp\"><span class=\"hidden\">WhatsApp<\/span><\/span><\/a><a   href=\"mailto:?subject=Belemnites&#038;body=%20(https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/)\"><span class=\"icon-mail\"><span class=\"hidden\">Email<\/span><\/span><\/a><a href=\"#\" data-copy=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/belemnites\/\" class=\"copy-url-on-click\"><span class=\"icon-link\"><span class=\"hidden\">Copy Link<\/span><\/span><\/a><\/div><\/div>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\n\n\n<section class=\"wp-block-bgs-blocks-content-container content-section\"><div class=\"container\"><div class=\"row\"><div class=\"col-12\">\n<p>Belemnites lived during the periods of Earth history known as the Jurassic and Cretaceous; together, these represent a time interval of about 135 million years. The Jurassic Period began about 201 million years ago and the Cretaceous Period ended about 66 million years ago.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P521001_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;A fossil belemnite from north-west Scotland. BGS \u00a9UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_41756\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P521001_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"A fossil belemnite from North West Scotland.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P521001_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>A fossil belemnite from north-west Scotland. BGS \u00a9UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P521001_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;A fossil belemnite from north-west Scotland. BGS \u00a9UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_41756\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>The belemnites became extinct at the end of the Cretaceous Period, at roughly the same time as the dinosaurs disappeared. However, we know a lot about them because they are commonly found as fossils, formed when the remains of traces of the animal became buried by sediments that later solidified into rock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li> <a href=\"#animal\">The animal<\/a> <\/li><li><a href=\"#geologist\">The  geologists\u2019 tool <\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#myth\">Myths and legends<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/a><\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"animal\">The animal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Belemnites were marine animals belonging to the phylum Mollusca and the class Cephalopoda. Their closest living relatives are squid and cuttlefish.They h ad a squid-like body but, unlike modern squid, they had a hard internal skeleton.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Loligo_forbesii_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The modern squid &lt;em&gt;Loligo forbesii&lt;\/em&gt;. Public domain via &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Loligo_forbesii.jpg&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;Wikicommons&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_32155\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Loligo_forbesii_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"The modern asquid Loligo forbesii.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Loligo_forbesii_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>The modern squid <em>Loligo forbesii<\/em>. Public domain via <a href=\"https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Loligo_forbesii.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wikicommons<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Loligo_forbesii_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;The modern squid &lt;em&gt;Loligo forbesii&lt;\/em&gt;. Public domain via &lt;a href=&quot;https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/wiki\/File:Loligo_forbesii.jpg&quot; target=&quot;_blank&quot; rel=&quot;noopener&quot;&gt;Wikicommons&lt;\/a&gt;.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_32155\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>In the animal&#8217;s tail, the skeleton formed a bullet-shaped feature sometimes referred to as a guard, but more correctly termed a rostrum (plural: rostra). These are the parts that are normally found as fossils.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/belemniteReconstruction-150x136.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Reconstruction of a &#039;living&#039; belemnite. BGS \u00a9UKRI.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/belemniteReconstruction.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Reconstruction of a &#8216;living&#8217; belemnite. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Rostrum<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The rostrum probably acted as a counterbalance to the head and tentacles (or arms) during swimming.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_19317\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19317\" style=\"width: 413px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-19317 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/rostrumCrossSection.jpg\" alt=\"Cross-section through a belemnite rostrum. BGS \u00a9UKRI. All rights reserved.\" width=\"413\" height=\"389\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-19317\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cross-section through a belemnite rostrum. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The rostrum is composed of fibrous calcite crystals arranged at right-angles to the surface. There may also be a concentric pattern, like the growth-rings of a tree trunk; the paler layers are composed of nearly pure calcite but the darker layers are discoloured by the presence of organic matter. These &#8216;rings&#8217; represent the growth of the animal, probably over a period of months.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">&#039;Arm&#039; hooks<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure id=\"attachment_26068\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26068\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-26068 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/Belemnite_arm_hooks.jpg\" alt=\"Belemnite arm hooks (enlarged); actual lengths range from three to six millimetres.\" width=\"500\" height=\"157\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26068\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Belemnite arm hooks (enlarged); actual lengths range from 3\u20136 mm. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>As well as the rostrum, strongly curved, sharp hooks made of chitin are sometimes preserved as fossils. These hooks were attached to the belemnite&#8217;s tentacles and were probably used for grasping and holding prey such as other molluscs, small fish and crustaceans. Larger hooks may have been used in mating.<\/p>\n<p>Belemnites had 10 tentacles, each equipped with 30\u201350 pairs of hooks.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Preserved ink sacs<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As with all animals, belemnite soft parts decayed easily and are therefore rarely found as fossils. However, there are some examples from the Jurassic rocks of southern England and southern Germany in which soft parts, including ink sacs similar to those of octopus and other living cephalopods, are fossilised.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_19308\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-19308\" style=\"width: 600px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-19308 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/BelemnotheutisAntiquus.jpg\" alt=\"In 2009, Dr Phil Wilby, a BGS researcher, discovered a cephalopod ink sac fossil near the village of Christian Malford in Wiltshire. The black ink sac, which had solidified, was mixed with ammonia to create a paint then used to draw a picture of the animal.\" width=\"600\" height=\"288\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-19308\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">In 2009, Dr Phil Wilby, a BGS researcher, discovered a cephalopod ink sac fossil near the village of Christian Malford in Wiltshire. The black ink sac, which had solidified, was mixed with ammonia to create a paint then used to draw a picture of the animal. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Classification and naming of belemnites<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As with living animals, belemnites are classified into species and genera (singlular: genus) whose names must be Latin words or words that have been &#8216;Latinised&#8217;. The proper scientific name of any particular belemnite consists of the name of the species, preceded by the name of the genus to which it belongs, plus the name of the first person to describe it and the date of that description.<\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_29306\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-29306\" style=\"width: 960px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-29306 size-medium\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CylindroteuthisPuzosiana_P696645-960x497.jpg\" alt=\"Cylindroteuthis puzosiana (d'Orbigny, 1860).\" width=\"960\" height=\"497\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CylindroteuthisPuzosiana_P696645-960x497.jpg 960w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CylindroteuthisPuzosiana_P696645-768x398.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/CylindroteuthisPuzosiana_P696645.jpg 1332w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 960px) 100vw, 960px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-29306\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Cylindroteuthis puzosiana<\/em> (d&#8217;Orbigny, 1860). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Belemnite genera are distinguished by a combination of shape characteristics and surface features, such as grooves. Species are mainly distinguished on the basis of shape, size, growth characteristics and surface features. With experience and care, even a fragment of a rostrum may be identified as a particular genus.<\/p>\n<p>Many belemnite genera have names ending in\u00a0<em>-teuthis<\/em>; this is the Ancient Greek word for squid.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Size<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The largest belemnite rostrum known comes from Indonesia. It is about 46\u00a0cm long; the animal itself must have been 4-5 m long.<\/p>\n<p>One of the smallest belemnites (genus\u00a0<em>Neohibolites<\/em>) is well known in the Cretaceous rocks of England.\u00a0<em>Neohibolites minimus<\/em>\u00a0has a rostrum only about three centimetres long.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"324\" class=\"wp-image-19363 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/neohibolitesMinimus.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;&lt;em\" \/><\/p>\n<p><em>Neohibolites minimus<\/em> (Miller, 1826) Early Cretaceous, Albian. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Belemnite forms, shapes and structures <\/h2>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/BelemniteMorphology_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Belemnite morphology showing some descriptive terms. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_38451\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/BelemniteMorphology_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Belemnite morphology showing some descriptive terms.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/BelemniteMorphology_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Belemnite morphology showing some descriptive terms. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/BelemniteMorphology_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;Belemnite morphology showing some descriptive terms. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_38451\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"geologist\">The geologists&#8217; tool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Belemnites can be useful tools for the geologist. The robust composition of their rostra means that they often survive where other fossils are destroyed. For instance, many fossils are found in&nbsp;sedimentary rocks, but belemnites may also be preserved in&nbsp;metamorphic rocks. In this respect, they are superior to the contemporary&nbsp;ammonites,which are the primary guide fossils for Jurassic and Cretaceous&nbsp;stratigraphy&nbsp;and&nbsp;correlation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the earliest Jurassic, belemnites were restricted to the European area but from then onwards, they had a worldwide distribution and they can potentially be used for correlation on a global scale. However, as with ammonites, this can be hampered by&nbsp;&#8216;faunal provincialism&#8217;. This is where certain groups of livings things are confined to certain areas.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Directional tool<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jurassicRocks-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Belemnites aligned in Early Jurassic rocks of Yorkshire. \u00a9Peter Doyle\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/jurassicRocks.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Belemnites aligned in Early Jurassic rocks of Yorkshire. \u00a9 Peter Doyle.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Where\nrocks contain many belemnites, it is common to find them aligned in a\nparticular orientation; this indicates the direction of current prevalent\nduring the deposition of the original sediment on the sea floor (otherwise\nknown as the palaeocurrent).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Ocean temperature indicator <\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Belemnites have also been used to tell geologists something about the climate during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods. By measuring the oxygen isotope ratios of the calcite in the belemnite rostrum in the laboratory, geologists can estimate the temperature of the sea water in which the belemnite lived (otherwise known as the palaeotemperature). Belemnites were one of the first fossil groups to be used in this way because their rostra were thought to be resistant to chemical change during diagenesis (the transformation of a sediment into rock).<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although the number of protons and electrons in oxygen atoms is always the same (eight each), the number of neutrons can be eight, nine or ten. These three differently composed atoms are called oxygen isotopes and are called <sup>16<\/sup>O,&nbsp;<sup>17<\/sup>O and&nbsp;<sup>18<\/sup>O. On average, the&nbsp;<sup>16<\/sup>O to&nbsp;<sup>18<\/sup>O ratio in today&#8217;s oceans is about 500:1 but it is highly sensitive to temperature. Consequently, if the oxygen isotope ratio present in the calcium carbonate of a shell is known, an indication of the ocean temperature in which it lived can be obtained. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Stratigraphical markers<\/h3>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/actinocamax_Plenus-150x117.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Actinocamax plenus (Blainville, 1825).\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/actinocamax_Plenus.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Actinocamax plenus<\/em> (Blainville, 1825). BGS \u00a9UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Late Cretaceous belemnites\n(genera&nbsp;<em>Belemnella, Belemnitella<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Gonioteuthis<\/em>)\nare used as stratigraphical markers in Campanian and Maastrichtian rocks, where\nspecies of these genera give their names to subdivisions known as zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In\nCenomanian rocks, a species of belemnite gives its name to the unit known as\nthe Plenus Marls (formerly the Belemnite Beds). This unit forms a widespread\nmarker in the Chalk Group throughout southern and eastern England, northern\nFrance and beneath the southern North Sea, and is important for correlation.<\/p>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/map-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Map of Britain showing the main areas of Jurassic rocks (coloured yellow) and Cretaceous rocks (coloured green). The foreshore and cliffs at Charmouth and Whitby are famous collecting localities for belemnites and other fossils.\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/03\/map.jpg\" \/><figcaption class=\"caption \">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p>Map of Britain showing the main areas of Jurassic rocks (coloured yellow) and Cretaceous rocks (coloured green). The foreshore and cliffs at Charmouth and Whitby are famous collecting localities for belemnites and other fossils. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Naming Jurassic rocks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Belemnites also give their name to 20-plus metres of Jurassic rocks on the coast of Dorset. These are the Belemnite Marls, of Pliensbachian age, which can be seen in the cliffs near Charmouth. Belemnites are the best preserved fossils in this interval, and include the genera&nbsp;<em>Angeloteuthis, Bairstowius, Hastites, Passaloteuthis<\/em>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<em>Pseudohastites<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"myth\">Myths and legends<\/h2>\n\n\n<div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Greek javelins<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Belemnites take their name from the Greek word <em>belemnon<\/em>\u00a0meaning dart or javelin. The fossilised rostra were widely believed to have been flung down as darts from heaven during thunderstorms (thunderbolts). Some have a finger-like shape (e.g.\u00a0<em>Dactyloteuthis<\/em>\u2014from the Greek word\u00a0<em>daktylos<\/em>\u00a0meaning finger) and, in folklore, they have been called Devil&#8217;s Fingers and St Peter&#8217;s Fingers.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"500\" height=\"154\" class=\"wp-image-44684 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/07\/dactyloteuthis_Crossotela.jpg\" alt=\"&quot;&lt;em\" \/><br \/>\n<em>Dactyloteuthis crossotela<\/em> (Blake, 1876) Early Jurassic, Toarcian. BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Medicinal powers<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>As with other fossils, belemnites have been thought to have medicinal powers. These varied from region to region, but included remedies for rheumatism and sore eyes, and a cure for intestinal stones in horses.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div><div  class=\"accordions\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<button class=\"acc-top secondary-background icon-arrow button no-btn\"><span class=\"button-content\" tabindex=\"-1\">Belemnite battlefields<\/span><\/button>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"acc-body sea-background-e\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Belemnite rostra have often been referred to as &#8216;fossil bullets&#8217; because of their pointed, conical shape. Perhaps because of this, mass accumulations of rostra are called &#8216;belemnite battlefields&#8217;. Some of these are thought to be the result of mass death after mating. This phenomenon is common in living squid, which migrate to an ancestral spawning ground to mate \u2014 the culmination of their lives \u2014 and then die.<\/p>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"3d-fossil\">3D fossil models<\/h2>\n\n\n<figure  class=\"img-wrap\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P851739_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Belemnites microstylus&lt;\/em&gt; (Jurassic, Toarcian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_47569\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P851739_1332x690px-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur\" alt=\"Belemnites microstylus. (OUM J.38090 \u2013 Syntype). Toarcian Age (Jurassic Period) (174.1 \u2013 182.7 Ma B.P.)\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P851739_1332x690px-960x497.jpg\" \/><\/a><figcaption class=\"caption sm-line\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/info-caption.svg\" alt=\"Information icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"caption-text\"><p><em>Belemnites microstylus<\/em> (Jurassic, Toarcian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"expand-box expand-box-top\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/P851739_1332x690px.jpg\" data-toggle=\"lightbox\" data-footer=\"&lt;p&gt;&lt;em&gt;Belemnites microstylus&lt;\/em&gt; (Jurassic, Toarcian). BGS \u00a9 UKRI.&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-gallery=\"gallery_47569\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/themes\/bgs\/img\/expand.svg\" alt=\"Expand icon\"><\/a><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n<p>Many of the fossils in the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/geological-data\/national-geological-repository\/palaeontology-collections\/\">BGS palaeontology collections<\/a>&nbsp;are available to view and download as 3D models. To view this fossil, or others like it, in 3D visit <a rel=\"noreferrer noopener\" href=\"http:\/\/www.3d-fossils.ac.uk\/home.html\" target=\"_blank\">GB3D Type Fossils<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Reference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Cox, B M. 1995. Belemnites: fossil focus. (Nottingham, UK: British Geological Survey.)<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n\n\t\t\t\t\t<section   id=\"latest-content-1567-block_5ed5381e1bc44\" class=\"grid-section  primary-background   \" >\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row header-of-section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>You may also be interested in<\/h2>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row grid-wrap\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"Ammonite p815563\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/feature_homepage_p815563.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Discovering Geology<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Discovering Geology introduces a range of geoscience topics to school-age students and learners of all ages.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"fishThroughTime\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/fishThroughTime.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Fossils and geological time<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Take a look at the history of the Earth, from its formation over four and a half billion years ago to present times.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"col-lg-6 col-12\">\n\t<div class=\"cards cards-orizontal-sm  cards-find-more  cards-bordered\">\n\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\" class=\"media-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300-150x150.jpg\" class=\"lazy-blur wp-post-image\" alt=\"P550300\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/P550300.jpg\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"info-wrap\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"info\">\n\t\t\t\t<h4><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Fossils<\/a><\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>What is a fossil and why do we study them? Explore the different methods of fossil preservation.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bgs.ac.uk\/discovering-geology\/fossils-and-geological-time\/fossils\/\">Show more<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"row\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"col-12\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":57839,"parent":16685,"menu_order":7,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"belemnite, belemnites, fossils","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"71634,16523,8419,68846,50567,15901","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v22.3 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>Belemnites - British Geological Survey<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Belemnites lived during the periods of Earth history known as the Jurassic and Cretaceous. 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