Octopus

[Architeuthoceras]

That indentation D is the ink sack. Here attached is a very preliminary sketch of the animal (I've just been looking at illustrations of octopus anatomy). There are more fine structures above the area of brown stain and also in the area between the mouth and the mantle.

I thought the indentation was the beak also Thank you for the sketch, that really helps.

Very cool Hajar! Your and Kevins' fossils seem so much more fascinating than my old battered things, that I am never sure if I should be posting them or not!

The Ordovician was a long time ago, fossils from then out here are just as battered. I don't think we will find anything as well preserved, but they are still fascinating, post away!!!

 

[Terri]

Groovey!

 

[DWhatley]

not as old as Kevin, at 106

hummm, that makes me 107 , Annie Oakley

Hajar, thanks for the clarification. I am still very crude at identifying body parts but knew that would not be right for an octopus, no matter how you smushed it given that evidence suggests they have not changed much since first fossil discovery. I have yet to dissect one of my octos after preserving a few of them but should do that one of these days to see what I can identify on the inside. Perhaps when my granddaughter takes biology (still a couple of years away) we can set up a project for a larger one that never went to the intended home.

 

[Hajar]

Speaking of psychedelic, some of these octopuses have fairly wild colour designs.

Terri, you're out finding things; who knows what wonders you may discover.

 

[OB]

I know Hapalochlaena species take the bisquit, psychedelicallywise, but I've always been a big fan of Octopus mototi.

Back on topic, I've taken the liberty of enhancing contrast somewhat on your photograph of the specimen, trying to locate the beak, which might indeed be the structure you indicated as such.... Not sure, however, whether this would be a lower or upper half, my suspicions pointing towards the latter.

 

[Hajar]

Fiery! Styletoctopus according to Dirk.

 

[OB]

Dirk Fuchs, I take it? Well, he should know

 

[Hajar]

A poor image, but my first attempt at a UV photo.

 

[DWhatley]

That's the guy that started this thread, right? It looks like a skull with a very pronounced eye ridge

 

[Hajar]

So it does (or the "eye ridge" is a bandana). This was not the best specimen to start with since the phosphatisation is so light. The mantles of the vampyropods show up much more spectacularly.