Belemnites (fossils)

Belemnites are the fossilized remains of extinct marine animals related to modern squids and octopuses. They lived during the Mesozoic Era, about 200 to 65 million years ago. Belemnites had a small, bullet-shaped internal skeleton called a "rostrum," which is often preserved as a fossil and used for identification. These creatures were active predators in ancient oceans, and their fossils help scientists understand marine life of the past, including patterns of evolution and extinction. Finding belemnite fossils provides valuable insights into prehistoric marine environments and the history of life on Earth.