Quote: Scientists draw squid using its 150 million-year-old fossilised ink
Scientists unearthed a fossilised squid which was so well preserved that they were able to draw a picture of it using its own 150 million-year-old ink.
By Murray Wardrop
Published: 7:00AM BST 19 Aug 2009
Remarkably, the ink they created was good enough to allow them to draw the squid-like animal and write its Latin name Photo: BNPS
Paleontologists discovered the remains of the creature, called a Belemnotheutis antiquus, during a dig at a Victorian excavation in Trowbridge, Wilts.
They cracked open what appeared to be an ordinary looking rock only to find the one-inch-long black ink sac inside.
After realising what they had stumbled across, they took out a small sample of the black substance and ground it up with an ammonia solution.
Remarkably, the ink they created was good enough to allow them to draw the squid-like animal and write its Latin name.
Other examples of sea creature were also discovered giving the scientists an excellent opportunity to study the species.
Dr Phil Wilby, who led the excavation, said the fossil is an ancient creature similar to the modern-day squid.
He said: "Normally you would find only the hard parts like the shell and bones fossilised but there are a handful of locations around the world where soft preservation of the muscle, guts and gills has taken place.
"We think that these creatures were swimming around during the Jurassic period and were turned to stone soon after death. It's called the Medusa affect.
"They can be dissected as if they are living animals, you can see the muscle fibres and cells.
"It is difficult to imagine how you can have something as soft and sloppy as an ink sac fossilised in three dimension, still black, and inside a rock that is 150 million years old.
"The structure is similar to ink from a modern squid so we can write with it. I suppose we could theoretically use it for food colouring, too, but I don't think I will try tasting it."
Two years ago the team had set out to find a site first excavated in Victorian times where thousands of Jurassic fossils with preserved soft tissues were found.
They used a drill to bore down five metres and excavated 240 tonnes of rock containing several thousand fossils.
Dr Wilby added: "About 155 million years ago, literally millions of these animals were dying out or being killed in this precise area and we don't know why that is."
One possible explanation is that thousands of the creatures congregated in the area to mate before being poisoned by algae in the water.
Remains of a different species of squid have also been found, suggesting the carcases attracted predators to eat on them and they in turn also died.
"We felt that drawing the animal with it would be the ultimate self-portrait," said Dr Wilby.
"It's very valuable material so we won't be using any more of it now we've done the first test."
The dig was funded by the British Geological Survey and the Curry Fund, which provides money for exploratory projects, and took ten days to complete.
Dr Wilby said: "An exceptional fossil site was found by the Victorians in the 1840s when they were constructing the Great Western Railway.
"It caused quite a stir but the area was forgotten about for about 170 years and became overgrown.
"Many people have talked about it and have tried but never found it again until we did. It is certainly a rare and exciting find."
The specimen is now in the British Geological Survey collection in Nottingham.
Part of the ink sac has been sent to Yale University in America for more in-depth chemical analysis. | 
