Cephalopoda
Modern Day Cephalopods
Modern day cephalopods include familiar animals such as octopuses, squid, cuttlefish, and nautilus. Around 650-700 species have been identified.
In the Museum Collections
View specimen list here.
Total cephalopod specimens: 3570
Total identified species: ~160
Specimens from Arkansas: 2253
Identified species from Arkansas: ~54
Fossil Record
Cephalopods first appeared 500 million years ago. More than 10,000 cephalopod fossil species have been identified so far, most of which are now extinct.
Nautiloid shell fragment (UA Museum), Boone Formation (Washington County, AR), Mississippian Age (358.9 – 323.2 million YA). Map indicates county specimen was found.
Ammonite (UA Museum), Millwood Reservoir, AR, Upper Cretaceous (100.5 – 66 million YA). Map indicates county specimen was found.
Coiled nautiloids (UA Museum), Fayetteville Formation (Washington County, AR), Mississippian Age (358.9 – 323.2 million YA). Map indicates county where specimen was found.
Ammonite (UA Museum), Helicoceras sp., Annona Formation (Little River County, AR), Upper Cretaceous (100.5 – 66 million YA). Map indicates county where specimen was found.
Image Credits:
- Manuae. Nautilus, Palau. Wikimedia Commons. CC BY 3.0.
- Merculiano, Comingio in Jatta Giuseppe. Octopus vulgaris. Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.
- Oberg, Danielle. Arkansas map.
- Oberg, Danielle. U of A Museum paleontological specimens.
