Palaeoctopus newboldi

fossil mollusk

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July 1, 2026

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Palaeoctopus newboldi is the oldest known octopod, discovered in Cretaceous-era rocks in Syria. This fossil provides evidence of early octopod evolution, though its advanced characteristics mean it doesn't fully illuminate the derivation of the Octopoda. The Vampyromorpha are considered a potential link between Teuthoidea (squids) and Octopoda (octopuses).1

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cephalopod
Evolution and paleontology
Palaeoctopus newboldi, the oldest known octopod, from the Cretaceous of Syria, was already too advanced to provide a clue to the derivation of the Octopoda. The Vampyromorpha are considered to be a possible connecting link between the Teuthoidea and the Octopoda.
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Palaeoctopus newboldi, the oldest known octopod, from the Cretaceous of Syria, was already too advanced to provide a clue to the derivation of the Octopoda. The Vampyromorpha are considered to be a possible connecting link between the Teuthoidea and the Octopoda.
Read More