{"product_id":"enchoteuthis-melanae","title":"Enchoteuthis melanae","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"qMYqUG_convSearchResultHighlightRoot\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5dbd41-4b78-83eb-bdb1-9c8884dec0d4-2\" data-is-intersecting=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-6a5dbd41-4b78-83eb-bdb1-9c8884dec0d4-2\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5dbd41-4b78-83eb-bdb1-9c8884dec0d4-2\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-400\" data-turn=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-8 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-conversation-screenshot-content=\"\" class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"81f0b0b7-a5fa-4b59-a5f3-6f534db6ec35\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-6-thinking\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"666\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchorContainer\"\u003e\u003cem\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"0\" data-end=\"24\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/strong\u003e \u003c\/em\u003ewas a coleoid cephalopod from the Late Cretaceous of North America, known from fossil remains recovered from marine deposits of the former Western Interior Seaway. Traditionally, related material was often associated with \u003cem data-start=\"247\" data-end=\"266\"\u003eTusoteuthis longa\u003c\/em\u003e, but later revisions of large Cretaceous gladii have indicated that part of this material belongs to \u003cem data-start=\"368\" data-end=\"390\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/em\u003e, a taxon within Enchoteuthididae. This group represents one of the most remarkable radiations of soft-bodied cephalopods in the Mesozoic and is known primarily from the gladius, an internal supporting structure broadly comparable in function to the pen of many modern squids.\u003cspan aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"PDq2pG_selectionAnchor\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"668\" data-end=\"1278\"\u003eGeologically, \u003cem data-start=\"682\" data-end=\"704\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/em\u003e inhabited Late Cretaceous seas, particularly during the Campanian–Maastrichtian, in open and highly productive environments of the Western Interior Seaway. This epicontinental sea covered vast regions of North America and supported an extraordinarily diverse fauna including bony fishes, sharks, ammonites, mosasaurs, plesiosaurs, marine turtles and aquatic birds. Within this ecosystem, \u003cem data-start=\"1093\" data-end=\"1107\"\u003eEnchoteuthis\u003c\/em\u003e would have formed part of pelagic food webs as a large active-swimming cephalopod, capable of capturing mobile prey while also serving as prey for major marine predators.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1280\" data-end=\"2040\"\u003eFrom a morphometric perspective, \u003cem data-start=\"1313\" data-end=\"1335\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/em\u003e was one of the largest known coleoids in the fossil record, with estimates suggesting a total length of around 3 metres. These estimates are based largely on the size of the gladius, as soft tissues are only rarely preserved. Some specimens retain very large gladii approaching 1.8 metres in preserved length. Conservative reconstructions should therefore treat total body length cautiously, because the proportions between the gladius, mantle, arms and any possible tentacular structures are not known with the same precision as in living cephalopods. Even so, conservative estimates still place it among the largest fossil cephalopods known, with a body scale comparable to that of large modern squids.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2042\" data-end=\"2726\"\u003eAnatomically, \u003cem data-start=\"2056\" data-end=\"2078\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/em\u003e should not simply be reconstructed as a modern “giant squid” transferred into the Cretaceous. Studies of enchoteuthids suggest a coleoid with complex evolutionary affinities, possibly closer in some respects to fossil octopodiforms than to living true squids. Its body would have been soft and hydrodynamic, supported internally by a long, flexible gladius. Like other coleoid cephalopods, it probably possessed well-developed eyes, arms equipped with grasping structures and the ability to move by jet propulsion, although many details of its external anatomy must be reconstructed comparatively because of the scarcity of preserved soft tissues.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"2728\" data-end=\"3345\"\u003eThe ecology of \u003cem data-start=\"2743\" data-end=\"2765\"\u003eEnchoteuthis melanae\u003c\/em\u003e is interpreted as that of a large active marine predator. Its size suggests that it was capable of capturing fishes, other cephalopods and relatively large pelagic prey, probably through rapid ambushes or short pursuits within the water column. At the same time, it would have been vulnerable to major Late Cretaceous predators such as mosasaurs, large bony fishes and sharks. The occurrence of enchoteuthid gladii in marine fossil assemblages of the Western Interior Seaway reinforces the idea that these cephalopods played an important role within Cretaceous marine ecosystems.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3347\" data-end=\"3394\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3347\" data-end=\"3394\"\u003eApproximate Enchoteuthis Replica Dimensions\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3396\" data-end=\"3506\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3396\" data-end=\"3427\"\u003e1:35 Scale — Complete Model\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"3427\" data-end=\"3430\"\u003eLength: 88 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3443\" data-end=\"3446\"\u003eHeight: 28 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3459\" data-end=\"3462\"\u003eWidth: 43 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3474\" data-end=\"3477\"\u003eSnout-to-tail length: 86 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"3508\" data-end=\"3618\" data-is-last-node=\"\" data-is-only-node=\"\"\u003e\u003cstrong data-start=\"3508\" data-end=\"3539\"\u003e1:20 Scale — Complete Model\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr data-start=\"3539\" data-end=\"3542\"\u003eLength: 154 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3556\" data-end=\"3559\"\u003eHeight: 48 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3572\" data-end=\"3575\"\u003eWidth: 75 mm\u003cbr data-start=\"3587\" data-end=\"3590\"\u003eSnout-to-tail length: 150 mm\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"z-0 flex min-h-[46px] justify-start\"\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-conversation-screenshot-content=\"\" class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Miniature Museum","offers":[{"title":"1:35 \/ Sin imprimar","offer_id":62023568359692,"sku":"DC-1527-135-SINI","price":28.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Imprimado","offer_id":62023568392460,"sku":"DC-1527-135-IMPRI","price":31.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:35 \/ Pintado a mano","offer_id":62023568425228,"sku":"DC-1527-135-PINTA","price":99.6,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Sin imprimar","offer_id":62023568457996,"sku":"DC-1527-120-SINI","price":43.7,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Imprimado","offer_id":62023568490764,"sku":"DC-1527-120-IMPRI","price":48.7,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true},{"title":"1:20 \/ Pintado a mano","offer_id":62023568523532,"sku":"DC-1527-120-PINTA","price":153.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0672\/1106\/7660\/files\/Enchoteuthis_5.jpg?v=1786194550","url":"https:\/\/dinosauriacreatures.com\/en\/products\/enchoteuthis-melanae","provider":"Dinosauria Creatures","version":"1.0","type":"link"}