Research projects

Prof. Dr. Christian Klug

Palaeobiology and anatomy of Mesozoic coleoids

Leadership/contacts

Duration

January 2002 to December 2030

Funding sources

No project-specific funding

Collaborations

Summary

Compared to Mesozoic ammonoids, Mesozoic coleoids receive less attention from palaeontologists and biologists. This may be explained by the lower diversity and the lower amount of specimens. Remarkably, some anatomical details are more often preserved in coleoids than in ammonoids and thus, the anatomy of some coleoids is better known than that of the more common ammonoids. The more common exceptional preservation among coleoids makes them interesting study objects. Especially Fossillagerstaetten which yield fossilised non-mineralised organs of various organisms may yield coleoid remains with interesting anatomic details preserved. One important example is the Late Jurassic (Kimmeridgian) of Nusplingen (SW Germany). This locality is probably the only Jurassic locality worldwide which yielded complete beak apparatuses of all important cephalopod groups (ammonites, nautilids, belemnites and other coleoids).
Within this project, new and rare coleoid finds are described and discussed in their phylogenetic, anatomic and taphonomic framework.

Keywords

Coleoidea, Belemnitida, Mesozoic, Jurassic, Cretaceous, anatomy, beaks, taphonomy, Fossillagerstätten, exceptional fossil preservation

Publications

Hart, M.B., Klug, C., Moore, C. & Price, G.D. (2025): Internal features of Loligosepia bucklandi (Voltz, 1840) from the Lias of Dorset. – Proceedings of the Ussher Society, 15(4), 167-170; Redruth.
Klug, C., Fuchs, D., Pohle, A., Korn, D., De Baets, K., Hoffmann, R., Ware, D., & Ward, P. (2025): Cephalopod body size and macroecology through deep time. – Scientific Reports, 15(30736): 1-16; London. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-13940-1
Weis, R., Delsate, D., Klug, C., Argyriou, T. & Fuchs, D. (2024): Pachycormid fish fed on octobrachian cephalopods: new evidence from the ‘Schistes bitumineux’ (early Toarcian) of southern Luxembourg. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 143(5): 1-16, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00295-1
Klug, C., Hoffmann, R., Tischlinger, H., Fuchs, D., Pohle, A., Rowe, A., Rouget, I. & Kruta, I. (2023): ‘Arm brains’ (axial nerves) of Jurassic coleoids and the evolution of coleoid neuroanatomy. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 142(22): 1-22, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00285-3
Klug, C., Stevens, K., Hoffmann, R., Zaton, M., Košťák, M., Weis, R., De Baets, K., Lehmann, J., Fuchs, D. & Vinther, J. (2023): Revisiting the identification of Syllipsimopodi bideni and timing of the decabrachian-octobrachian divergence. – Nature Communications, 14:8094: 1-4, London. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42842-x
Ward, P. D., Veloso, J. L. & Klug, C. (2022): Morphological disparity in extant and extinct sepiid phragmocones: Testing strength vs. cameral liquid emptying hypotheses. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 141(6): 18 pp., Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-022-00248-0
Klug, C., Schweigert, G., Hoffmann, R., Weis, R. & De Baets, K. (2021): Fossilized leftover falls as sources of palaeoecological data – a ‘pabulite’ comprising a crustacean, a belemnite and a vertebrate from the Early Jurassic Posidonia Shale. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 140(10): 12 pp., Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-021-00225-z
Klug, C., Schweigert, G., De Baets, K. & Fuchs, D. (2021): Distraction sinking and fossilized coleoid predatory behaviour from the German Early Jurassic. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 140(7): 1-12, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-021-00218-y
Klug, C., Di Silvestro, G., Hoffmann, R., Schweigert, G., Fuchs, D., Clements, T. & Guériau, P. (2021): Diagenetic phosphatic Liesegang rings deceptively resemble chromatophores in Mesozoic coleoids. – PeerJ, 9:e10703: 24 pp., London. DOI 10.7717/peerj.10703
KLUG, C., DAVESNE, D, FUCHS, D. & ARGYRIOU, T. (2020): First record of non-mineralized cephalopod jaws and arm hooks from the latest Cretaceous of Eurytania, Greece. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 139(9): 1-13, Basel.
KLUG, C., ETTER, W, HOFFMANN, R., FUCHS, D. & DE BAETS, K. (2020): Large belemnite jaws from the Aalenian (Middle Jurassic) of Switzerland. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 139:4: 1-11, Basel. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-020-00207-7
HOFFMANN, R., STEVENS, K., PICOLLIER, M.-C., MUTTERLOSE, J. & KLUG, C. (2020): Non-destructive analysis of pathological belemnite rostra by micro-CT data. – Acta PalaeontologicaPolonica, 65(1): 11–27; Warszawa. doi:https://doi.org/10.4202/app.00689.2019
HOFFMANN, R., BESTWICK, J., BERNDT, G., BERNDT, R., FUCHS, D. & KLUG, C. (2020): Pterosaurs ate soft bodied cephalopods (Coleoidea). – Scientific Reports, 10:1230: 1-7; London. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-57731-2
FUCHS, D., IBA, Y., HEYNG, A., IIJIMA, M., KLUG, C., LARSON, N. & SCHWEIGERT, G. (2020): The Muensterelloidea - Phylogeny and character evolution of Mesozoic stem octopods. – Papers in Palaeontology, 6(1): 31-92; London. doi: 10.1002/spp2.1254
KLUG, C., LANDMAN, N. H., FUCHS, D., MAPES, R. H., POHLE, A., GUERIAU, P., REGUER, S., & HOFFMANN, R. (2019): Anatomy of the first Coleoidea and character evolution in the Carboniferous. – Communications Biology; 2:280: 1-12 (+ SEM), London. https://doi.org/10.1038/s42003-019-0523-2
JENNY, D., FUCHS, D., ARKHIPKIN, A. I., HAUFF, R. B. FRITSCHI, B. & KLUG, C. (2019): Predatory behavior and taphonomy of a Jurassic belemnoid coleoid (Diplobelida, Cephalopoda). – Scientific Reports; 9:7944 (11 pp.). London. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-44260-w
HOFFMANN, R., LEMANIS, R., WULFF, L., ZACHOW, S., LUKENEDER, A., KLUG, C. & KEUPP, H. (2018): Traumatic events in the life of the deep-sea coleoid Spirula spirula. – Deep Sea Research, 142: 127-144; Amsterdam.
FUCHS, D., KEUPP, H. & KLUG, K. (2018): A critical review of Antarcticeras Doguzhaeva, 2017 - teuthid affinities can explain the poorly mineralized phragmocone. – Historical Biology: 7 pp., London. https://doi.org/10.1080/08912963.2018.1467905
KLUG, C., TAJIKA, A., KÜRSTEINER, P. & TSCHANZ, K. (2018): Belemniten.– In: KÜRSTEINER, P. & KLUG, C. (Hrsg.): Fossilien im Alpstein. 285-292; Appenzeller Verlag, Herisau.
KLUG, C., FUCHS, D., SCHWEIGERT, G., KRUTA, I. & TISCHLINGER, H. (2016): Adaptations to squid-style high-speed swimming in Jurassic belemnitids. – Biology letters, 12 (1): 5 pp.; London. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0877
KLUG, C., FUCHS, D., SCHWEIGERT, G., KRUTA, I. & TISCHLINGER, H. (2016): Adaptations to squid-style high-speed swimming in Jurassic belemnitids. – Biology letters, 12 (1): 5 pp.; London. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsbl.2015.0877
KLUG, C., FUCHS, D., SCHWEIGERT, G., RÖPER, M. & TISCHLINGER, H. (2015): New anatomical information on arms and fins from exceptionally preserved Plesioteuthis (Coleoidea) from the Late Jurassic of Germany. – Swiss Journal of Palaeontology, 134: 245–255. Basel. DOI 10.1007/s13358-015-0093-y
FUCHS, D., IBA, Y., TISCHLINGER, H., KEUPP, H. & KLUG, C. (2015, online): On the locomotion system of fossil Coleoidea (Cephalopoda) and its phylogenetic significance. – Lethaia: 22 pp.; Oslo. DOI 10.1111/let.12155
ERNST, H. U. & KLUG, C. (2011): Ammoniten & Co. weltweit. Ammonites & Co. worldwide. 1-224, (PFEIL) München.
WALTON, S., KORN, D. & KLUG, C. (2010): Size distribution of the Late Devonian ammonoid Prolobites: indication for possible mass spawning events. Swiss Journal of Geoscience, 103: 475–494, Basel.
KLUG, C., SCHWEIGERT, G., DIETL, G. & FUCHS, D. (2010): First record of a belemnite preserved with beaks, arms and ink sac from the Nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Kimmeridgian, SW Germany). – Lethaia, 43: 445-456, Oslo.
KLUG, C., SCHWEIGERT, G. & DIETL (2010): A new Plesioteuthis with beak from the Kimmeridgian of Nusplingen (Germany). – In: Fuchs, D. (Ed.), Proceedings of the Third International Coleoid Symposium. Ferrantia, 59: 73-77, Luxembourg.
KLUG, C., SCHWEIGERT, G., DIETL, G. & FUCHS, D. (2005): Coleoid beaks from the Nusplingen Lithographic Limestone (Late Kimmeridgian, SW Germany). Lethaia, 38: 173-192, Oslo.
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