Belemnites & ichthyosaurs in a swimming race
The massive rostra, which can be found fossilized as so-called thunderbolts, provided the belemnites with a front weight and perfect shape. They are similar to true squid, which they probably surpassed in speed. With sharp hooks on their tentacles, they were themselves successful predators. However, this is of little use when a much larger hunter comes along at similar speeds: Ichthyosaurs were the first and most perfect reptiles of the open sea in the Mesozoic era. If the tail fluke were not vertical and the hind legs completely reduced, one would have to assume a dolphin from the outside. Whether a wild hunt actually involved aerial space is speculation. Japanese flying squid are known to have some kind of flying ability, propelled by buoyancy during the jump and active jet propulsion with water from the funnel.
digital painting, 2020
