The Fossil Record of Cephalopods

Section: Palaeontology

Responsible staff: Robert Weis

Research strategy: Understanding and Preserving Nature, Society and Natural History

Cephalopod remains are among the most abundant and widespread fossils of the Mesozoic. The Jurassic strata of Luxembourg are no exception and yield countless ammonite shells as well as belemnite rostra.

Thanks to their abundance, cephalopod fossils are excellent tools for studying the age of rocks, better understanding ancient biogeographical patterns and exploring mass extinctions. A particular sub‑project focuses on belemnites. The study of Jurassic belemnites from various perspectives (taxonomy, palaeogeography, palaeobiology, biostratigraphy) has been a long‑standing speciality of the MNHNL Palaeontology Section.

Recent publications:

Geist, J., Weis, R., Schlögl, J. et al. Olistoliths as overlooked sources of information: an example from Pliensbachian belemnites and ammonites of Lukoveček (Czechia, Western Carpathians). Swiss J Palaeontol 144, 24 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-025-00366-5

Klug, C., Schweigert, G., Hoffmann, R. et al. Anatomy and size of Megateuthis, the largest belemnite. Swiss J Palaeontol 143, 23 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-024-00320-x

Weis, R., Delsate, D., Klug, C. et al. Pachycormid fish fed on octobrachian cephalopods: new evidence from the ‘Schistes bitumineux’ (early Toarcian) of southern Luxembourg. Swiss J Palaeontol 143, 5 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00295-1

Fuchs, D., Weis, R. & Thuy, B. Simoniteuthis, a new vampyromorph coleoid with prey in its arms from the Early Jurassic of Luxembourg. Swiss J Palaeontol 143, 6 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-024-00303-y

Weis, R., Schweigert, G. & Wittische, J. A new giant nautilid species from the Middle Jurassic of Luxembourg and Southwest Germany. Swiss J Palaeontol 142, 24 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-023-00290-6

Klug, C., Stevens, K., Hoffmann, R. et al. Revisiting the identification of Syllipsimopodi bideni and timing of the decabrachian-octobrachian divergence. Nat Commun 14, 8094 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-023-42842-x

Sadki, D. & R. Weis, 2023. Les ammonites les plus récentes du Luxembourg et de la région frontalière franco-luxembourgeoise : Sonniniidés, Stephanoceratidés et Sphaeroceratidés du Bajocien (Jurassique moyen). Bulletin de la Société des naturalistes luxembourgeois 125: 37-64.

Klug, C., Schweigert, G., Hoffmann, R. et al. 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 J Palaeontol 140, 10 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-021-00225-z

De Baets, K., Nätscher, P.S., Rita, P. et al. The impact of the Pliensbachian–Toarcian crisis on belemnite assemblages and size distribution. Swiss J Palaeontol 140, 25 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13358-021-00242-y

Rita, P., Weis, R., Duarte, L. V., & De Baets, K. (2021). Taxonomical diversity and palaeobiogeographical affinity of belemnites from the Pliensbachian-Toarcian GSSP (Lusitanian Basin, Portugal). Papers in Palaeontology, 7(3), 1321–1349.

Weis, R., Dzyuba, O.S., Dietze, V. & Riegraf, W. (2021). A new belemnite species from the Aalenian of the Swabian Alb (SW Germany) and its position in the phylogeny of Megateuthididae (Belemnitida). Neues Jahrbuch für Geologie und Paläontologie – Abhandlungen, 300, 23-31.

Neige, P., Weis, R., & Fara, E. (2021). Ups and downs of belemnite diversity in the Early Jurassic of Western Tethys. Palaeontology, 64(2), 263–283. https://doi.org/10.1111/pala.12522

Saki, D., Weis, R. & Braun, P. (2020). Graphoceratidés (Ammonitina) de l'Aalénienmoyen (Jurassique) de Rumelange-Hutberg(Grand-Duché de Luxembourg). Ferrantia - Travaux scientifiques du Musée national d'histoire naturelle de Luxembourg, 83, 104-129.

Cencio, A. & Weis, R. (2020). Revision of upper Toarcian ammonites (Lytoceratidae, Graphoceratidae and Hammatoceratidae) from the Minette ironstones, southern Luxembourg. Ferrantia - Travaux scientifiques du Musée national d'histoire naturelle de Luxembourg, 83, 5-103.