"Glow-in-the-dark vampire terrorized Jurassic oceans, fossil shows"
Researchers in France have discovered a new species of vampyromorpha, a group of octopus-like animals that includes the vampire squid. The newly identified creature, named Vampyrofugiens atramentum, lived in the open ocean 165 million years ago and likely preyed on fish, crustaceans, and smaller cephalopods while being preyed upon by larger fish and cephalopods. It possessed unique defensive features, including glow-in-the-dark organs and an ink sac. The discovery sheds light on the evolution of coleoid cephalopods and suggests a greater diversity of cephalopods during the Middle Jurassic period.