Fossils found in Hungary reshape what we know about prehistoric creature’s last days

A remarkable fossil discovery in western Hungary is reshaping what scientists thought they knew about one of the ocean’s most intriguing prehistoric creatures. Newly analysed remains found near the village of Dudar suggest that belemnites—extinct squid-like predators—survived far longer than previously believed.

These findings challenge a long-standing scientific consensus that placed their extinction at the same catastrophic moment that wiped out the dinosaurs 66 million years ago.

Survivors of a global catastrophe

For decades, belemnites were thought to have vanished during the mass extinction event at the end of the Cretaceous period. This disaster, triggered by a massive asteroid impact, eliminated countless species, including dinosaurs, flying reptiles and ammonites. However, research led by Hungarian palaeontologist Professor András Galácz of Eötvös Loránd University has revealed a different story.

Fossils recovered from the spoil heaps of a former coal mine in Dudar have been dated to the Eocene epoch, approximately 40–50 million years ago—at least 15–20 million years after the extinction event. This means that while dinosaurs had already disappeared, these agile marine predators were still thriving in ancient seas.

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A tropical sea beneath today’s hills

The discovery also offers a glimpse into Hungary’s distant past. Millions of years ago, the region now known as Transdanubia was covered by a warm, shallow tropical sea. Coral reefs flourished, and lush swamp forests lined the shores—eventually forming the coal deposits later mined at Dudar.

In these waters, belemnites hunted with speed and precision. Though not enormous, they were efficient predators, propelled by jet-like movement similar to modern squids. Their internal skeleton included a hard, bullet-shaped structure that helped stabilise their motion—this is the part most commonly preserved as a fossil.

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Solving a long-standing scientific debate

For over a century, fragmentary finds from countries such as Italy and France hinted that belemnites might have survived beyond the mass extinction. Yet these claims remained controversial due to the poor condition of the fossils.

The Hungarian specimens, however, are exceptionally well-preserved. Detailed structural and crystallographic analyses have confirmed their identity beyond doubt, providing the strongest evidence yet that belemnites endured into the Eocene. The results were published in the respected journal Papers in Palaeontology, effectively settling a long-running debate within the scientific community.

From “thunderstones” to scientific breakthrough

Interestingly, these fossils have been known to locals for centuries. Often referred to as “thunderstones” or “devil’s fingers,” their pointed shapes led to myths that they formed where lightning struck the ground.

Today, they are recognised as remnants of fast-moving marine animals that once dominated prehistoric seas. Although belemnites eventually became extinct around 30–40 million years ago, their unexpected survival offers a powerful reminder: even the most widely accepted scientific ideas can be overturned by new evidence.