Belemnite -

: Because they were often found after heavy rains (which washed away topsoil), ancient Greeks and medieval Europeans believed they were darts from heaven thrown down during thunderstorms.

Paleontologists often find thousands of these fossils clustered together in "death beds" known as . Belemnites - British Geological Survey belemnite

: Their elongated, tapering shape earned them folklore nicknames like "Devil's Fingers" or "St. Peter’s Fingers" . : Because they were often found after heavy

The story of the is one of a prehistoric survivor that once swarmed the ancient oceans alongside dinosaurs, leaving behind mysterious "darts" that fueled centuries of human myth. 1. The Prehistoric Predator belemnite

: While they originated in the Triassic period (about 237 million years ago), they became ocean superstars during the Jurassic and Cretaceous periods.