Baculites are a straight type of ammonite. Ammonites and baculites are cephalopods. One of the first cephalopods the ancestral ammonite, Bacrites, is straight. Baculites lived throughtout the world during the Late Cretaceous Period. They ranged in size from Baculites larsoni at just seven centimeters up to Baculites grandis, which reached sizes of up to two meters!

This Baculites grandis is a macroconch, probably a female, based on modern cephalopod gender size relationships. The smaller microconchs were not as heavily ribbed, and about one third to one half the size of the macroconchs. From shell isotope studies, it is known that baculites inhabited the middle portion of the water column.

We created these "life sculptures" of the Baculites grandis. The shell is a cast replica of an original. Neal L. Larson, Vice President of Black Hills Institute, sculpted all soft body parts. The arms and head are based on living cephalopods then calculated for size and shape to fit in the shell. The colors chosen are also based on living cephalopods, whose colors change with their moods. This is a replica of the largest Baculite specimen found to date.

Don’t forget to include these amazing creatures in your Cretaceous Seas exhibit!