Enchoteuthis

Enchoteuthis (meaning "spear squid") is an extinct genus of large enchoteuthine cephalopod that lived during the Cretaceous.

Examination of gladius remains initially yielded an estimated mantle length about 2 m (6 ft 7 in) based on specimen once described as Tusoteuthis longa, close to or equal to that of the modern giant squid, although reclassification of this genus as a muensterelloid results in a much shorter total length, about 3 m (10 ft).

[5] The generic name Enchoteuthis is derived from the Greek enchos ("spear") and teuthis ("squid").

[1] The specific name melanae honors Melanie Bonner, who discovered the holotype.

[3][5] An additional unnamed species is known from the Late Cretaceous Paleo-Pacific Ocean of North America, specifically British Columbia and Alaska.