University of Iowa identifies fossil found in Decorah family's yard as a 200 million year old cephalopod

The Museum of Natural History at the University of Iowa says a fossil found on the farm of Kent and Sandi Nelson of Decorah was a segment of a straight shelled cephalopod that lived in the ancient oceans about 200 million years ago. These creatures were 10 to 30 feet long.

Kent Nelson found the fossil after flash floods in June exposed it.  Nelson saw the fossil while cleaning up after the storm and sent it to the University of Iowa for identification.

Nelson says he plans to exhibit the fossil at the Decorah Library some time in the future.

Artist's drawing of what an ancient cephalopod might have looked like