Sailors have long told tales of a large sea monsters that could pull down large sailing vessels, never to be seen again. While such animals may not actually exist today, it may have been possible in prehistoric times. An octopus or squid back then would have been measured by yards, not feet.

This very large specimen hangs from the ceiling in the Morian Hall of Paleontology at the Houston Museum of Natural Science. While it might not be “the” kraken of old tales, it no doubt would bring fear to any poor sole that it happened to seek out for dinner.