The evidence suggests that the subadult Tharsis specimens have been nibbling and sucking microbial mats or soft tissue remnants off a floating, dead belemnite and accidentally sucked in the “bulb” at the end of the hastate rostrum. Once this happened, the belemnite proved to be a deadly trap due to its peculiar shape and sheer size. Even though the fish tried to pass the obstructive item through its gills, there was no way of getting rid of it, leading to death by suffocation.