Giant octopus was a top predator 100 million years ago
CNN • • general
Key Points:
- New research reveals giant octopuses, named Nanaimoteuthis, measuring up to 62 feet long, were likely apex predators in the Cretaceous seas around 100 million years ago, based on rare fossilized jaws showing wear from crushing hard prey.
- These colossal octopuses, among the earliest finned species, were discovered through a novel "digital fossil mining" technique using 3D imaging and AI to analyze fossils previously hidden in sedimentary rock from Japan and Canada.
- The findings challenge previous assumptions that large marine reptiles, sharks, and fishes solely dominated the Cretaceous marine food web, suggesting a more complex ecosystem with octopuses as significant top predators.
- Experts outside the study find the evidence compelling but debate the extent of the octopuses' predatory behavior and intelligence, noting that while they were formidable predators, the size and energy demands of hunting very large prey remain uncertain.
- The lead researcher plans to expand the digital fossil mining approach to uncover more hidden ancient organisms, aiming to create a fuller understanding of past marine ecosystems and their dynamics.
