A groundbreaking study published in Science has revealed that ancient squids were abundant and dominated oceans 100 million years ago. Researchers from Hokkaido University used a digital fossil-mining technique to uncover thousands of fossilized cephalopod beaks, providing insights into the marine ecosystems of the Late Cretaceous period.
The team’s innovative approach involved digitizing rocks in 3D, allowing for precise extraction and analysis of squid fossils. This revealed over 1,000 fossilized cephalopods, including 263 squids, many of which represent previously unknown species. The sheer volume and diversity of squid fossils highlight their dominance in ancient oceans.
Squid beaks are more likely to fossilize than the soft bodies of squids, making them a crucial source of information for paleontologists. By focusing on squid beaks, researchers were able to reconstruct the history of cephalopod evolution, one of the most enigmatic topics in paleontology.
The study suggests that squids were apex predators in the Mesozoic oceans, thriving alongside dinosaurs. Their advanced swimming techniques and intelligence likely gave them an edge over other marine life forms, helping them to become dominant predators. The findings challenge previous theories about cephalopod evolution, revealing that squids originated and diversified much earlier than previously thought.
The discovery sheds new light on the evolutionary history of squids and highlights their strategic advantages in success as marine predators. It also emphasizes how well-suited squids were to the environment of the Cretaceous period, thriving alongside dinosaurs.
Source: https://indiandefencereview.com/ancient-apex-predators-dominated-oceans