Giant 19-metre octopus ruled ancient seas, fossil jaws reveal
Giant 19-metre octopus ruled ancient seas, fossil jaws reveal
Fossil jaws hint giant octopuses up to 19 meters long ruled ancient seas 100 million years ago, reshaping how we view prehistoric marine predators.
New fossil analysis from researchers at Hokkaido University suggests giant octopuses roamed Earth's oceans 100 million years ago, during the age of dinosaurs. The study focuses on exceptionally preserved jaws that hint at a fearsome predator capable of crushing shells and bones.
By comparing these jaws with those of modern cephalopods, scientists estimate body lengths from about 1.5 to 4.5 meters, with the long arms pushing total length toward 7 to 19 meters. Even the lower end would be massive by today’s standards.
The wear on the fossilised jaws is uneven from left to right, suggesting the animals may have favored one side when feeding—a trait associated with advanced brain function in living octopuses.
The findings challenge the long-held view that vertebrates ruled ancient seas and show that invertebrate hunters could dominate. The fossils imply these octopuses preyed on large fish and marine reptiles.
Modern octopuses are celebrated for intelligence and camouflage, and the new evidence hints these capabilities have very old roots, reshaping our picture of prehistoric ecosystems.
