Ancient Giant Octopuses Were Apex Predators, Fossil Study Reveals

London: Giant finned octopuses ruled ancient seas as top predators alongside marine reptiles, according to new research that overturns long-held ideas about prehistoric food chains.

By analyzing large fossilized jaws, scientists identified two species — Nanaimoteuthis jeletzkyi and N. haggarti — that lived between 100 and 72 million years ago. The creatures could have reached lengths of 7 to 19 meters, rivaling some of the largest marine reptiles of the era.

Wear marks on the jaws show the octopuses routinely crushed hard bones, pointing to a diet of large, bony prey. Asymmetric wear patterns also suggest complex jaw movements and behavior, indicating the animals were already highly intelligent.

The findings, published recently, challenge the view that ancient marine ecosystems were dominated only by vertebrates. Instead, cephalopods held apex roles in Cretaceous oceans, competing directly with ichthyosaurs and mosasaurs.

Researchers say the study reshapes understanding of predator evolution and shows that invertebrates played a bigger part in ancient food webs than previously thought.