Researchers identify giant Cretaceous octopus as 'real-life kraken'
Fossil evidence suggests the Nanaimoteuthis haggarti was an apex predator that lived alongside dinosaurs
Quick Look
- Palaeontologists have identified a massive octopus species, Nanaimoteuthis haggarti, which lived during the Cretaceous period.
- Reaching up to 19m in length, the apex predator likely competed with sharks and marine reptiles before going extinct 66 million years ago.
AI-generated summary
Why It Matters
The Cretaceous period was a time when marine ecosystems were dominated by large reptiles and sharks. The discovery of Nanaimoteuthis haggarti suggests that giant invertebrates also played a significant role as apex predators.
A giant octopus, likened to a mythical creature said to be capable of dragging ships to their doom, roamed the seas during the age of the dinosaurs, according to researchers.
Fossils of its jaw structure indicate it ranged from seven to 19m long and lived during the Cretaceous period, about 86 to 72 million years ago.
The species - Nanaimoteuthis haggarti - was an apex predator and is one of the largest invertebrates ever recorded.
Researchers compared the creature to the mythical kraken, a legendary, colossal sea monster from Scandinavian folklore.
"These animals were remarkable. With their large bodies, long arms, powerful jaws and advanced behaviour, they represent what could be described as a real Cretaceous kraken", said palaeontologist and lead author Yasuhiro Iba of Hokkaido University.
The body of a modern giant squid can reach 12m in length, but Nanaimoteuthis haggarti would have been even bigger.
Mr Iba said his work showed "giant invertebrates, namely octopuses, also functioned as apex predators in the Cretaceous sea".
"These giant octopuses likely occupied the same ecological tier and may have competed with marine reptiles and sharks within the same ecosystem," he added.
The fossils studied came from Japan and Vancouver Island in Canada and showed intense wear on the creature's "beak", the only rigid part of an octopus's body.
This indicates repeated crushing of hard structures such as bones and shells, suggesting it hunted large fish, shelled tentacled creatures, clams and other large prey.
Seafarers can rest easy, however, Nanaimoteuthis haggarti died out in the extinction event that wiped out the dinosaurs about 66 million years ago.
Open Questions
- Are there more complete fossil specimens expected to be found?
- How did the species' hunting behavior specifically differ from modern giant squids?
