Giant Octopus Apex Predator in Dinosaur Era

NEW YORK — New analyses of fossilized jaws reveal that massive, kraken-like octopuses once hunted alongside other marine predators during the age of dinosaurs, approximately 100 million years ago. These ancient cephalopods boasted eight arms and long bodies extending more than 60 feet, rivaling other carnivorous marine reptiles such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs.

Researchers studied the jaws of 15 ancient octopus fossils previously found in Japan and Canada's Vancouver Island. They also identified 12 more jaws from Japan using a technique called digital fossil mining, which scans rocks in cross-sections to reveal hidden fossils. By comparing these jaws to those of modern-day octopuses, they estimated that the ancient octopuses ranged from 23 to 62 feet in length.

The largest jaw found was substantially bigger than any modern octopus, according to co-author and paleontologist Yasuhiro Iba with Hokkaido University. The jaws showed significant wear and tear, including scratches, chips, and rounded edges, suggesting that these creatures repeatedly crushed hard prey such as shells and bones.

"These krakens must have been a fearsome sight to behold," said University of Alabama paleontologist Adiel Klompmaker. The findings were published Thursday in the journal Science. Scientists believe that looking for octopus fossils in other places might help them get a clearer idea of how these creatures factor into ancient food webs.

The research indicates that these giant octopuses likely occupied the same ecological tier as marine reptiles and sharks, potentially competing with them within the same ecosystem. This discovery changes our understanding of ancient oceans, showing that giant invertebrates such as octopuses also occupied the top of the food web.