Octopus Predecessor Predating Dinosaurs Discovered, Named After U.S. President
The oldest recognized antecedent of octopuses, a nearly 330-million-year-old fossil, has recently been discovered in Montana.
While present-day octopuses have eight limbs, its ancestor only possess 10 limbs, each with 2 rows of suckers. The 4.7-inch (12-cm) fossilized creature probably lived in a shallow, tropical ocean bay.
Mike Vecchione, a zoologist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, revealed: “It’s very rare to find soft tissue fossils, except in a few places. This is a very exciting finding. It pushes back the ancestry much farther than previously known.”
Scientists had failed to notice the features of the fossil, placed in a drawer, for decades, as they had been busy examining fossils from shark and other creatures seemingly more interesting, before paleontologists became aware of the 10 tiny limbs encased in limestone.
Christopher Whalen, paleontologist from the American Museum of Natural History, said that the exceptionally preserved fossil also depicts “some evidence of an ink sac,” possibly utilized to release a dark liquid cloak to provide camouflage from predators, similar to present-day octopuses.
Previously, the “oldest known definitive” vampyropod was from around 240 million years ago, the authors said.
Prior to this, the “oldest known definitive” vampyropod existed roughly 240 million years ago, according to the scientists, who also named the fossil Syllipsimopodi bideni, after President Joe Biden.
Whether or not having an ancient octopus — or vampire squid — bearing your name is actually a compliment, the scientists say they intended admiration for the president’s science and research priorities.
Source: Associated Press
While present-day octopuses have eight limbs, its ancestor only possess 10 limbs, each with 2 rows of suckers. The 4.7-inch (12-cm) fossilized creature probably lived in a shallow, tropical ocean bay.
Mike Vecchione, a zoologist from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, revealed: “It’s very rare to find soft tissue fossils, except in a few places. This is a very exciting finding. It pushes back the ancestry much farther than previously known.”
Source: Science
Scientists had failed to notice the features of the fossil, placed in a drawer, for decades, as they had been busy examining fossils from shark and other creatures seemingly more interesting, before paleontologists became aware of the 10 tiny limbs encased in limestone.
Christopher Whalen, paleontologist from the American Museum of Natural History, said that the exceptionally preserved fossil also depicts “some evidence of an ink sac,” possibly utilized to release a dark liquid cloak to provide camouflage from predators, similar to present-day octopuses.
Source: Daily Mail
Previously, the “oldest known definitive” vampyropod was from around 240 million years ago, the authors said.
Prior to this, the “oldest known definitive” vampyropod existed roughly 240 million years ago, according to the scientists, who also named the fossil Syllipsimopodi bideni, after President Joe Biden.
Whether or not having an ancient octopus — or vampire squid — bearing your name is actually a compliment, the scientists say they intended admiration for the president’s science and research priorities.
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