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Meet the 19-meter Cretaceous kraken that swam with mosasaurs
Fossilized jaws reveal that enormous octopuses growing up to 19 meters long were top predators in the oceans during the Cretaceous Period, potentially making them the largest marine animals and invert
Fossilized jaws reveal that enormous octopuses growing up to 19 meters long were top predators in the oceans during the Cretaceous Period, potentially making them the largest marine animals and invertebrates of their time. The species Nanaimoteuthis haggarti challenges the idea that giant marine reptiles such as mosasaurs and other vertebrates exclusively dominated marine ecosystems in the Cretaceous period. Evidence of crushing bites on fossilized beaks, including chipping, scratching, and worn edges, suggests these octopuses regularly fed on hard-shelled prey and potentially large marine animals.
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Source: Ars Technica | 2026-04-24