Japanese researchers have recreated the appearance of colossal octopuses that inhabited the World Ocean during the Cretaceous period—roughly between 100 and 72 million years ago. The findings have been detailed in the journal Science.
Soft-bodied invertebrates seldom leave fossil records in geological strata, necessitating that the scientists rely on the few parts that do preserve well: the beaks, which are hard, chitinous jaws. The appearance and behavior of these animals were reconstructed based precisely on the morphology and wear patterns of these beaks.
Estimates suggest these octopuses reached body lengths spanning from 7 to 19 meters, positioning them, according to the study’s authors, among the largest invertebrates ever described—a size comparable to the giant marine reptiles contemporary to them. Wear marks observed on the beaks suggest these creatures occupied the apex predator niche, preying upon substantial targets such as plesiosaurs and mosasaurs.
The investigators also noted an asymmetry in the wear patterns on the jaws, which might imply an asymmetry in the animals’ behavior. Scientists speculate this points toward a complicated brain structure and potentially high levels of intelligence.
The study also addresses the potential link between these fossils and the legends of the Kraken. While some researchers propose that tales of this sea monster may have originated from sightings of giant squid, the discovered octopuses existed too far in the past to be the direct source of these myths. Nevertheless, their sheer dimensions align well with the descriptions recounted in the legends.
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