Study Reveals Squid Outnumbered Fish in Cretaceous Oceans
(MENAFN) A groundbreaking study by Japanese scientists has revealed that squid were the predominant marine species during the Cretaceous period, eclipsing both ammonites and fish in numbers—contrary to longstanding scientific belief, according to media.
The research team from Hokkaido University's Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences uncovered new fossil evidence suggesting that soft-bodied squid flourished between 100 million and 70 million years ago. Their findings, published in the journal Science, indicate that squid not only emerged around 100 million years ago but also diversified at a rapid pace within approximately 6 million years.
Due to their soft anatomy, squid typically do not fossilize well, leaving only their beaks as remnants. However, the Japanese team managed to identify 263 fossilized squid beaks, each about 4 millimeters (0.2 inches) in length, within rock layers from the Cretaceous period in Hokkaido, Japan's northern main island.
By analyzing the morphology of the beaks, researchers were able to categorize them into 40 distinct species, some bearing a striking resemblance to modern-day squid.
The study concludes that squid carved out their ecological niche in the oceans long before fish and whales, underwent rapid evolutionary expansion following the mass extinction at the end of the Cretaceous, and have played a key role in marine life ever since.
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