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Cretaceous Kraken terrorized Late oceans using crushing bite power and puzzling jaw wear

Science
Published on 25 April 2026
Cretaceous Kraken terrorized Late oceans using crushing bite power and puzzling jaw wear

Fossil beaks show crushing force and odd wear patterns

A new look at the Late Cretaceous giant octopus Nanaimoteuthis, nicknamed the Cretaceous Kraken, suggests it hunted like an apex predator. Fossil beaks indicate it could crush hard-shelled prey with extreme force, rivaling other top marine hunters. Even more intriguing, uneven jaw wear hints at repeated, intelligent feeding strategies rather than simple brute strength.

  • Nanaimoteuthis likely hunted as a Late Cretaceous apex predator
  • Fossil beaks suggest a crushing bite strong enough for hard shells
  • Uneven jaw wear points to selective, repeated hunting behavior
  • Its scale and power made it comparable to other marine reptiles and sharks
Read the full story at The Economic Times

This summarization was done by Beige for a story published on The Economic TimesThe Economic Times

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