Scientists Identify 27 Giant Octopus Jawbones, Pointing to a 62-Foot Cretaceous Predator
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 4
Scientists Identify 27 Giant Octopus Jawbones, Pointing to a 62-Foot Cretaceous Predator
1 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 4
Summary
Twenty-seven fossilized jawbones from Japan and Canada have been identified as belonging to two giant kraken-like octopus species that lived about 72 million years ago, with Nanaimoteuthis haggarti estimated at 23 to 62 feet long.
Twelve newly found jaws from Japan’s Yezo Group were analyzed alongside 15 previously discovered specimens, letting researchers split the animals into N. jeletzkyi and N. haggarti based on size and form.
The largest N. jeletzkyi was estimated at 10 to 26 feet, while N. haggarti may have been the biggest invertebrate yet found and a top predator in Late Cretaceous seas.
The Science study challenges the view that Cretaceous oceans were dominated only by large vertebrates such as mosasaurs and plesiosaurs, suggesting giant invertebrates also occupied the top of the food web.
If a 62-foot octopus was just discovered, what larger prehistoric monsters might still be unknown to science?
What allowed a prehistoric octopus to grow larger than a bus while its modern relatives remain smaller?
Was advanced intelligence the secret weapon that made this giant octopus the true king of the Cretaceous seas?
Cretaceous Giants Revealed: Fossil Jaws and AI Expose 19-Meter Finned Octopuses as Ancient Apex Predators
Overview
A major paleontological breakthrough in 2026 revealed fossil lower jaws of giant finned octopuses from the Cretaceous period, discovered by a team led by S. Ikegami and colleagues. These fossils, made available through Figshare, are especially important because soft-bodied marine animals rarely leave well-preserved remains. The robust jaws provide direct evidence that these ancient cephalopods existed and were likely active predators. This discovery not only fills a gap in our understanding of ancient ocean life but also offers valuable insights into the biology, feeding strategies, and ecological roles of these remarkable creatures.