Scientists recently uncovered fascinating details about an extinct fish called Tharsis that lived during the Jurassic period. These ancient creatures, found in Europe, appear to have often met their end by trying to swallow large cephalopods known as belemnites.
Paleontologists Martin Ebert and Martina Kölbl-Ebert from Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich studied fossils from a 152-million-year-old limestone formation in Germany. They discovered several Tharsis specimens with belemnites stuck in their gullets, indicating a dangerous dining choice.
This isn’t just a case of a big fish trying to eat a bigger meal. The fossils show belemnites lodged in a way that suggests the fish might have been trying to feed on decaying tissue or algae. Unfortunately, when they attempted to gulp down a belemnite, it became a choking hazard. The streamlined shape of the belemnite’s beak would get caught, and the fish couldn’t expel it, leading to suffocation.
According to data shared by Ebert and Kölbl-Ebert, this pattern of death among Tharsis fish sheds light on their feeding habits. These micro-carnivores typically dined on tiny organisms like larvae and zooplankton using suction. Their fossils are fairly common, unlike the less frequent findings of belemnite fossils that resemble squid with a long, hooded body.
Interestingly, the belemnite fossils found in regions like Solnhofen often had an internal shell overgrown by bivalves. This suggests they were dead when consumed, possibly kept afloat by gas-filled shells while other sea creatures feasted on their soft tissues.
It’s a story of survival gone wrong. Researchers believe that as the Tharsis fish scavenged for food, they inadvertently risked their lives with each gulp. Ebert and Kölbl-Ebert point out that, despite the danger, these fish were unlikely to avoid the belemnites if they were floating near other food sources.
This research paints a vivid picture of life in the Jurassic seas. It shows the intricate balances of prey and predator relationships, even for creatures as small as these ancient fish. The deadly interactions remind us how even the smallest decisions can have dire consequences in nature.
For more on ancient marine life, check out the research published in Scientific Reports.
Source link
MSFT Content
