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Syllipsimopodi Bideni

  • Posted By
    10Pointer
  • Categories
    Environment
  • Published
    15th Mar, 2022

A fossil unearthed in central Montana of a species named Syllipsimopodi bideni represents the oldest-known relative of today's octopuses and boasts 10 arms.

Context

A fossil unearthed in central Montana of a species named Syllipsimopodi bideni represents the oldest-known relative of today's octopuses and boasts 10 arms.

  • It has been named after the US president, Joe Biden.

About Syllipsimopodi bideni

  • It is about 4-3/4 inches (12 cm) long, it had a torpedo-shaped body and a squid-like appearance.
  • It also is the oldest-known creature with suckers, which enable the arms to better grasp prey and other objects.
    • The fossil helps in understanding how octopuses evolved.
  • The preserved fossil reveals two parallel rows of suckers up and down each arm, dating to about 328 million years ago.
  • "Syllipsimopodi" means "prehensile foot" - its arms are an evolutionary modification of the foot of mollusks -- and "bideni" recognizes U.S. President Joe Biden, who had just been inaugurated when the study was submitted for publication.
  • Syllipsimopodi represents the only member of the octopus lineage with 10 arms, meaning two were lost in later evolution.
  • Capture of prey is facilitated by the two longer tentacles with the eight shorter arms helping to manipulate the prey and transport it to the beak.
  • Syllipsimopodi prowled the warm waters of a tropical bay - Montana at the time was situated close to the equator. 
    • It may have been a mid-level predator, eating smaller invertebrates.
  • Syllipsimopodi lived during the Carboniferous Period, a time of important evolutionary changes in other marine life that included the appearance of more modern-looking fishes.

About Octopuses

  • Octopuses, ranging from the one-inch (2.5 cm) star-sucker pygmy octopus to the 30-foot (9-meter) giant Pacific octopus, are known for their otherworldly appearance, with bulbous heads, large eyes and beak-like jaws.
  • They are adept at camouflage - changing colors and even textures to mimic their surroundings - and can maneuver their bodies into tiny cracks and crevices.
  • They also are capable of tool use and problem-solving.
  • Octopuses are the most intelligent invertebrates, and among the most intelligent animals overall.
  • Octopuses are cephalopods, a marine invertebrate group dating back to roughly 530 million years ago and distinguished by having arms or tentacles.
    • Cephalopods today also include squids, cuttlefishes and nautiluses.

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