Despite the scary name, modern vampire squid are docile denizens of the deep sea — but their Jurassic ancestors may have been a lot fiercer.
Analyses of fossilized soft tissue from three 164-million-year-old specimens of Vampyronassa rhodanica suggest that the ancient cephalopods had some powerful weapons, researchers say June 23 in Scientific Reports. Unlike its blobby modern relative, V. rhodanica had a more streamlined muscular body, with two of its eight arms twice as long as the other six. Strong suckers on all eight arms could have helped it snatch and hold onto prey.
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