Giant prehistoric krakens may have sculpted selfportraits using ichthyosaur bone

[jimmy olsen]

Cool 

http://io9.com/5848192/giant-prehistoric-krakens-may-have-sculpted-self+portraits-using-ichthyosaur-bones

Giant prehistoric krakens may have sculpted self-portraits using ichthyosaur bones

For decades, paleontologists have puzzled over a fossil collection of nine Triassic icthyosaurs (Shonisaurus popularis) discovered in Nevada's Berlin-Ichthyosaur State Park. Researchers initially thought that this strange grouping of 45-foot-long marine reptiles had either died en masse from a poisonous plankton bloom or had become stranded in shallow water.

But recent geological analysis of the fossil site indicates that the park was deep underwater when these shonisaurs swam the prehistoric seas. So why were their bones laid in such a bizarre pattern? A new theory suggests that a 100-foot-long cephalopod arranged these bones as a self-portrait after drowning the reptiles. And no, we're not talking about Cthulhu.

After considering the more brutal aspects of modern octopus predation, paleontologist Mark McMenamin of Mount Holyoke College came to the conclusion that the shonisaur remains had been deposited in a "kraken" lair by its massive, tentacled squatter. From his abstract of research being presented today at The Geological Society of America's annual meeting:

Full size

    We hypothesize that the shonisaurs were killed and carried to the site by an enormous Triassic cephalopod, a "kraken," with estimated length of approximately 30 m, twice that of the modern Colossal Squid Mesonychoteuthis. In this scenario, shonisaurs were ambushed by a Triassic kraken, drowned, and dumped on a midden like that of a modern octopus. Where vertebrae in the assemblage are disarticulated, disks are arranged in curious linear patterns with almost geometric regularity. Close fitting due to spinal ligament contraction is disproved by the juxtaposition of different-sized vertebrae from different parts of the vertebral column. The proposed Triassic kraken, which could have been the most intelligent invertebrate ever, arranged the vertebral discs in biserial patterns, with individual pieces nesting in a fitted fashion as if they were part of a puzzle. The arranged vertebrae resemble the pattern of sucker discs on a cephalopod tentacle, with each amphicoelous vertebra strongly resembling a coleoid sucker. Thus the tessellated vertebral disc pavement may represent the earliest known self‑portrait.

McMenamin anticipates that this theory will be met with skepticism, as the fleshy body of a giant Triassic octopus wouldn't fossilize well. But the possibility of finding that which is essentially a gargantuan mollusk's macaroni illustration? That's the kind of glorious crazy you hope is reality.

[Razgovory]

Why not simply suggest Martians did it?

[Ideologue]

Neat.

[garbon]

Neat.

A random hypothesis?

[Ideologue]

Neat.

A random hypothesis?

So?  I still find it neat.

[Razgovory]

Neat.

A random hypothesis?

Speculation on the behaviors of an imaginary animal of which there is no evidence of existing, doesn't impress you either?  Is this guy a real scientist?

[garbon]

Neat.

A random hypothesis?

Speculation on the behaviors of an imaginary animal of which there is no evidence of existing, doesn't impress you either?  Is this guy a real scientist?

If wikipedia is accurate, he does seem legit.

[Razgovory]

If.

[Strix]

Maybe aliens gave the imaginary Kraken a mirror so that he could do his self-portrait?

[Ideologue]

Maybe aliens gave the imaginary Kraken a mirror so that he could do his self-portrait?

It needed a mirror to see its arm?

[Darth Wagtaros]

Maybe it really was Cthulhu. 

[Razgovory]

Maybe it really was Cthulhu.

It's as good a theory as proposed here.  I fully expect Brazen post about shoddy journalism, and Viking to post that this isn't really science.  It's like an April Fools joke.  I didn't think that Tim was that credulous.

[Darth Wagtaros]

I wish Hamilcar were here for comment.  

[Eddie Teach]

I think the Martians did it.


That work for ya Raz?

[Razgovory]

I think the Martians did it.


That work for ya Raz?

I already said that.