Tharsis specimen with parts of Belemnitis, a snack that turned out to be mortal about 150 million years ago
The first known cases of accidental asphyxia were discovered, dating back to 150 million years – when some irresponsible fish swallowed more than they should…
O Tharsis It is an extinct genre of borderbatanis fish (Actinopterygii). These already extinct fish were micro-carnivores with tiny teeth, they survived most likely with a constant zooplankton diet or other small organisms, using a suction diet that required little decomposition of their small meals.
However, some curious fossils tell a different story from how some Tharsis literally bite more than they could chew.
This was what a team of Ludwig-Maximilian-UNIVERSITät München (LMU Munich) researchers, on the sidelines of a study of a study of a study of a study Scientific Reports.
In fossils found in the lagoons of the Solnhofen archipelago (a series of water masses that existed during the upper Jurassic period), in southern Europe, scientists saw Entrelated fish remains with rostra – The internal structures of the extinct Begemnites HiBolitheshes, squid.
According to the investigators’ description, the begeticites Hibolithes soft -body seemed to be arrested in the mouths and gills of fish.
In addition, the fossils were so well preserved that the begeticites They also had remains of epibibrantes clinging to their bodieslike the oysters.
It was the existence of these organisms that were moving on their own that they indicated to the investigators that the begeticites They had been died for a long time, since bivalves larvae did not fix themselves to living cephalopod tissues and free -moving.
As it cites, it is thought that the parts of the Belemnites body were floating in the lagoon’s water column for some time before an individual Tharsis have made your deadly choice.
Evidence suggests that the specimens subadultures of Tharsis nibbled and sucked microbial rugs or soft tissue remains from a benmnite dead and floating and, accidentally, Sugaram o “bolbo” na extremidade do rostro.
“Once this happened, the benmnite proved to be a deadly trap due to its peculiar shape and its size. Although the fish attempts to pass the obstructive object through the gills, there was no way to get rid of it, leading it to death for asphyxia“Wrote the team.
Fascinating fossils show that the remains of benmnite entered the fish through the mouth and, due to the shape of the animal’s bullet, filled the mouth of the Tharsis.
The fish then choking on the snack, would have tried to push the fabric of benmnite out through the gills, while another part remained in the oral cavity, suffocating the animal in that process of distress.
And the first case known of this type of death by vertebrate asphyxiation.
Scientists believe it was not a case where fish had “more eyes than belly.” Most likely they are trying to nibble sludge or algae from the benmnite And they ended up accidentally choking. There, probably not one would save them.
