A specimen of fish resembling Piranha, 150 million years old, found in Germany is the oldest fish known to feed on flesh

Researchers believe that the pointed teeth of the fossilized remains of a fish species show that they used them to bite pieces of meat or fins from their prey. It lived in the sea about 150 million years ago, making it the oldest known flesh-eating fish.

Toothed teeth to bite

Researchers from a new study are analyzing their discovery of the oldest known flesh-eating flesh-eating fish that lived in the sea during the time of the dinosaurs. The fossilized remains of the fish have been discovered in limestone deposits in southern Germany and have been found to have long pointed teeth, as well as triangular teeth with sawtooth edges on the side of the lower jaw .

According to the international team of researchers, the teeth characteristics of this ancient creature of the sea suggest that she may have a feeding style similar to that of modern day piranhas, known to have incredibly sharp teeth that allow you to bite into pieces. prey.

Predator And Prey

Surprisingly, the same limestone deposit seemed to have not only the predator but also the prey, as it also contained the fossilized remains of other fish that appeared to have had the fins gnawed or bitten. This is similar to the dietary habits of modern-day piranhas who nibble pieces of fins of their prey so they can feed again when they grow back.

"It's a remarkably smart move: the fins are pushing back, a renewable resource. Feed on a fish and he died; nibble on its fins and you'll have something to feed your future, "said David Bellwood of James Cook University in Australia, co-author of the study published in the newspaper Current biology.

Evolutionary versatility

What is even more interesting in this discovery is that it was from the Jurassic era and from the sea. At the time, it was known that the bony fish, even though they had their teeth brittle, did not bite the flesh of other fish. Instead, they ate invertebrates or swallowed their entire prey. It was believed that the bite strategy came a lot later.

However, prehistoric sharks were a predator of the sea that had bitten pieces of their prey at the time. The new discovery suggests that these piranha-like fish engage in aggressive mimicry that is incredibly parallel to the eating habits of modern-day piranhas living in freshwater.

"It is the oldest known flesh-eating actinopterygian, revealing a remarkable convergent evolution with modern piranhas," note the researchers.

Ⓒ 2018 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.