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Chinese paleontologists discovered two amazing lamprey species in North China from 160-million-year-old fossils. These jawless fish, which resemble eels, are notorious for their parasitic nature, attaching to prey and feeding on their blood using their disc-shaped jaws and sharp teeth. The newly found lampreys, on the other hand, were flesh eaters with very powerful bites that could even fracture their prey's skeletons.
Discoveries In Northern China
These lamprey fossils were discovered in a fossil deposit in North China. The bigger of the two lamprey species, measuring about 23 inches long, has been named Yanliaomyzon occisor, with "occisor" meaning "killer" in Latin.
The lesser species, Yanliaomyzon ingensdentes, is around 11 inches long and is named after Latin words that mean "large teeth."
The fossils were extraordinarily well-preserved, allowing paleontologists to thoroughly investigate their biting structures and oral discs.
A Surprising Evolutionary Connection
These new species were found during the Jurassic period, when dinosaurs inhabited the Earth. They are an important missing link between the early lampreys and the 31 species that survive today.
Early lamprey fossils from the Paleozoic era, around 360 million years ago, show smaller organisms, around an inch long, with underdeveloped feeding structures, implying they did not feed on blood or flesh.
Furthermore, unlike modern lampreys, which go through three distinct life stages, these ancient lampreys did not go through metamorphosis.
Insight Into Lamprey Evolution
The discovery sheds light on lamprey evolution, suggesting that their forefathers may have had a distinct feeding preference, focused on meat rather than blood. These ancient lampreys dispute the popular idea of lampreys as "water vampires" and provide significant insights into the adaptation and transformation of these fascinating creatures over millions of years.
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