Ancient Fish's Mistake Unveils Evolutionary Skull Gap

Scientists have discovered an unusual fossil in Germany, where a fish had swallowed a large ammonite, a type of extinct cephalopod. This is the first known instance of a fish attempting to feed on an ammonite, and it likely resulted in the fish's demise. The well-preserved fossil provides valuable information about the ecosystem and the diet of the fish species, Pachycormus macropterus, which primarily preyed on soft-bodied squids as adults but fed on other fish as juveniles. The finding sheds light on the ancient food webs and highlights the importance of studying fossilized stomach contents to reconstruct prehistoric ecosystems accurately.