"Controversial Fossil Discovery Shakes Up Lamprey Evolutionary History"

Researchers have discovered two rare fossil lampreys from the Jurassic period in northern China, challenging our understanding of lamprey evolution. The fossils, including the largest fossil lamprey ever found, reveal that these ancient lampreys were flesh eaters, contrary to the belief that their ancestors fed on blood. The study also suggests that the Jurassic period was a crucial time for lamprey evolution, as the emergence of advanced teleost fishes with thinned scales provided an evolutionary opportunity for lampreys to grow larger and adapt to environmental shifts. Additionally, the findings indicate that modern lampreys likely originated in the Southern Hemisphere during the Late Cretaceous, contradicting previous assumptions about their geographic origin.