Uncovering Ancient Deep-Sea Vertebrates through Unique Trace Fossils

Rare trace fossils discovered in 130-million-year-old rocks provide the earliest evidence of deep-sea fishes, pushing back their colonization of the abyssal plain by 80 million years. These fossils, found in the northwest Apennines, Italy, represent the earliest deep-sea vertebrates and shed light on the colonization of the deep sea by vertebrates. The fossils reveal the activity of fishes on a dinosaur-age sea floor thousands of meters deep, providing insights into the adaptations and behaviors of these pioneers of the abyss. The discovery challenges previous understanding of the factors that triggered the colonization of the deep sea and offers fundamental clues about the beginnings of vertebrate evolution in this habitat.