Squid Evolution
The squid as we know it today has evolved from some of the earliest known mollusks on Earth. This is based on the information that scientists have and the technology available to test it. There aren’t many remains of early squid found on the shores though for them to evaluate. This has made it harder for them to know with any real certainty what is going on around them.
Yet there is enough evidence to help them go through various theories. It is believed the earliest forms of squid are at least 60 million years of age. It is also known that they are highly adaptable to changing environments. They seem to do well both in warmer regions as well as in cooler ones. Therefore it is believed the different species ended up where they are as a matter of convenience and not survival.
The body formation of the squid doesn’t seem to have changed much though which means they haven’t had to evolve very much in order to survive. This is quite fascinating to researchers because it is a different story than what they often find with other types of animals out there. Yet it is also puzzling and that means they continue to strive to find all of the answers.
There are just too many holes in the information that is found out there. Filling in the blanks is a great way to make the connections. It is believed that can also help with identifying the other types of squid that are believed to be out there, just not yet identified.
There are some that believe we are way off base when it comes to the evolution of squid though. These individuals think that a lack of evidence means that they didn’t really exist back them. This controversy continues to come up and it can continue for a very long time if we don’t solve the problem by finding more evidence to substantiate claims one way or the other.
It is believed that there have been many different changes to the look of the squid due to evolution. These changes too place in order to offer a chance for survival of this creature. For example it is believed that what was once a foot on the squid eventually developed into the tentacles. This allowed the senses for the squid to magnify from what they were in the past.
It is also believed that the squid once featured a shell. This is based upon the fact that they do have what is known as the internal gladius. This is only found in mollusks that do have shells with the exception of the squid. The purpose of it is to offer support to the mantle. The muscles also attach to it to allow for freedom of movement as well as control over it.
To be honest, there isn’t much information out there about squid and their evolution process. There is records to indicate they have been around for a very long time. Yet there aren’t very many remains found of them. It is believed what would remain of them would be at the bottom of the ocean floors under the sediment.
It is virtually impossible for divers to know where to look for them due to the vast area of these bodies of water. Therefore we continue to hope that one day we will have the capability to get to these fossilized remains. They likely hold a great deal of information for us about the early squid and about how they evolved into the unique species we know them as today.
