What is the Mesozoic marine revolution?
Q: What is the Mesozoic marine revolution?
A: The Mesozoic marine revolution was a significant change in seafloor life during the Mesozoic era characterized by the evolution of sea-floor predators that ate shellfish.
Q: Who coined the term Mesozoic marine revolution?
A: Vermeij, a paleontologist, came up with the term Mesozoic marine revolution after studying changes in seafloor invertebrates for years.
Q: Which groups of animals evolved into sea-floor predators during the Mesozoic era?
A: Starfish, gastropods, and crabs evolved into sea-floor predators during the Mesozoic era.
Q: What were the primary types of shellfish eaten by these predators?
A: The sea-floor predators fed on brachiopods and bivalves, which were abundant during the Mesozoic era.
Q: How do crabs break open shells to eat the shellfish inside?
A: Crabs break shells by using force.
Q: What methods do various types of gastropods use to consume shellfish?
A: Various types of gastropods have adapted methods to get into shells, including boring through shells, making holes in the shell and putting in a paralyzing or relaxing substance, and working on small cracks in the edge of the shell.
Q: Were there any vertebrate predators of shellfish during the Mesozoic era?
A: Yes, some vertebrate predators of shellfish lived during the Mesozoic era, including placodonts, ichthyosaurs, and mosasaurs that had flat shell-crushing teeth.
