Cephalopods, Earth's first truly substantial animals, are still among us. Their fascinating family tree is a whose-who of squid, octopus, cuttlefish, nautilus, ammonites and their brethren. They number more than 800 species with new species still being found.
As the inventors of swimming, cephalopods presided over the sea for millions of years. When fish eventually evolved jaws, a marine superpower, the cephalopods had to up their game.
Some cephalopods evolved defensive spikes. Others abandoned their shells entirely, opening the floodgates for a tidal wave of innovation — masterful camouflage, fin-supplemented jet propulsion, ink-spraying and intelligence we have yet to fully understand.
How did this Apex Predator of our ancient seas become the world's tastiest snack? We'll talk through the science of these wonderful adaptations then open up the floor to questions.
Danna is a wealth of knowledge with a strong sense of curiosity and play. If you have a pressing question on Lovecraft’s Cthulhu Mythos, what was going on with the heteromorphs or if squid originated from space (gosh, are they aliens?) then this is your chance to satisfy your curiosity.
Danna's talk will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube for all to re-watch at their leisure. We are super excited to kick-off the 2022 Palaeontological Lecture Series with Danna. Her talk is sure to delight.
Join us this afternoon, Sunday, February 13, 2022, at 2PM PST. Visit www.fossiltalksandfieldtrips.com to see the full 2022 Lecture Season and access the free Zoom link to her talk.
ABOUT DANNA STAAF
For her PhD, Danna studied baby squid at Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University. She is a delightful science educator who writes about science, with a particular penchant for marine biology. She also writes science fiction and fantasy. Sometimes writes for grown-ups and sometimes for kids.
She is a talented artist who draws comics, technical illustrations, calligraphy, and origami. She lives in San Jose, California, with her husband, kids, cats, plants and likely a lot of art supplies. You can find her on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook. I have added all her social links and links to her books and newsletter on the Fossil Talks & Field Trips site. Enjoy!
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