We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Biology

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What Was the First Apex Predator?

Michael Anissimov
By
Updated: May 21, 2024
Views: 9,781
Share

An apex predator is a predator at the top of the food chain. An apex predator has no other predators, except for perhaps other members of its own species. Apex predators have been around for a long time, but not forever. Although there is some cursory evidence of limited predation during the Ediacaran period, about 570 million years ago, modern predation did not begin until the Cambrian period, about 542 million years ago. During this period, animals evolved hard shells and other signs of defense against predation. Obvious predators begin to appear in the fossil record.

The first known apex predator was the very odd invertebrate, Anomalocaris (meaning "anomalous shrimp"). For the time in which it lived, when most organisms were no more than a few inches in length, Anomalocaris was huge, ranging up to a meter (3.3 ft) in size. Anomalocaris had a large head, with two eyes on stalks, and two barbed feeding "arms" in front of its mouth which were 7 inches in length when fully extended. Its mouth, one of the oddest in nature, consisted of 32 overlapping plates arranged in a circle, resembling a slice of pineapple in appearance. These plates were tipped with barbed teeth, and extended all the way down the gullet.

Anomalocaris had a mode of locomotion similar to a cuttlefish -- it had two flexible lobes on either side of its body, which it undulated to move around or hover in place. This apex predator had a large lobster-like, fan-shaped tail. The fossil was initially very difficult to identify as three parts of Anomalocaris were discovered separately, and were all thought to be associated with different organisms until a complete body cast was found.

At the time, the majority of prey were affixed to the sea floor or wandered along it, although there were various cnidarians (relatives of jellyfish) and small trilobites swimming above the sea bottom. Anomalocaris would have used its huge eyes, among the first in the fossil record, to snatch various small animals and shove them into its cavernous mouth. Anomalocaris is thought to be an apex predator because of various adaptations that indicate its extreme specialization as a predator, and its comparatively large size. It would have consumed other, smaller predators, such as its fellow anomalocarids, and close relatives like Opabinia.

Share
All The Science is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Michael Anissimov
By Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All The Science contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology, astronomy, chemistry, and futurism to his articles. An avid blogger, Michael is deeply passionate about stem cell research, regenerative medicine, and life extension therapies. His professional experience includes work with the Methuselah Foundation, Singularity Institute for Artificial Intelligence, and Lifeboat Foundation, further showcasing his commitment to scientific advancement.
Discussion Comments
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov
Michael Anissimov is a dedicated All The Science contributor and brings his expertise in paleontology, physics, biology...
Learn more
Share
https://www.allthescience.org/what-was-the-first-apex-predator.htm
Copy this link
All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

All The Science, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.