Megalodon

Otodus megalodon

Type: Fish - Shark Litter size: Unknown Other common names: meg Life span: 88-100 years (Estimated) years Diet description: Large marine mammals, particularly great whales, large fish, other sharks Max length: 18 – 20 metres, but rarely exceeded 14-15 metres Habitat and range: Thought to be a cosmopolitan species – fossil teeth have been found on every continent except Antarctica. Restricted to warm waters. Relative size: Image IUCN status: Extinct (EX) - Extinct (EX)
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Illustration by Katerina Sonntagova | © Save Our Seas Foundation
Illustration by Katerina Sonntagova | © Save Our Seas Foundation

Identification

Although it is hard to know for certain, it is thought that megalodon had a similar body shape to other sharks in its order, Lamniformes, the mackerel sharks. They had a blunt rostrum, a flat jaw and possibly long pectoral fins (like blue sharks) to support it’s immense weight and size. For some time, it was a popular theory that megalodon was related to great white sharks and so many reconstructions depict them as an enormous version of the great white, but this has now been proven to be incorrect – the megalodon comes from an entirely different lineage and likely looked different to the great white.

Special Behaviour

As the most powerful ocean predator to have ever existed, megalodon was an active hunter of large whales. Tooth marks on the tail and fin bones of whales show tooth marks, and suggest megalodon attempted to immobilise its prey before feeding.

Reproduction

Very little is known about the reproduction and life history of megalodon. From similar species and estimates of its lifespan, scientists believe that megalodon was slow to reproduce and took a long time to reach maturity. Collections of juvenile teeth at certain sites – like the Gatun Formation in Panama – imply these sharks had nursery grounds in shallower waters, like modern day sharks. Analysis of these teeth also suggest that megalodon had the largest neonate size of any shark species, of up to 2 metres in total length.

Habitat and Geographical Range

Megalodon teeth have been found on every continent except Antarctica, showing they had a global distribution. It is thought they were adapted to tropical and sub-tropical waters with warmer temperatures.

Image

Diet Description

Megalodon preyed on large whales, fish and other sharks. It was an apex predator.

Threats

It is thought that megalodon went extinct because of global cooling. As the sea temperatures cooled, megalodon would have lost suitable habitat and prey, and its range would have shrunk dramatically as it was limited by its warm water niche. Equally, ice forming at the poles and lowering sea levels would have destroyed nursery areas.

Some scientists believe that megalodon was also in competition with other sharks, including the ancestor of the great white.

Relationships with Humans

Megalodon went extinct long before humans arrived on the scene. The latest known fossil is dated to 3.6 million years ago – our own species, Homo sapiens, showed up just 300, 000 years ago. However, humans have long retained a fascination for megalodon, and they are the feature of many documentaries and films.

Want more? Head over to the Megalodon Topic for more on this incredible prehistoric shark species. 

References

Herraiz, J.L., Ribé, J., Botella, H., Martínez-Pérez, C. and Ferrón, H.G., 2020. Use of nursery areas by the extinct megatooth shark Otodus megalodon (Chondrichthyes: Lamniformes). Biology letters, 16(11), p.20200746.

Pimiento, C. and Balk, M.A., 2015. Body-size trends of the extinct giant shark Carcharocles megalodon: a deep-time perspective on marine apex predators. Paleobiology, 41(3), pp.479-490

Cooper, J.A., Pimiento, C., Ferrón, H.G. and Benton, M.J., 2020. Body dimensions of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon: a 2D reconstruction. Scientific reports, 10(1), pp.1-9.

Wroe, S., Huber, D.R., Lowry, M., McHenry, C., Moreno, K., Clausen, P., Ferrara, T.L., Cunningham, E., Dean, M.N. and Summers, A.P., 2008. Three‐dimensional computer analysis of white shark jaw mechanics: how hard can a great white bite?. Journal of Zoology, 276(4), pp.336-342.

Pimiento, C., Ehret, D.J., MacFadden, B.J. and Hubbell, G., 2010. Ancient nursery area for the extinct giant shark Megalodon from the Miocene of Panama. PLoS one, 5(5), p.e10552.

Shimada, K., 2021. The size of the megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae), revisited. Historical Biology, 33(7), pp.904-911.

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