A groundbreaking study has revealed that the megalodon, the largest shark ever to swim Earth’s oceans, could have grown to a staggering 80 feet in length, far exceeding previous estimates of 50 to 65 feet. Published in Palaeontologia Electronica, the study involved scientists from 28 countries and offers new insights into the body shape and behavior of this ancient predator.
Contrary to earlier assumptions that the megalodon resembled a giant version of the great white shark, the research suggests the shark had a more streamlined, slender body, similar to that of the lemon shark. This new body structure implies that the megalodon moved more efficiently through the water than previously thought.
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Phillip Sternes, an educator at SeaWorld San Diego and a co-author of the study, emphasized that the megalodon was not just a larger great white shark. “It was more closely related to different types of sharks that are around today,” he said, highlighting the evolutionary distinctions.
The research also sheds light on the shark’s extinction around 3 million years ago, suggesting that the rise of great white sharks may have contributed to the megalodon’s demise due to competition for resources.
Using fossilized teeth and vertebrae, researchers estimated the megalodon’s size, with some fossils indicating it could have been up to 15 feet longer than previously thought. One of the largest fossil vertebrae, measuring 9 inches in diameter, supports this claim. Additionally, scientists proposed that newborn megalodons could have been as long as 13 feet at birth, much larger than previously believed.
The study also hints that the megalodon’s enormous size may have limited its ability to adapt to environmental changes, playing a key role in its extinction.
