| Megalodon Temporal range: Early Miocene-Late Pliocene | |
|---|---|
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| An artist's (Arvalis) interpretation of Otodus megalodon | |
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| Jaws of Otodus megalodon | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Superorder: | Selachimorpha |
| Order: | Lamniformes |
| Family: | †Otodontidae |
| Genus: | †Otodus |
| Species: | †O. megalodon |
| Binomial name | |
| †Otodus megalodon Otodus megalodon | |
| Synonyms | |
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Otodus megalodon[1][2], colloquially named the Megalodon, meaning "big tooth", is a species of very large mackerel shark[3] that lived from the Miocene to the Pliocene. The largest estimate of the animal is up to 16-24 (52-82ft.) meters long, making it the biggest shark that ever lived, and one of the largest fishes ever. Megalodon is estimated to have a bite force of about 10.9-18.2 (12-20 ton) tonnes, which is the world's record for strongest bite force.
It went extinct at least 2 million years ago. Though 3.6 is a more mya is a more accurate time of extinction.[4]
Like the modern great white shark, Megalodon appears to have hunted primarily marine mammals. It may not have been related to the modern great white shark, but a closer relative to the modern makos. This theory states that the Megalodon was probably more closer relative to the mako shark than the great white shark; however, this is still on a debate.
In September 2020, scientists reconstructed and reveal the true size of Megalodon, it was about 52 feet long.
In November 2020, it was revealed that Megalodon nursed their young.
Discovery and Naming[]
The most common fossils of O. megalodon are its teeth. The diagnostic characters of O. megalodon teeth include: triangular shape, robust structure, large size, fine serrations, and visible v-shaped neck. The teeth of O. megalodon can measure over 9 inches in slant height or diagonal length, and are the largest in size of any known shark species.
Fossil vertebrae of O. megalodon have also been occasionally found.
The most notable example is a partially preserved but associated vertebral column of a single O. megalodon specimen, which was excavated from Belgium by M. Leriche in 1926.
This specimen comprises 150 vertebral centra, with the largest centra being 155 centimeters in diameter. However, scientists have claimed that considerably larger vertebral centra can be expected from O. megalodon.[7] Interestingly, a partially preserved but associated vertebral column of another O. megalodon specimen that was excavated from Gram clay, Denmark by Bendix-Almgeen in 1983. This specimen comprises 20 vertebral centra, with the largest centra being around 230 mm in diameter.
Description[]
Megalodon's size is speculative; it is not known, with serval speculations range from 10 meters to 15 meters; some even claim 20 meters!(This was later proven false) The size of the average Megalodon has been heavily downsized to 11 meters on average making it up much smaller than its cetacean rival (Livyatan) It has been estimated that the Megalodon's weight was anywhere from 25 tons to even 125 tons. The weight of the average Megalodon has been estimated to be 30 tons on average ±5. The biggest Megalodon has been estimated to be a massive 50 tons heavier than most medium sized baleen whales. Its teeth were 10 inches long. It's not known how large Megalodon actually was, for cartilage doesn't fossilize well. Megalodon's jaw strength was 18.2 metric tons, and it could swim at speeds of up to 15mph.
Its hunting process is thought to like that of a great white shark (ambushing prey from below), albeit that Megalodon preyed on much larger prey, such as small whales.
Megalodon shared their habitat and probably competed with Livyatan about 12-13 mya.
The Megalodon is now thought to more closely look like a lemon shark rather than a white shark.[5]
In popular culture[]
Megalodon is a very popular creature in pop culture. There are many, many theories speculating that it might be alive, but the majority have been disproved, as the Megalodon would have a rather large impact on the ecosystem with teeth everywhere, to baleen whales dying, to the Megalodon clashing with the sperm whale. The theory that the Megalodon might be alive in trenches 20,000 ft below the sea has been disproved as the pressure would kill anything that large, even sperm whales, not the mention the lack of food sources necessary to sustain such a large macropredator.
- A Megalodon appears the primary antagonist in the 2018 thriller/fantasy film The Meg. In the movie scientists studying the deep sea encounter the thought-to-be extinct Megalodon. The shark comes to the surface and wreaks havoc.
- Megalodons can be found in many cheap science fiction movies. Shark Attack 3: Megalodon, is based around the shark. In the movie sightings of a giant shark were witnessed around an island. The giant shark was found to be a juvenile Megalodon. Eventually the parent Megalodon was introduced into the film, but the film makers did not give the parent a consistent size throughout the movie. Amusingly enough, the shark was also shown to be able to roar, which no shark was capable of in real life. Overall, the film was very inaccurate on numerous aspects of a Megalodon. It was also in the movies Mega Shark vs Giant Octopus and Mega Shark vs Crocosaurus, being shown significantly larger than in real life. It's made appearances in the documentaries Jurassic Fight Club, Prehistoric: Washington D.C.
- Prehistoric: Los Angeles, Sea Monsters, Prehistoric Predators, and had its own show called Sharkzilla during Shark Week on Discovery Channel.
- In Jurassic World: The Game, Megalodon can be created as a legendary surface creature in aquatic park.
- In Jurassic Park Builder, Megalodon can be created in the Aquatic Park section. It can only be created by collecting a rare DNA sample from an aquatic expedition.
- A megalodon tooth from Colin Jurassic World: Dominion. Dr. Alan Grant's tent at his dig site contained photos and specimens of fossils, including a picture of megalodon teeth on a board.
- It appears in ARK: Survival Evolved. It is often mistaken for being undersized, with some players thinking they are only slightly larger than the real life great white shark. However, at a length of around 50 feet (15.2 m), it is roughly equivalent in size to more conservative estimates for Otodus megalodon, and dwarfs any real life great white.
- Gray, the main protagonist of E.J. Altbacker's Shark Wars book series, is a Megalodon.
- Megalodon made an appearance in the ROBLOX game called "Dinosaur Simulator". The bivalve Megalodon was previously been added as a joke towards players who wanted the giant shark to be added in the game.
- Megalodon also appeared in Jurassic Fight Club, where it was featured hunting Brygmophyseter.
Gallery[]
References[]
- ↑ https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/08912963.2016.1236795
- ↑ https://www.researchgate.net/publication/336168951_The_size_of_the_megatooth_shark_Otodus_megalodon_Lamniformes_Otodontidae_revisited
- ↑ https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7471939/
- ↑ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Megalodon
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/animals/extinct-species/megalodon-may-have-grown-up-to-80-feet-long-far-larger-than-previous-estimates