Tag Archives: Megalodon

New research sheds light on the biological characteristics of megalodon

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Megatooth shark, Otodus Megalodonthe iconic shark is primarily represented by the enormous teeth of the Neogene fossil record, but the lack of well-preserved skeletal hampers an understanding of various aspects of its biology. In the new study, paleontologists reassessed some of their biological properties using a new approach, based on known vertebral specimens. Otodus Megalodon 165 species of extinction and 10 orders of living sharks. Their results show that Otodus Megalodon Their bodies were thin and could have reached about 24.3 m in length.

Otodus Megalodon It was extinct 3.6 million years ago. Image credit: Alex Boersma/PNAS.

Otodus MegalodonIt is also called Carcharocles MegalodonThis is a giant megatooth shark that lived in the oceans of the world from 23 to 3.6 million years ago.

This creature is usually portrayed as a super-sized monster in popular culture, with a recent example of science fiction films.

“Otodus Megalodon A professor, colleagues and colleagues at DePaul University said:

“Several vertebrae, pracoid scales, and tessellated cartilage fragments have also been reported to date.”

“However, the lack of a complete fossil specimen has led to uncertainty regarding the true size of this prehistoric shark.”

In their study, the authors examined incomplete vertebral specimens of Otodus MegalodonIt is composed primarily of trunk vertebrae, 11.1 m from the Miocene of Belgium. It was also a specimen of 165 species of extinction and living Neotheratia sharks.

“Assuming that Otodus Megalodon If there was a body plan that matched the majority of sharks, we determined that their head length and tail length accounted for about 16.6% and 32.6% of the total length, respectively,” they said.

“Because the Belgian specimen is 11.1 m, its head and tail were calculated to be about 1.8 m and 3.6 m in length, respectively, which specifically results in an estimated total length of 16.4 m. Otodus Megalodon Individual. “

“The largest vertebrae in a Belgian specimen is 15.5 cm in diameter, but estimated Otodus Megalodon Vertebrae with a diameter of 23 cm have been reported from Denmark. ”

“If a Danish vertebra represents the largest vertebra in the body, that individual could have measured approximately 24.3 m in length.”

Based on a comparison of their body proportions, they have a body shape Otodus Megalodon It probably looked like a modern lemon shark on the surface (Negaprion Brevillo Stris), has a slender body than the great white sharks of modern times.

They also have huge modern sharks, such as whale sharks.Rhincodon Types) And the shark was exposed (Cetorhinus Maximus), like many other giant aquatic vertebrates like whales, they have slender bodies, as their large stubborn bodies are hydrodynamically inefficient for swimming.

In contrast, dark white sharks that become even more severe as they grow can grow larger, but are not huge (below 7 m) due to hydrodynamic constraints.

“Our new research solidified that idea. Otodus Megalodon “We've been working hard to get the better of our team,” said Phillip Sternes, educator at SeaWorld San Diego.

“What distinguishes our research from all previous papers on body size and shape estimation Otodus Megalodon Jakewood, a doctoral student at Florida Atlantic University, added:

According to the team, it is 24.3 m long. Otodus Megalodon It weighs approximately 94 tons and estimates of cruising speeds of 2.1-3.5 km/h.

“The growth patterns recorded in Belgian vertebral specimens are Otodus Megalodon A newborn about 3.6-3.9 m long was given birth to a newborn, and the embryos were nourished through egg-eating behavior,” the author said.

“A known fossil record with newly inferred additional growth patterns Otodus Megalodon And the white shark lineage supports the idea that the rise of the great white shark likely played a role in the ultimate end mise about five million years ago. Otodus Megalodon For competition. ”

“Many interpretations we have made are still tentative, but they are data-driven and serve as a reasonable reference point for future research into the biology of Otodus MegalodonProfessor Shimada said.

study Published online in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.

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Shimada Mana et al. 2025. Reassessment of the size, shape, weight, cruising speed and growth parameters of extinct megatooth sharks; Otodus Megalodon (Lamniformes: Otodontidae), and new evolutionary insights into its giants, life history strategies, ecology, and extinction. Palaeontologia Electronica 28(1): A12; doi: 10.26879/1502

Source: www.sci.news

Could the massive fish lizard be the largest marine reptile ever found, surpassing the megalodon in size?

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Forget about megalodons being scary, there’s a new prehistoric creature in town with jaws that may rival Meg’s in power, making it the largest marine reptile ever identified on Earth.

The giant jawbone of this beast measures over 2 meters (6.6 feet), allowing for a bite force strong enough to crush bones. In comparison, the jawbone of a megalodon, which was about the same size, measured only 0.5 meters (1.6 feet).

Experts believe that this massive new ichthyosaur species was a staggering 25 meters (82 feet) long, similar in size to a modern blue whale. (Megalodon was about 15-20 meters, or 65 feet in length).

The fossilized remains of this creature were found on the Somerset coast.

The research team named this new species Ichthyotitan severnensis, meaning “Giant Fish Lizard of the Severn.” These bones date back to around 202 million years ago, towards the end of the Triassic period, just before the dinosaur extinction event.

The first jawbone of this mysterious species was discovered in 2016, with this recent find confirming its existence.

Dr. Dean Lomax, a paleontologist at the University of Manchester, expressed excitement about the discovery, hoping that more complete specimens may be found in the future.

Lomax and his team compared the two jawbones and found shared unique features, indicating they were from the same geological period.

Ruby Reynolds, an 11-year-old girl, discovered a new salangular on the beach in 2020, leading to further discoveries by her and her team, including the final piece of the jawbone in 2022.

Now 15, Ruby Reynolds has contributed to naming the new species and is already a published scientist, listed as a contributor to research in the journal PLoS ONE.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Megalodon differed from a giant great white shark

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The real megalodon may have been longer and slimmer than this illustration.

Kathmandu/Shutterstock

A new analysis of fossil evidence reveals that the megalodon, an ancient shark often depicted as a super-sized great white, was actually a very different beast. A team of shark scientists concluded that this fearsome predator was longer, thinner and hunted in a different way.

He is well known for his depiction of “. meg movie franchise, Otodus megalodon It became extinct about 3.5 million years ago. It was one of the largest marine predators of all time, but no complete skeleton has ever been found, so we don’t know exactly how big it was.

2022 survey by jack cooper Doctors from Swansea University, UK, et al. IRSNB P 9893, It is housed at the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences in Brussels. They found it to be a stocky, powerful shark, similar to the great white shark, built to attack at breakneck speeds to attack its prey.carcharodon carcharius) current –?? but at 15.9 meters long, it is about three times longer.

charles underwood Researchers from Birkbeck, University of London, said the study made “tenuous assumptions” about megalodon’s size, mainly based on the fact that it has teeth similar to great white sharks, although it is much larger. ing. He is part of a group of 26 shark experts aiming to set the record straight with new research.

Underwood said Cooper’s team didn’t realize how incomplete the partial skeleton was. The vertebrae lack the typical size of a shark, tapering toward both the tail and the head, indicating that much of the vertebrae are missing, he said.

The researchers of the new study say that the strength of the spinal column suggests a slender body shape than the great white shark, which would make megalodon sharks very unwieldy.

“It almost certainly doesn’t feed like modern great white sharks,” Underwood said. “You wouldn’t just hover over the ocean floor, wait for the whale to move over it, and then hit the whale from below and basically tear it apart. It’s better than an ambush predator. , you’re going to need more straight-line tracking, longer tracking, because you don’t have top speed. You don’t have acceleration.”

Based on other partial fossils, the largest known specimen of Megalodon was estimated to be 20 meters long. Mr. Underwood believes that it was actually 20% longer than him, and that he was 24 meters long.

But Professor Cooper dismissed the new study as too simplistic, favoring a reconstruction of a shorter, stockier megalodon. “The bottom line is, no matter which theory you support about its body shape, it was a very large shark,” he says. “Of course, a complete skeleton would go a long way in helping us learn more. But I also don’t think we should think that this settles all debates about this very charismatic animal.”

However, the chances of finding a complete, well-preserved specimen may be low. eva stewart A professor at Britain’s Southampton University, who was not involved in the study, said he had recovered many megalodon teeth while searching for a new living species, but had seen no sign of a more complete specimen.

“I think the rest of the skeleton is just not well preserved,” she says. “For megalodon, there’s actually no fossil evidence at all.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

New Study Claims Megalodon Sharks Were Not as Powerful as Previously Believed

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A recent study suggests that the megalodon’s body shape might not have been as chunky as previously thought. Contrary to popular belief, researchers now suspect that this prehistoric fish, also known as the megalodon (Otodus megalodon), may have had a more elongated form, akin to modern slim sharks.

The typical estimation of the megalodon’s length is between 15 to 20 meters (50 to 65 feet), and they inhabited the earth’s oceans from 15 million to 3.6 million years ago. However, the fossil record contains limited evidence of the megalodon, mainly consisting of teeth and vertebrae rather than intact skeletons.

While previous estimates of its body size were based on the bodies of contemporary great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharius), resulting in the assumption of a thick and round body shape, a new study published in the Old Trogia Electronica journal suggests that the megalodon was more than just a larger version of the great white shark. The study contends that the animal may have had similarities to the slimmer modern mako shark.

So what’s the controversy?

Essentially, two groups of scientists are at odds over the actual size and shape of the megalodon.

A study led by scientists from DePaul University and the University of California, Riverside (UCR) employed a CT scanner on a live great white shark to compare its vertebral skeleton to existing reconstructions of the megalodon’s spinal column. This study suggests significant enough differences between the two sharks to propose that the megalodon was not merely a larger great white shark.

However, a UK-based research team utilized advanced 3D modeling to study the body structures of various shark species, including great whites, mako sharks, and salmon sharks. With this approach, they concluded that the megalodon may have been even larger than previously anticipated, with a dorsal fin comparable in size to an adult’s height.

The earlier study’s authors critiqued the new findings, asserting that they rely on circular logic and lack statistical validation. They also mentioned the absence of raw data for future researchers to verify or reproduce the study’s results. Their study was peer-reviewed by prominent shark experts from around the world, although not by the authors of the new study.

Yeah, but…can Jason Statham still defeat Megalodon?

Regardless of the megalodon’s shape, the lifespan and dietary habits of this extinct shark remain unclear. To further advance their understanding, researchers will need to find a complete or near-complete skeleton. The potential elongated body of the megalodon, if confirmed, could prompt a reassessment of its life, diet, and extinction causes.

As for the debate over the megalodon’s size and shape, the fact that it was a large, formidable predator is indisputable. However, the question of whether Jason Statham could defeat it in battle remains up for discussion.

“Even with the interpretation of the megalodon’s shape as more slender, I don’t think the odds for that matchup will change significantly,” Cooper stated. “Regardless of which theory you favor, whether the shark was fat or skinny, the short answer is that megalodon was still a very large shark. Either way, it’s a massive challenge for Statham.”

About our experts

Jack Cooper is a postdoctoral researcher in palaeontology at Swansea University. His research covers scientific report, scientific progress and the Fish Biology Journal.

Professor Catalina Pimiento is a Senior Lecturer in Paleontology at Swansea University. Her research specializes in Frontiers of ecology and evolution, natural ecology and evolution, and scientific progress.

Professor John Hutchinson is Professor of Evolutionary Biomechanics at the Royal Veterinary College. His research spans nature communications, anatomy journal, and scientific progress.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com