Megalodon
MEG-ah-lo-don
- featured
Megalodon dates back around 20 million years to the Miocene period, and is one of the largest sharks ever to have existed - growing up to 15 metres in length and 50 tonnes in weight. Its name, which translates as ‘big tooth’ is self-explanatory: Megalodon has six rows of teeth that could grow up to seven inches in length.
Discovery
The exact nature of Megalodon’s initial discovery is unclear, although there are descriptions of its teeth dating back almost 2,500 years. The genus was formally described for the first time in 1835 by Swiss-American biologist Louis Agassi, based on detailed analysis of a number of teeth.
Palaeoecology
Megalodon is known to have existed across the entire world, with specimens recovered from every continent bar Antarctica. The genus preferred warmer waters so tended to stick to sub-tropical areas, although it was adapted to survive colder temperatures as well. With around 276 teeth in its impressive jaws, Megalodon was the apex predator of its environment, preying on everything from turtles to sperm whales.
Information
- Era
- Miocene
- Family
- Otodontidae
- Genus
- Megalodon
- height
- 4.3M
- length
- 15M
- weight
- 50T
- Diet
- Shark, Shoal
- Egg batch size
- 1 - 1
