Megalodons are extinct. They died out about 3.5 million years ago. And scientists know this because, once again, they looked at the teeth.
Is the megalodon still alive? 'No. It's definitely not alive in the deep oceans, despite what the Discovery Channel has said in the past,' notes Emma. 'If an animal as big as megalodon still lived in the oceans we would know about it.'
Current estimates say that the megalodon officially went extinct around 3.6 million years ago during the early Pliocene period, although it could have been a little bit after when the last stragglers officially died off.
It's thought that megalodon sharks became extinct in part due to climate change: as oceans grew colder, they may not have been able to regulate their temperatures as needed. Lack of prey could be behind the megalodon's extinction, as many marine animals and fish could not survive the cold temperatures.
This data suggests that mature adult megalodons had a mean length of 10.2 metres (about 33.5 feet), the largest specimens measuring 17.9 metres (58.7 feet) long. Some scientists, however, contend that the largest forms may have measured up to 25 metres (82 feet) long.
Megalodon vs.
When it comes to size, the blue whale dwarfs even the largest megalodon estimates. It's believed blue whales can reach a maximum length of 110 feet (34 meters) and weigh up to 200 tons (400,000 pounds!).
Internet rumors persist that modern-day megalodons exist – that they still swim around in today's oceans. But that's not true. Megalodons are extinct. They died out about 3.5 million years ago.
Megalodon, the biggest shark that ever lived, may have been killed off thanks to the success of the great white, new research suggests. A study of elemental traces in their teeth implies the huge sea monster faced competition for resources from its smaller and more nimble rival, say scientists.
The second biggest shark in the world is the basking shark
While they don't get quite as large as whale sharks, the largest one ever reliably measured was 12.27 metres or just over 40 feet long. This is enough to net them the title of the world's second-largest shark.
It was 46 years old when it died. They estimate its length to have been 30 feet. Some megalodons are estimated to have been much larger―as long as 50 feet. Using the data from this study, together with previous research, the researchers concluded that the potential lifespan of megalodons was 88-100 years.
Even though megalodons and dinosaurs are both extinct, they never coexisted. The dinosaurs died out about 66 million years ago. Megalodons came later. The oldest megalodon fossils are from the Miocene Epoch, which began 23 million years ago.
The largest shark alive is a whale shark, according to the Smithsonian. It is also considered the largest fish in the world, says the Natural History Museum. Whale sharks can reach 60 feet in length, says Smithsonian, and on average, these fish weigh 20.6 tons, according to livescience.com.
First of all, blue whales are significantly larger than megalodons. The largest blue whale ever weighed 418,878 pounds (more than 200 tons) while average blue whales weigh more than 100 tons. In addition, megalodons were sexually dimorphic, which means the females were significantly larger than males.
As in humans, the size and shape of shark teeth vary depending on where they're located in the mouth, and megalodon teeth are most often found as standalone fossils. Megalodon teeth can be up to 7 inches long and were specialized for feeding on large, fleshy prey, such as whales and dolphins.
Leedsichthys problematicus, meaning "Alfred Leed's problem-causing fish", was another prehistoric ocean giant. Estimates put Leedsichthys at approximately 16.5m long, substantially larger than the average Megalodon.
Mature megalodons likely did not have any predators, but newly birthed and juvenile individuals may have been vulnerable to other large predatory sharks, such as great hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna mokarran), whose ranges and nurseries are thought to have overlapped with those of megalodon from the end of the Miocene and ...
The Godzilla Shark is a unique and fascinating creature. At 6.7 feet long, this shark was one of the largest of its kind during its lifetime. By comparison, many modern sharks are much bigger. Yet this ancient shark was massive for its time.
The Otodus megalodon, commonly called the megalodon, is famous for its massive size. Weighing up to 50 tons and measuring up to about 60 feet in length, the meg was the largest shark ever to exist.
Without sharks as apex predators, the entire ocean ecosystem could fall out of balance. They not only maintain the species below them in the food chain, but also indirectly maintain seagrass and coral reef habitats.
"Megalodon was not only a very big coastal shark that would definitely have been seen by now, it was also an apex predator higher on the food web than any living marine predator. As such, it would've been a huge influence on ocean ecosystems," he explained.
So, it's not currently scientifically possible to bring back a dinosaur.
In its heyday, the megalodon was a force to be reckoned with. These gargantuan chompers first arose around 15.9 million years ago as one of the last strongholds of a now-extinct lineage of megatooth sharks.
Then around 3.6 million years ago, Earth's biggest shark disappeared. Most of the shark's skeleton was composed of cartilage, which rapidly decays and doesn't leave behind fossils. Now, all that remains of the magnificent megalodon are teeth, vertebrae and petrified poop.
At a length of more than 50 feet (15 metres) and a mass of nearly 50 tons (tonnes), Megalodon was both larger and heavier than Tyrannosaurus rex.