![]() That may seem like an awful lot of food, but it isn't as much as you might think. However, it is unlikely that the megalodon would have to eat such large meals very often.īased on its size and swimming speed, the researchers estimate that the megalodon would have used around 98,000 calories every day, which is around 20 times more than a great white shark requires. For example, previous research suggested that the megalodon may have taken bites of sperm whales' faces rather than eating the entire animal. The megalodon may also have hunted larger prey, but if it did, it would have been unable to eat the entirety of its meal - in which case it may have chosen to eat the best parts. Given the size of the megalodon's massive mouth, the gigantic predator could have consumed prey this large in as few as five bites, according to the study. Therefore, the largest prey item the megalodon could consume on an empty stomach was probably anything similar in size to living orcas ( Orcinus orca), which can grow to around 26 feet (8 m) long and weigh around 6.6 tons (6 metric tons). If the megalodon's stomach took up a similar proportion of its body as the stomachs of living apex sharks, such as great whites, the team thinks the behemoth's belly could have had a volume of around 2,537 gallons (9,605 liters), which is the equivalent to around 60 bathtubs. (Image credit: Shutterstock) (opens in new tab) However, it is unclear what its maximum speed may have been.Įstimating the size of the megalodon also helped the researchers to gain a better understanding of the enormous predator's diet.Ī size comparison between a megalodon tooth (left) and a great white shark tooth (right). The results showed that the megalodon could theoretically travel at an average cruising speed of around 3.1 mph (5 km/h), which is faster than any living shark. The model also showed that the giant shark's mouth was likely around 5.6 feet (1.7 m) wide, and its bite was between 3.9 and 5.9 feet (1.2 and 1.8 m) high, depending on how wide it opened its jaw.Īfter working out the megalodon's size and mass, the researchers then compared it with 28 species of living sharks to estimate how quickly it could swim. Past estimates had suggested that megalodon could grow to a maximum length of around 66 feet (20 m), which may still have been possible, the researchers wrote.īased on the model, the estimated mass of the megalodon was a whopping 67.9 tons (61.6 metric tons), which is the same as around 10 African elephants. For context, the world's largest living shark, the whale shark ( Rhincodon typus), normally grows to a maximum length of around 33 feet (10 m) and great white sharks max out at around 16 feet (5 m) long. The 3D model revealed that the megalodon was likely around 52 feet (16 meters) long. The scientists then combined these data to create a digitally reconstructed 3D megalodon that researchers could use to peer into the secret lives of the giant beast. The team then used body scans of a great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias) to fill in the gaps and estimate the amount of soft tissue that would have surrounded megalodon's bones. to create a rough blueprint of the megalodon's skeleton. In the new study, researchers combined measurements from an exceptionally well-preserved vertebral column uncovered in Belgium and a set of teeth found in the U.S. As a result, scientists actually know very little about this apex predator. Like modern sharks, megalodon had a cartilaginous skeleton, which does not easily fossilize, so most of what we know about the ancient leviathan comes from its fossilized teeth, which are around 6 inches (15 centimeters) long, and a few well-preserved vertebrae. It first emerged around 23 million years ago and went extinct about 2.6 million years ago, likely due to the emergence of great white sharks. The megalodon ( Otodus megalodon) was the largest shark to ever swim through Earth's oceans. ![]()
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