HomeLife StyleMegalodon may have been...

Megalodon may have been larger than we think

An illustration shows the large extinct shark megalodon, Otodus megalodon, preying on a seal in this picture obtained by Reuters on June 27, 2023. — Reuters

A new study has suggested that megalodons have been larger than we first thought, growing up to 80 feet (24.3 metres) long which is 15 feet (4.5m) longer than previous predictions.

The researchers said that these massive sharks may also have been more slender than originally believed, reported Live Science.

“Previous estimates using teeth to predict its size had the shark reaching about 18-20 metres total length (59-65 feet),” study co-author Phillip Sternes, an educator at SeaWorld San Diego, told Live Science.

Between around 20 million and 3.6 million years ago, Megalodon ruled the seas of ancient Earth.

As no complete megalodon (Otodus megalodon) skeletons have ever been found, so our knowledge of these behemoths comes from fossils of their vertebrae scales and teeth.

It is worth noting that the largest megalodon fossil ever found is a 36-foot-long (11m) section of its spine, which would have been located in the trunk of its body.

To build a better picture of just how big this giant shark was, researchers examined megalodon fossils and compared them with more than 150 living and extinct shark species in the new study, which was published on Sunday in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.

With the trunks of 145 modern and 20 extinct shark species, the researchers compared the proportions of the megalodon’s trunk.

Additionally, assuming that the megalodon was roughly proportional to the majority of other shark species, and extrapolating from the 36-foot (11m) trunk section, the researchers estimated that this individual may have had a 6-foot-long (1.8m) head and 12-foot-long (3.6m) tail, giving it a total length of 54 feet (16.4 metres).

It was also found by the researchers that the megalodon may have given birth to live young measuring 12 to 13 feet (3.6 to 3.9m) long.

Source link

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Most Popular

More from Author

- A word from our sponsors -

spot_img

Read Now

Khloe Kardashian slams ‘insulting’ half-sister label for Kendall, Kylie Jenner

Khloe Kardashian opened up about "insulting" half-sister label for Kendall Jenner and Kylie Jenner.In the recent episode of the...

Donald Trump raises ‘massive’ trade imbalance during Irish PM meeting

Raymona Crozier, Jessica Lawrence & Finn PurdyBBC News NIPA MediaHe added that Martin should "remind President Trump that Ireland, despite its small size, is one of the largest investors in the United States and one of the largest job creators in the United States"."On the one hand,...

Sakshi weds Ankit: First picture of Rishabh Pant’s sister’s wedding proves the royal wedding was one stylish affair |

Sakshi Pant, the stylish sister of Indian cricket sensation Rishabh Pant, tied the knot with London-based businessman Ankit Chaudhary in a breathtaking ceremony set against the picturesque hills of Mussoorie. Hosted at the opulent ITC Hotel, The Savoy, the wedding was a grand affair, attended...

EPA Cancels $20 Billion in Climate Grants

The Environmental Protection Agency said that it was canceling $20 billion in grants for climate and clean energy programs that have been frozen for weeks, a move that was labeled illegal by nonprofit groups that were supposed to receive the funds.The money has been caught in an...

Airline CEOs warn domestic travel demand is slowing

A Delta Airlines and American Airlines plane are seen at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, on July 1, 2023.Stefani Reynolds | AFP | Getty ImagesAirlines are cutting their first-quarter profit and sales estimates, warning that a weaker economic backdrop is weighing on travel demand.Ahead...

How bad could the tanker collision be for the environment?

Esme StallardClimate and science reporter, BBC NewsTom InghamClimate and science team, BBC NewsLee Whitaker/Getty ImagesEnvironmental organisations and the UK authorities are assessing how damaging the collision of an oil tanker and a cargo ship in the North Sea will be for marine species and nearby wildlife populations.It's...

“Buena Vista Social Club” serenades Broadway

Remember "Buena Vista Social Club," the album?  Even if you don't, now there's "Buena Vista Social Club," the musical, an exuberant blast from the past – old Cuban music for a new audience. The Broadway version is a stand-in for the city's corroded grandeur, and for the...