Megalodon

[Apex Titan]

Recent studies & research (2021-2022) show that Megalodon was even larger and more formidable than previously thought. This giant shark reached 20 meters in length, occupied the absolute highest trophic level than any other marine predator of all time and was so massive, it could completely devour the largest killer whales in just five quick bites, and swallow a large great white shark whole!

The research also indicates that no creature, no matter what size, (including other large predators) were safe from the megalodon. It was the undisputed top apex predator of the ocean and dominated and ruled the ocean, preying on all animals, even other large predators.

Megalodon Sat Higher Up The Food Chain Than Any Other Ocean Predator Ever

Everything was a catch of the day to the megalodons.

The megalodon – aka megatooth shark, Otodus megalodon – was a mighty beast that once roamed the ancient oceans. They were larger than any other predatory sharks at the time, reaching a whopping 16 meters (52 feet). For comparison, the current biggest predatory fish in the ocean are female white sharks, averaging 4.5 meters (15 feet). 

Unfortunately for them (but fortunately for many marine animals), the megalodon went extinct 3.6 million years ago. In a new study published in Science Advances, scientists revealed that the megalodon occupied the highest trophic level (the position of an organism in a food web) than any other ocean predator, living or extinct. 

https://www.iflscience.com/megalodon-tee...hain-64167


What did Megalodon eat? Anything it wanted — including other predators

New Princeton research shows that prehistoric megatooth sharks, the biggest sharks that ever lived, were apex predators at the highest level ever measured.

A team of Princeton researchers has now discovered clear evidence that Megalodon and some of its ancestors were at the very highest rung of the prehistoric food chain – what scientists call the highest “trophic level.” Indeed, their trophic signature is so high that they must have eaten other predators and predators-of-predators in a complicated food web, say the researchers.

https://www.princeton.edu/news/2022/06/2...-predators

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/scia...ookieSet=1

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.add2674


The extinct shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic superpredator: Inferences from 3D modeling

We used an exceptionally well-preserved fossil to create the first three-dimensional model of the body of this giant shark and used it to infer its movement and feeding ecology. We estimate that an adult O. megalodon could cruise at faster absolute speeds than any shark species today and fully consume prey the size of modern apex predators. A dietary preference for large prey potentially enabled O. megalodon to minimize competition and provided a constant source of energy to fuel prolonged migrations without further feeding. Together, our results suggest that O. megalodon played an important ecological role as a transoceanic superpredator. Hence, its extinction likely had large impacts on global nutrient transfer and trophic food webs.

https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.abm9424

*This image is copyright of its original author

Ancient megalodon was so massive it could've snacked on killer whales, scientists say

We're going to need a bigger boat — maybe something like a cruise ship.

Scientists recently discovered just how massive an ancient shark might've been. It is freaking staggering. The otodus megalodon — you know, the infamous meg you've likely heard of — was so large it could have snacked on orcas, colloquially known as killer whales. That's according to a new study, published in Science Advances, that made a 3D model of what the shark likely looked like by using an "exceptionally well-preserved fossil."

In short, and I'm taking some liberties here, the researchers concluded the megalodon was an absolute unit that was the unquestioned master of the entire ocean.

"We estimate that an adult O. megalodon could cruise at faster absolute speeds than any shark species today and fully consume prey the size of modern apex predators," the researchers wrote.

Just how big the megalodon was is pretty difficult to comprehend. The shark, which cruised Earth 23 to 2.6 million years ago, likely could've swallowed a large great white in a single bite. Researchers think a large megalodon grew up to 20 meters long. That's a shark nearly the size of an 18-wheeler. It could eat the largest current-day killer whale (around 26 feet) in five quick bites,  one of the researchers wrote.

The new 3D model was an important step forward in researching the megalodon, which has remained somewhat of a mystery to scientists. Their bodies were largely made of cartilage, which means fossils — except for massive teeth — are rare. But now we have a better picture of just how massive, and impressive, the ancient animals really were.

https://sea.mashable.com/life/21190/anci...ntists-say


In a new 3D modelling study published this week in Science Advances, we show that the giant extinct shark, Otodus megalodon, was a true globetrotting super-predator.

*This image is copyright of its original author

It was capable of covering vast distances in short order, and could eat the largest of modern living super-predators, the killer whale, in five gargantuan bites. It could have swallowed a great white shark whole.

Based on other isolated fossil vertebrae, it’s likely the largest megalodon grew to 20 metres in length. We further determined that the Belgian specimen’s maximum gape was around 1.8 metres and that its stomach could have held 9.5 cubic metres of food.

This suggests it could have entirely consumed the largest of living killer whales (around 8 metres) in just five bites.

Hypothetically, it could have eaten another iconic super-predator, the Tyrannosaurus rex, in just three bites. As for great white sharks, a megalodon could have swallowed a large one whole.

Results from our analysis of energetics suggest that having eaten a big killer whale for breakfast, this megalodon could have travelled around 7,000km before needing to feed again.

In short, our results show that megalodon really was the super-predator it’s been cracked up to be, and more.

No creature, no matter its size, was safe from the jaws of this super shark. Its extinction likely sent tremendous cascading effects through marine environments of the time.

https://theconversation.com/ancient-mega...als-188749


Faster than today’s sharks and swallowing them whole

Not only was the otodus megalodon big but it was fast for its size. It was capable of reaching speeds of 10.3 m/s, allowing it to travel great distances across the ocean in a short amount of time. The research showed that it could swim seven times faster than the largest sharks of today such as the whale shark.

*This image is copyright of its original author

It’s teeth have been measured to be up to 18 centimeters long. This allowed it to chow down on species in similar size to the humpback whale and blue whale, the biggest mammal on Earth today. It could eat a killer whale in just five bites and swallow a great white shark whole.

https://www.esquireme.com/news/extinct-m...enhungrier Reply