Sea creatures are so distant and different from what our eyes are used to seeing, that sometimes their descriptions balance between reality and fantasy. The megalodon shark is perhaps the clear example of this, since its size has been under speculation by many lovers of extraordinary theories. But according to science and its estimates, this must have been the actual size of the megalodon.
The megalodon is perhaps one of the most iconic ancient sea creatures that has gained great fame today. Whether by those who like prehistoric creatures such as dinosaurs and ancient sea creatures, or by the influence of Hollywood that has brought it to the present with its films. The truth is that it is one of the most recognized animals worldwide, despite the fact that it became extinct some time ago.
The great megalodon shark existed in the Cenozoic period, between 20 and 2.6 million years ago, but its existence is known thanks to fossil remains found in various areas. Its jaws prove the predation capacity of this enormous shark and its large teeth, which have also been found in various regions, prove that it was a large animal. However, for a long time its real dimensions were a mystery to science, until research deciphered the great prehistoric shark.
An approximation of actual size
According to researchers from the Universities of Swansea and Bristol, the true size of the megalodon was more than twice that of the white shark. The creature measured 16 meters long and its enormous head exceeded 4 meters in length. Its average dorsal fin averaged 1.62 meters and its tail was impressive, reaching 3.85 meters. With such dimensions, the megalodon must have had great force in its bite, with about ten tons of force capable of destroying with great skill.
For many years the megalodon has fascinated both marine life scholars and the general public. And there were already estimates about its size, although some were extremely oversized. Thanks to fossil teeth and jaw remains, and comparison with what was believed to be its most direct relative, the white shark, size estimates were developed.
But research in this regard has advanced a lot and the group of scientists from the Universities of Swansea and Bristol found a great revelation. In reality, the megalodon does not belong to the same family (Lamnidae) as the great white shark of today. Rather, it belonged to a now extinct family called Odontida, which separated from the Lamnidae during the Lower Cretaceous, between 115 and 145 million years ago.
Whatever the case, we now have a closer approximation of what the sheer size of the great megalodon shark may have been. A highly mysterious creature that has caught the attention of the scientific community. To think that animals of their caliber inhabited the depths of the ocean in the past undoubtedly raises the greatest unknowns.
References:
Cooper, J. Pimiento, C. Ferrón, H. (2020). Body dimensions of the extinct giant shark Otodus megalodon: a 2D reconstruction. Sci Rep 10, 14596. DOI