Megalodon Shark tooth fossils

The Carcharocles megalodon was the largest known shark that ever lived on this earth. The impressive giant belongs to the mackerel shark family ((Lamniformes). In the meantime it is assumed that there is no direct relationship to the Great White Shark.

Due to the fossil tooth finds it is assumed that the largest specimen was impressive 20 meters long and had a calculated weight of 103 tons. On average, the megalodon reached a length of 14 - 18 meters.

According to the latest research, it lived between 3.6 and 20 million years ago (source: Robert Boessenecker (College of Charleston)). It is believed that several factors led to its extinction. Here, science is not yet in complete agreement. Among other things, the smaller and more agile great white shark, as well as the killer whales, are seen as food competitors and danger for the offspring of the giant megalodon. Furthermore, the whales, which were the preferred prey of the megalodon, evolved. The tail fins and the swimming musculature developed with you further, so that they became too fast for the large and thus more sluggish hunter. Furthermore, the whales migrated to the north and thus colder regions, where the megalodon could not follow.

The Carcharocles megalodon was distributed all over the world and there are fossil finds from all continents except the Arctic. The megalodon prefers warmer waters, especially for its offspring. The nurseries of the Megalodon were located in the Gatun Formation in Panama, the Peace River in Canada and the Bone Valley in Florida. Here were found clustered and almost exclusively small teeth of young animals. The only silent witnesses of its existence and past time are its fossil teeth.

18,2cm giant of a megalodon tooth