What is a Megalodon?

Answer 1

A giant prehistoric shark that probably lived between about 5 to 1.6 million years ago.

The megalodon is known principally from fossil teeth and a few fossilized vertebral centra. Like other modern sharks, the skeleton of megalodon was of cartilage and not bone, resulting in the poor skeletal fossil record. However, megalodon's large teeth have survived the ages. The teeth are in many ways similar to great white shark teeth and can measure up to 168 mm (6.61 in) long (maximum slant length).

Recent studies cited by Roesch (see external links below) suggest megalodon was a "close relative" of the great white shark. However, a growing number of researchers dispute this close great white shark–megalodon relationship, instead citing convergent evolution as the reason for the dental similarity. Nevertheless, it is extrapolations from the tooth size of megalodon to modern sharks that provide us with our conceptions about what this ancient superpredator was like.

The best-educated estimates of this creature's maximum size range from 12 to 16 m (40 to 52 ft) (previous much larger reconstructions of the shark's size, up to about 30 m (100 ft), are now generally considered inaccurate). From the size of this shark, its weight is estimated as high as 60 tonnes, though 20 to 30 tonnes was more likely. Assuming similar metabolic-weight ratios as the great white shark, it is estimated that a large megalodon would need to eat about one-fiftieth of its weight of food on average per day. From our knowledge of the food chain during megalodon's existence, it is generally believed that this shark's diet consisted of whale meat.

Answer 2

Megalodon was a shark that some scientists claim died out only a few million years ago. I say "some claim" because there are scientists that say it never died out but shrunk and became the modern day great white shark. Megalodon did also exist millions of years ago too in prehistoric times and it is believed it could singlehandedly kill and eat a large whale. So it was basically a large shark with teeth designed for predation.

Answer 3

Megalodon



The Megalodon (Carcharodon megalodon, from ancient Greek, megas + don, literally "great tooth") was a giant prehistoric shark that probably lived between about 5 to 1.6 million years ago.

The Megalodon is known principally from fossil teeth and a few fossilized vertebral centra. Like other modern sharks, the skeleton of Megalodon was of cartilage and not bone, resulting in the poor skeletal fossil record. However, Megalodon's large teeth have survived the ages. The teeth are in many ways similar to great white shark teeth and can measure up to 168 mm (6.61 in) long (maximum slant length).

Recent studies cited by Roesch (see external links below) suggest Megalodon was a "close relative" of the great white. However, a growing number of researchers dispute this close great white–Megalodon relationship, instead citing convergent evolution as the reason for the dental similarity. Nevertheless, it is extrapolations from the tooth size of Megalodon to modern sharks that provide us with our conceptions about what this ancient superpredator was like.

The best-educated estimates of this creature's maximum size range from 12–16 m (39–52 ft) (previous much larger reconstructions of the shark's size, up to about 30 m (100 ft), are now generally considered inaccurate).[1] From the size of this shark, its weight is estimated as high as 60 tonnes, though 20–30 tonnes was more likely. Assuming similar metabollc-weight ratios as the great white shark, it is estimated that a large Megalodon would need to eat about one-fiftieth of its weight of food on average per day. From our knowledge of the food chain during Megalodon's existence, it is generally believed that this shark's diet consisted of whale meat.

Answer 4

it was some sort of dinosaur. That's all I know for sure.

Answer 5

funny that they have found a few decomposing body of sharks that match this description.

Answer 6

a dinosaur