Megalodon, the largest shark, was probably slimmer and longer than previously believed, a new study has revealed. Scientists now estimate the massive, extinct sharks might have grown up to 80 feet (24.3 meters) in length, 15 feet (4.5 meters) longer than previously estimated.
Scientists have hypothesised that the megalodon resembled modern great white sharks due to the enormous size of its serrated teeth, CNN reported.
Megalodon (Odontus megalodon) is one of the most fascinating mysteries in the fossil record. Before being pushed to extinction, it held a prominent position at the top of the food web around 23 million to 3.6 million years ago.
According to a global team headed by Paleobiologist Dr Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University in the US, the megalodon was probably longer and sleeker than earlier theories based on its few, enigmatic remains.
There is a long-standing controversy over Megalodon's actual size. Mr Shimada's most recent research indicates that the giant shark may have grown to an incredible length of 80 feet (24 meters).
The study was published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica on Sunday, March 9.
Megalodon shark belongs to the cartilaginous fish family, and their skeleton is “very poorly mineralised” and there are “no true bones that make the skeleton hard,” Mr Shimada said.
“On the other hand, teeth are very hard, so they're durable,” he added. These fossils are fairly common since the Megalodon developed new teeth throughout its life.
“Previous estimates using teeth to predict its size had the shark reaching about 18-20 meters total length (59-65 feet),” Phillip Sternes, an educator at SeaWorld San Diego and a co-author of the study, told Live Science.
Megalodon was more like an "enormous lemon shark" with a more slender, elongated body," rather than a “chunky great white” shark, they noted.
To better understand the size of this enormous shark, scientists analysed megalodon relics and compared them with over 150 extinct and living shark species.
Researchers estimated it might have had a 6-foot (1.8 m) head and a 12-foot (3.6 m) tail, for a total length of 54 feet (16.4 m). They assumed the Megalodon was approximately proportionate to most other shark species and extended from the 36-foot (11 m) trunk section.
Besides the teeth, the fossil record reportedly in existence contains pieces of huge shark skeletons from the same time period, such as a 36-foot (11-meter) segment of a fossilised spinal column from Belgium.
The greatest vertebra from a Megalodon, however, was 3 inches (7.6 cm) larger than the largest vertebra from a 54-foot shark, with a diameter of up to 9 inches (23 cm).
The scientists discovered that the Megalodon might have produced living offspring that were 12 to 13 feet (3.6 to 3.9 meters) long.
The exact size and shape of Megalodon's bodies won't be determined until scientists discover a bigger portion of their bodies in the fossil record. "What we really need is the discovery of the complete skeleton," Mr Shimada concluded.
