The Megalodon shark was the largest shark (and the largest fish) ever to exist. Their name comes from Greek root words that mean “giant tooth.” These sharks measured up to 82 feet long, with an average size of around 52 feet. They weighed up to 30 metric tons (66,000 pounds)! Females were both longer and heavier than males.
They lived during the Miocene Epoch (23 million to 3 million years ago) and seem to have become extinct in the first part of the Pliocene Epoch (3.6 million years ago) due to changes in prey availability. They hunted whales and the ancestors of dolphins and manatees. Their young hunted seals.
Maryland is blessed to have an extensive fossil record of these fish. The beaches of Southern Maryland, primarily in Calvert County, can be combed to find the megalodon’s famously huge teeth. The area is thought to have been a nursery ground for Megs. “The largest extant megalodon tooth measures 17.8 cm (6.9 inches) in length, almost three times longer than those of modern white sharks… In addition, megalodon possessed a ferocious bite; its bite diameter was 3 metres (about 9.8 feet)…” (Britannica, n.d.)
The modern great white shark is the megalodon’s closest genetic relative.
Reflection Question:
Can you measure your hand using an app on your phone? How does your hand compare to the largest Meg tooth ever found—6.9 inches? Can you imagine a mouth filled with hundreds of teeth that large?
Are you looking at the front ot the back of the tooth? The curved side is the back.
Reference:
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2023, February 24). Megalodon | Characteristics & Facts. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/animal/megalodon