The carcharocles megalodon shark was a giant prehistoric shark that existed 20 million years ago and was the dominant sea creature for 13 million years until it became extinct 3.6 million years ago (via the Natural History Museum). It stuck around long after the dinosaurs went into extinction during the Ice Age. Not a lot is known about this massive creature, but scientists estimated it measured between 45 to 60 feet, with an average weight between 50-100 tons. To put this into perspective, megalodons were four times the size of a great white shark, or as big as a school bus, and the Tyrannosaurus Rex averaged nine tons (via Bright Side).

Megalodon means “big tooth.” Fossilized teeth have been found in the deserts of Africa, on Sharktooth Hill in Bakersfield, California, and on every continent except Antarctica. They lived and traveled in the north and south Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The largest tooth was found in Peru. It measured 7.5 inches, but most of the teeth that have been found have measured between 4-7 inches. The megalodon had 276 serrated teeth placed in five rows, and when one broke off from chomping on the bones of its prey, another grew in its place. In fact, one tooth can be replaced up to 50 times and their forceful bite generated up to 40,000 pounds (via Bright Side). The megalodon had a massive appetite and needed 2,500 pounds of food daily. It ate sharks, sea cows, seals, dolphins — any marine life that got in its way — but its favorite snack was the whale.

Carcharocles Megalodon tooth versus Great White shark tooth

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