megalodons
Giant extinct sharks
Megalodons is the plural of megalodon, an extinct species of giant shark that lived roughly 23 to 3.6 million years ago.
The name means "big tooth," and fossil teeth—sometimes over six inches long—are the primary evidence of its existence.
Megalodons were among the largest predators ever to live, estimated at 50 feet or more in length.
The creature appears frequently in popular culture as an emblem of prehistoric terror: What if megalodons still lurked in the deep ocean?
No longer existing
- fossilPreserved ancient organism
- ancientVery old indeed
- CenozoicPresent geological era
- MiocenePre-Pliocene geological epoch
Pliocene · apex predator · oceanic · marine · evolution · megafauna · cartilaginous · ancestor
Enamel-covered chewing structures
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- serratedHaving toothlike projections
- bite forceJaw clamping pressure
- vertebraeInterlocking bones of spine
cartilage · dorsal fin · gills · snout · enormous · length · tonnage · body mass
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- whale huntingPursuit of sea giants
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- preyAnimal being hunted
- baleen whalesBristle-mouthed marine mammals
marine mammals · hunting strategy · ambush · warm waters · migration · territory · extinction · climate change
Large predatory marine fish
- whale sharkBiggest fish species
- blue whaleLargest mammal on Earth
- scaleMeasure of relative size
- dwarfedMade to appear smaller
massive · colossal · gigantic · immense · record-breaking · unprecedented · titan · leviathan
Factual film about reality
- movieRecorded visual narrative
- cryptidUnproven legendary animal
- monsterFrightening imaginary creature
- legendUnverified traditional tale
Mariana Trench · sightings · hoax · speculation · thriller · blockbuster · Jason Statham · deep sea
Preserved ancient organism traces
- excavationAct of unearthing
- discoveryAct of finding something
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
- museumPublic exhibit space
reconstruction · specimen · research · scientist · dating · stratigraphy · coastal cliffs · collection
extinct
No longer existing
Miocene · Pliocene · apex predator · oceanic · marine · evolution · megafauna · cartilaginous · ancestor · primordial
teeth
Enamel-covered chewing structures
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- serratedHaving toothlike projections
- bite forceJaw clamping pressure
vertebrae · cartilage · dorsal fin · gills · snout · enormous · length · tonnage · body mass · skull
apex predator
Unpreyed-upon dominant hunter
- whale huntingPursuit of sea giants
- food chainEcological feeding hierarchy
- preyAnimal being hunted
baleen whales · marine mammals · hunting strategy · ambush · warm waters · migration · territory · extinction · climate change · competition
great white
Large predatory marine fish
- whale sharkBiggest fish species
- blue whaleLargest mammal on Earth
- scaleMeasure of relative size
dwarfed · massive · colossal · gigantic · immense · record-breaking · unprecedented · titan · leviathan · behemoth
documentary
Factual film about reality
legend · Mariana Trench · sightings · hoax · speculation · thriller · blockbuster · Jason Statham · deep sea · conspiracy
fossils
Preserved ancient organism traces
- excavationAct of unearthing
- discoveryAct of finding something
- sedimentParticles settling in liquid
museum · reconstruction · specimen · research · scientist · dating · stratigraphy · coastal cliffs · collection · identification
megalodonsgreat white sharks
Large predatory ocean fish
whale sharks · tiger sharks · bull sharks · hammerhead sharks
megalodonsplankton
Drifting marine microlife
krill · microorganisms · small fish · minnows · bottom feeders