Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon, meaning “big tooth”) was the largest predatory shark in Earth’s history. Estimating the size of this prehistoric fish has been attempted numerous times. In 1909, when the first reconstruction of Megalodon’s jaw was made, scientists estimated the shark’s body length to be around 30 meters. However, today’s advances in vertebrate biology and new discoveries of Megalodon remains have halved these initial estimates. Depending on the method used to study the predator’s teeth, we get body lengths ranging from 13 to 18 meters. It was only in 2015, after studying a large sample of teeth, that an average length of 10 meters and a maximum length of 15 meters were determined. For comparison, the great white shark can theoretically reach seven meters in length. Megalodon’s size approaches that of the largest marine reptiles of the Mesozoic, such as mosasaurs and ichthyosaurs.

Why do we use shark teeth to estimate size rather than skeletal parts? Because sharks are cartilaginous fish, meaning their skeletons are made of cartilage rather than bone. Cartilage does not preserve well; it decomposes before it can fossilize. As a result, we have almost no remains of Megalodon other than its teeth.

For a long time, Megalodon’s mass was a subject of debate. It’s challenging to draw conclusions about mass based solely on an animal’s teeth. The lack of remains of this giant predator made accurate estimates difficult. If we reconstruct Megalodon based on the body proportions of a great white shark, we get a body mass ranging from 41 to 47 tons. However, by comparing Megalodon’s size with that of the whale shark, we can infer the mass of this extinct fish. This method yields a lower estimate of about 30 tons. Even so, with such a mass, the predator would have needed to consume a colossal amount of food—more than a ton per day. Studies of the fossils of whales, Megalodon’s contemporaries, have shown where the shark obtained such quantities of food. Many large marine mammal skeletons bear characteristic damage that matches the profile and size of Megalodon’s teeth.

Giant shark teeth are found all over the world. Their average size ranges from 10 to 13 cm. These sizes are already impressive, given that the teeth of the great white shark are only about 7 cm long. However, several Megalodon teeth over 17 cm long have been found, with the largest discovered tooth measuring a whopping 19 cm.

When Megalodon was first described in 1843, it was classified within the genus Carcharodon, which also includes the great white shark. Two enormous sharks with large serrated teeth—it seemed logical they were related. But as time passed, science advanced, and the fossil record expanded. Today, shark taxonomy looks quite different from a century and a half ago. The evolutionary paths of the great white shark and Megalodon diverged more than 60 million years ago.

Megalodon is believed to have had the most powerful bite of any fish in history. Its giant jaws could exert a force of 109 kN on its prey, which is three times stronger than today’s record-holder, the saltwater crocodile. However, in terms of bite force, Megalodon is surpassed by Tyrannosaurus rex (over 200 kN) and Deinosuchus (over 350 kN).

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It’s important to remember that Megalodon’s jaws were lined with a vast number of sharp teeth. Like other predatory sharks, they had a large number of teeth because old ones broke and wore down while new ones were constantly emerging. The giant’s two-meter-wide jaw contained over 270 teeth arranged in five rows. The triangular serrations on these teeth, similar to those of the great white shark, indicate a comparable feeding style. Megalodon did not swallow its prey whole, just as the great white shark doesn’t. Its sharp, strong teeth, over 10 cm long, would literally saw off massive chunks of flesh from unlucky victims.

Of course, when talking about Megalodon, one cannot overlook its teeth as valuable collectibles. Shark teeth regularly fall out and preserve well. Today, Megalodon is well-studied, and new finds keep coming. Small teeth are relatively inexpensive and can make an interesting and unusual gift. However, specimens over 16 cm long are very expensive and can fetch tens of thousands of dollars.

But size is not the only factor determining value. Preservation and color also play a role. The larger the size, the harder it is to find a well-preserved specimen. The most expensive are large teeth in perfect condition, which are classified as “museum quality.”

The enormous size of the shark and its monstrous teeth clearly indicate its role as an apex predator in marine ecosystems. The internet is filled with colorful depictions of Megalodon tearing apart whales. Recently, there has been a trend to “debunk” ancient predators, portraying them as scavengers. It’s easy to find videos arguing that Megalodon was a slow-moving scavenger, feeding on carcasses in the ocean. But what do paleontologists say about this?

Megalodon was an active predator, employing different feeding strategies at different stages of its life. Young Megalodons hunted anything that moved, gradually shifting to marine mammals as they grew larger. The primary prey of adult individuals were cetaceans ranging from 2.5 to 7 meters in length, large fish, and marine turtles. Prey exceeding 7-10 meters was less common in Megalodon’s diet. However, like modern sharks, it was likely an opportunistic feeder, scavenging when the opportunity arose.

During hunts, Megalodon would attack from below. It would ram and bite the prey’s chest, often biting off fins. Given Megalodon’s slow metabolism, adult individuals were ambush predators. They could lie in wait for a long time at depth and would not pursue prey if it managed to escape.

Megalodon’s hunting grounds closely coincided with cetacean breeding areas. Interestingly, great white sharks, which already existed at that time, avoided Megalodon’s habitats, preferring colder waters. This suggests the high efficiency of “Big Mega” as an active apex predator.

The warm ocean and abundant food made Megalodon a very successful predator. Remains of the ancient shark have been found in North and South America, Europe, Africa, as well as in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Jamaica, the Canary Islands, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Malta, the Grenadines, and India. However, the very factors that led to Megalodon’s success also contributed to its demise: 2.6 million years ago, the planet’s climate began to change significantly, and the oceans cooled. Large fauna went extinct, and the giant predator simply had nothing to eat. The influence of other apex predators, such as orcas, cannot be ruled out either. Today, a 1-2 ton great white shark is breakfast for young killer whales. However, it is most likely that Megalodon went extinct due to a combination of unfortunate factors.