New study suggests megalodon could have reached 80 feet in length

A new study has revealed that the megalodon, the largest shark to ever roam the oceans, could have reached lengths of up to 80 feet—far surpassing earlier estimates.

Previously thought to measure between 50 and 65 feet, the ancient predator’s true size was much larger, according to a study published on Sunday in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica.

The research, which involved scientists from 28 countries, also sheds new light on the megalodon’s body shape. Unlike the stocky body of the modern-day great white shark, the megalodon is thought to have had a more slender, streamlined body resembling that of a lemon shark.

This new finding changes how scientists believe the megalodon moved through the water, suggesting it was more efficient than originally assumed.

"The megalodon wasn't merely a giant version of the great white shark," said Phillip Sternes, an educator at SeaWorld San Diego and one of the study's authors. "It was more closely related to different types of sharks that are around today."

The study also explored the megalodon’s extinction. Researchers suggest the rise of the great white shark could have contributed to the demise of the megalodon around 3 million years ago, likely due to competition for resources.

Megalodon’s size and shape

The megalodon’s massive size has long been a topic of scientific debate, especially since no complete skeletons have been discovered. The research team used fossilised teeth and vertebrae to calculate the shark’s size, which could have been as much as 15 feet longer than previous estimates.

The largest fossil vertebra ever found, measuring up to 9 inches in diameter, suggests that the megalodon could have been 80 feet long.

The new study also proposes that the megalodon’s young could have been born up to 13 feet long, far larger than previously thought. The findings are based on a comparison of megalodon fossils with more than 150 living and extinct shark species, revealing that its body proportions were unlike those of the great white shark.

The study also suggests that the megalodon’s large size may have hindered its ability to adapt to changing environmental conditions, further contributing to its extinction.