Long-Lost Megalodon Fossils Confirm the Giant Shark Could Reach 80 Feet Long
Researchers reexamined the damaged fossils and found the 23-centimeter vertebra still supports a 24.3-meter maximum length estimate.
- Researchers recently re-analyzed long-lost Megalodon vertebrae discovered in a Danish museum, confirming the extinct shark reached a maximum length of 24.3m. The study, published in Palaeontologia Electronica, validates size estimates for the giant predator that lived 10.8 million years ago.
- Paleontologists unearthed the massive vertebrae in Gram, Denmark, during the late 1970s, but the fossils disappeared during a museum move in the 1980s. Natural History Museum of Denmark curator Bent Erik Kramer Lindow eventually located the specimens in forgotten storage boxes.
- CT scans of the vertebrae confirmed a 23cm diameter, while growth band analysis revealed the shark was at least 64 years old when it died. Lead author Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University exclaimed, "Yes!" upon confirming the measurements.
- Analysis of sediment surrounding the fossils revealed tiny scales and gill structures from a basking shark, suggesting they represent megalodon stomach contents. This discovery provides the first direct evidence of prey preserved alongside remains of the extinct apex predator.
- The return of these fossils offers new clues about the lifestyle of a predator that lived until 3.6 million years ago. Researchers believe museum collections hold further undiscovered specimens that could continue reshaping our understanding of ancient marine predators.
13 Articles
13 Articles
Giant vertebrae from the extinct megalodon shark were found in Gram Lergrav in 1978. They have now been analyzed.
Lost Megalodon Fossils Rediscovered After Decades Reveal Giant Shark’s Last Meal
Megalodon jaws at the Tellus Science Museum. Credit: JJonahJackalope / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 Researchers have rediscovered a rare set of giant fossil vertebrae from the extinct megalodon, giving scientists new insight into the size, lifespan, and feeding habits of one of the largest predators ever to swim the oceans. The fossils belonged to Otodus megalodon, a giant shark that lived worldwide between about 15 million and 3.6 million y…
An international team recovered the fossil remains of a misplaced megalodon from museum deposits in Denmark. What they discovered about its longevity and diet
The Independent
The Independent (US)Megalodon fossil confirms true size of massive shark
Fossil megalodon may have preyed on basking shark
Coverage Details
Bias Distribution
- 45% of the sources lean Left
Factuality
To view factuality data please Upgrade to Premium
