New Study Reveals Megalodon Had Sleek Lemon Shark-Like Body

What Megalodons Tell Us About Gigantism

In movies and TV shows, the ancient megalodon, or megatooth shark, has taken on a near-mythic status. The extinct creature lived 15 million years ago and was likely the largest carnivore ever to exist. This apex predator is thought to have been capable of taking down large whales and munching through 2,500 pounds of prey per day. Nautilus Members enjoy an ad-free experience. Log in or Join now . But we may have misunderstood the gigantic sea …

Megalodon Might Have Been Longer and Skinnier Than Previously Thought, Growing Up to 80 Feet

A new paper suggests the enormous, extinct shark looked less like a bulky great white and more like an elongated lemon shark

One of Earth’s most ferocious predators may have looked very different than we thought

Few prehistoric monsters capture the imagination quite like the megalodon. From natural history museums to the silver screen, this colossal shark, which went extinct over three million years ago, has been depicted as one of the most terrifying and ferocious predators to ever roam the planet. However, new research from the University of California, Riverside, published Monday in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, could forever change our per…

A longer, sleeker super predator: Megalodon's true form

The megalodon has long been imagined as an enormous great white shark, but new research suggests that perception is all wrong. The study finds the prehistoric hunter had a much longer body -- closer in shape to a lemon shark or even a large whale.

Megalodon grew to 80 feet as shark's ‘true form’ revealed for first time

MEGALODON may have grown to a staggering 80 feet in length – and weighted 94 tons. The staggering size of the prehistoric killing machine has been revealed in a study that reveals what the ocean predator really looked like. Albert Kok Scientists now think the megalodon would’ve looked much more like a modern lemon shark[/caption] (DePaul University/Kenshu Shimada). The shape and size of the megalodon has been revised – and it was terrifyingly gi…