Great white sharks have been used to model the appearance of megalodons in the past, but now they are being used to do so. The skinnier bodies of megalodons would have been better than those of great whites, according to new research led by Kenshu Shimada, a paleobiologist at the University of Chicago. The Otodus megalodon was a giant shark that lived more than 23 million years ago. The diagram shows the body form based on a great white shark. DePaul University has Kenshu Shimada.
This new research is based on the re appraisal of a set of fossils. According to Shimada and his coauthors, the individual would have measured at least 11.1 meters (36.4 feet), more than the 9.2 meters (30.2 feet) estimated by previous research. He said that it would be unrealistic for the shark to be able to support its body if it was directly applied to the vertebral column. The risk of spine injuries would increase if the column of this diameter were used, as it would not provide enough support for the muscles of a white body. shark skeletons are made of cartilaginous, so they aren't as strong as bones. He noted that some shark species, like megalodon, have a build-up of calcium in their body that strengthens the cartilage. The new study considers the size proportion between the vertebrae and body in a more biologically realistic way, which would indicate a leaner body than the modern great white shark. According to the research, the modern white shark may not be a good modern analog for assessing at least certain aspects of megalodon biology. He said that there are still many questions about the biology of megalodon and that they would like to correct them based on the fossil record. There is a partial fossil record for the megalodon, and Shimada hopes a complete skeleton will be discovered someday. In August of 2022, a previous research found that the megalodon would have been able to eat orca whales in just five bites. Scientists are trying to understand why the megalodon went extinct around 3.6 million years ago. Being warm-blooded may have been one of the main drivers of the massive size and overall prowess of megalodons, but it also made them sensitive to environmental changes. Due to the cooling of the climate, the sea level dropped, causing a shift in the marine environment, which changed the habitats of the types of food meGalodon fed on such as marine mammals and led to its extinction.