The largest known shark that ever lived, Carcharocles megalodon, ruled the seas for over 20 million years. The enormous toothy predator, which could grow to about 60 feet long, seemed indestructible. Even now, the shark's status is so legendary that - like a powerful celebrity - only one word is sufficient to name it: megalodon.
"Megalodon lived all around the world, during a time in which the oceans were warmer than today," biologist and marine species specialist Catalina Pimiento said. "Our research suggests it was a cosmopolitan giant shark that was able to live in different latitudes, as ocean temperature didn't determine its distribution. We also know it used shallow water productive areas as nurseries."
Life appeared to be pretty good for this dominant apex predator, until disaster struck. Pimiento and an international team of researchers determined that megalodon did not die out alone. When the gigantic shark went extinct around 2.6 million years ago, so too did a third of all other large marine species. The previously unknown "Pliocene marine megafauna extinction" is described in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Read More.
"Megalodon lived all around the world, during a time in which the oceans were warmer than today," biologist and marine species specialist Catalina Pimiento said. "Our research suggests it was a cosmopolitan giant shark that was able to live in different latitudes, as ocean temperature didn't determine its distribution. We also know it used shallow water productive areas as nurseries."
Life appeared to be pretty good for this dominant apex predator, until disaster struck. Pimiento and an international team of researchers determined that megalodon did not die out alone. When the gigantic shark went extinct around 2.6 million years ago, so too did a third of all other large marine species. The previously unknown "Pliocene marine megafauna extinction" is described in the journal Nature Ecology & Evolution. Read More.