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megalodon
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Illustration of a female megalodon shark (Carcharocles megalodon) with a faint human scuba diver silhouette in the background for scale, highlighting the shark's massive size. Measurement bars at the bottom show 3 meters and 9 feet for reference. jaws of megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) Series of four world maps showing the estimated geographic distribution of Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) during the Early Miocene, Middle Miocene, Late Miocene, and Pliocene epochs. Orange shaded areas indicate where Megalodon likely lived, covering coastal regions of North and South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia, with some changes in extent over time. Landmasses are shown in gray, and oceans are labeled. Illustration comparing the sizes of a female, male, and infant megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) with a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), showing the megalodon as much larger. Human and elephant silhouettes provide additional scale. Measurement bars indicate 3 meters and 9 feet for reference. All About Sharks. tooth size comparison: megalodon and modern great white shark
The mysteries of the megalodon shark
Why Did the Megalodon Shark Go Extinct?
At a Glance
Close-up of megalodon shark (Carcharocles megalodon); the biggest shark teeth on a black background. (fossil shark, extinct species)
Understanding Megalodon
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megalodon summary
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Comprehension Quiz: Megalodon
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megalodon: References & Edit History

Article Contributors

Primary Contributors

  • John P. Rafferty
    John P. Rafferty writes about Earth processes and the environment. He serves currently as the editor of Earth and life sciences, covering climatology, geology, zoology, and other topics that relate to the natural world.

Other Encyclopedia Britannica Contributors

Article History

Type Description Contributor Date
Modified link of Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - When Did Carcharocles megalodon Become Extinct? A New Analysis of the Fossil Record. Sep 26, 2026
Add new Web site: Smithsonian Ocean - The Megalodon. Jan 16, 2026
Add new Web site: ABC listen - Conversations - Uncovering the secrets of the ancient super predator Β— the megalodon shark. Oct 10, 2025
Updated estimates of average and maximum length. Oct 08, 2025
Add new Web site: BBC - Megalodon: the superpredator that ate its siblings in the womb. Aug 29, 2025
Noted that megalodon was one of the largest marine carnivores in Earth's history. Jul 09, 2025
Add new Web site: Academia - Geographical distribution patterns of Carcharocles megalodon over time reveal clues about extinction mechanisms (PDF). May 12, 2025
Noted that Megalodon may have had a slender body shape, with size estimates based on this assumption suggesting that the shark measured as much as 24.3 meters (about 80 feet) long. Mar 11, 2025
Add new Web site: Kentucky Geological Survey - Fossil of the month: Megalodon teeth. Feb 15, 2025
Add new Web site: National Center for Biotechnology Information - PubMed Central - When Did Carcharocles megalodon Become Extinct? A New Analysis of the Fossil Record. Oct 30, 2024
Added interactive. Jul 01, 2024
Add new Web site: Save Our Seas Foundation - Megalodon. Mar 08, 2024
Add new Web site: A-Z Animals - Megalodon. Sep 04, 2023
Add new Web site: Academia - Geographical distribution patterns of Carcharocles megalodon over time reveal clues about extinction mechanisms (PDF). Jun 27, 2023
Add new Web site: Smithsonian Libraries and Archives - DSpace - Body-size trends of the extinct giant shark Carcharocles megalodon: a deep-time perspective on marine apex predators (PDF). Apr 03, 2023
Add new Web site: Prehistoric Wildlife - Megalodon. Nov 24, 2022
Add new Web site: Livescience - Megalodon: Facts about the long-gone, giant shark. Aug 22, 2022
Noted that scientists have recovered two vertebral columns belonging to megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon). Aug 19, 2022
Add new Web site: Natural History Museum - Is megalodon still alive? Oct 25, 2021
Add new Web site: National Geographic Kids - Megalodon. Oct 25, 2021
Revised geologic time boundaries. Oct 23, 2020
Article revised and updated. Feb 15, 2019
Add new Web site: Florida Museum - Five Facts: Megalodon. Nov 19, 2018
Add new Web site: Two Oceans Aquarium - Megalodon: The Real Facts About the Largest Shark That Ever Lived. Nov 19, 2018
Video added. Aug 27, 2018
Video added. Aug 15, 2018
Noted that regional endothermy is a type of warm-bloodedness and that the megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) may have taken advantage of this adaptation to hunt in colder waters. Aug 08, 2018
Added illustrations of megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) and a size comparison between megalodons and modern white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias). Aug 08, 2018
New article added. Aug 02, 2018
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