Scientists have discovered that the Megalodon, a giant prehistoric shark, may have grown even larger than previously believed.
New research suggests that this ocean predator could have reached up to 25 meters in length—longer than two double-decker buses. The Megalodon lived between four million and 20 million years ago before going extinct.
An international team of scientists, led by Professor Kenshu Shimada of DePaul University in Chicago, studied fossilised teeth and vertebrae of the Megalodon. Their findings showed that the shark may have been about 10 meters longer than earlier estimates.
Previously, researchers thought the Megalodon had a wide, barrel-shaped body like a great white shark. However, this new study suggests it was more slender, resembling a lemon shark. A longer, sleeker body would have made it a faster and more efficient swimmer.
The discovery, published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica, gives scientists a better understanding of how this massive predator once ruled the seas.
