New Study Reveals Megalodon Had Sleek Lemon Shark-Like Body

Groundbreaking research redefines the extinct predator's body shape, size, and growth patterns, offering insights into its biology and extinction.

Scientists have determined that the megalodon likely had a longer, sleeker body resembling a lemon shark rather than the stockier great white shark.
Using a nearly complete vertebral column from Belgium and comparisons with 145 modern and 20 extinct shark species, researchers estimate the largest megalodons could reach lengths of up to 24.3 meters (80 feet).
The study found that megalodon newborns, born live, were already 3.6–3.9 meters (12–13 feet) long and capable of hunting marine mammals shortly after birth.
Researchers suggest that the megalodon's hydrodynamic body shape was crucial for its gigantism, contrasting with the size constraints of stockier sharks like the great white.
The rise of great white sharks, with their agility and efficiency in hunting marine mammals, may have contributed to the megalodon's extinction through competition.