A new study challenges the popular image of megalodon as a massive, chunky shark and suggests that it was actually built more slenderly than previously thought. Led by Kenshu Shimada, a vertebrate paleontologist at DePaul University in Chicago, the research proposes a revised estimate for megalodon’s total length, which could have stretched up to 80 feet (24.3 meters) – nearly the size of a blue whale.
Unlike its great white shark cousin, megalodon would likely have had a more streamlined body plan, allowing it to swim efficiently through the ocean. The study’s findings are based on a new method developed by Shimada and his colleagues, using vertebral columns from fossilized sharks to estimate the body length of the ancient predator.
While some experts have questioned the accuracy of the new estimates, others have commended the researchers for their innovative approach and caution that the results should be taken with a grain of salt until further evidence is found. The study highlights the complexity and uncertainty surrounding megalodon’s biology, which may reveal more about this iconic species than initial assumptions.
Source: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/article/megalodon-shark-bigger-size-slim-fossil