Did great white sharks drive megalodon to extinction?

“We propose that this short overlap (3.6 – 4 million years ago) was sufficient time for great white sharks to spread worldwide and outcompete O megalodon throughout its range, driving it to extinction-rather than [their death being due to] radiation from outer space,” Dr Boessenecker said.

How is the megalodon related to the great white shark?

The megalodon is a member of the lineage of lamnoid sharks (Lamniformes), which also include the great white, mako and thresher sharks, among others. Modern scientific studies have shown that megalodon was more closely related to an ancestor of mako sharks—smaller but faster fish-eating sharks.

Did Great White Shark live with megalodon?

But the evolutionary history of this shark is thought to stretch back to Cretalamna appendiculata, dating to 105 million years old – making the lineage of megalodon over 100 million years old. ‘As we’ve found more and more fossils, we’ve realised that the ancestor to the great white shark lived alongside megalodon.

What creature killed off the megalodon?

great white shark
Taking a fresh look at the fossil record, researchers are now proposing that this mega marine creature may have been killed off by none other than the modern great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias).

Are Megs still alive?

There is no record, they completely vanish. The only valid conclusion is megalodon became extinct. This shows the evolution of the megalodon, from a small Cretaceous shark to the apex predator of the Pliocene. After the Pliocene, megalodon fossils are no longer present.

Is Megalodon bigger than Blue Whale?

No, the blue whale is much bigger. Megalodon was up to 60 feet long, while blue whales are 80 to 100 feet long.

Are megalodon’s real?

Megalodon (Otodus megalodon), meaning “big tooth”, is an extinct species of mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), during the Early Miocene to the Pliocene.

What made the MEG go extinct?

Fossil evidence suggests that megalodons went extinct before about 2.6 million years ago, during a period of cooling and drying in many parts of the world. These changes may have been related to the closing of the seaways separating North from South America and Eurasia from Africa.

Did the great white shark wipe out the giant megalodon?

(Image credit: Shutterstock) The great white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias) may have wiped out the giant megalodon ( Otodus megalodon). Millions of years before human beings emerged, a type of shark that grew up to 60 feet (18 meters) long prowled the oceans.

Is the Megatooth shark related to the Great White?

Many believe that they descended from the 50-foot megalodon, also known as the megatooth shark ( Carcharocles megalodon ), which is often imagined to be a vastly inflated great white. But after the discovery of a new fossil species, announced in November 2012, the consensus seems to be shifting.

Where did the great white shark come from?

(Jeff Gage/Florida Museum of Natural History) For the last 150 years, paleontologists have debated the origins of the great white shark. Many believe that they descended from the 50-foot megalodon, also known as the megatooth shark ( Carcharocles megalodon ), which is often imagined to be a vastly inflated great white.

What kind of teeth do megalodon have?

These teeth, like those of the great white and megalodon, are saw-like—but they aren’t as sharp. Instead, they appear to be something in-between the teeth of the mako shark ancestor ( Carcharodon hastalis ), which are smooth for efficient fish-eating, and the sharp and jagged seal-munching teeth of the great white shark.