The reasons for its demise, as well as whether the creature might still be hiding in the depths of the ocean, are under constant debate. Copyright 2021 Leaf Group Ltd. / Leaf Group Media, All Rights Reserved. by Web Desk December 31, 2018. University of Zurich researchers dispel popular belief about why megalodon, the largest shark in Earth’s history, disappeared 2.6 million years ago. Megalodon’s geographic distribution expanded throughout the Miocene but contracted during the Pliocene as populations declined. This joined North and South America and possibly cut off a critical migratory seaway for the Megalodon. Plus, whales could still … “The extinction of O. megalodon was previously thought to be related to this marine mass extinction-but in reality, we now know the two are not immediately related,” explained Boessenecker. Up until the end of the Pliocene period, there was an upwelling of water from the sea floor that added nutrients to tropic waters. In 2014, Catalina Pimiento of the University of Florida and Christopher Clements of the University of Zurich published their analysis of the megalodon's extinction using available records. Initially, scientists thought that the decline was due to swings in ocean temperatures related to The same study which dated the extinction of the megalodon to 3.6 million years ago, also pointed the blamed for its demise on rival predators, specifically the great white shark. Several studies note that authentic fossil teeth attributed to megalodon do not occur later than the Pliocene-Pleistocene boundary (2.58 million years ago), suggesting that megalodon died out around that time. Because Megalodon teeth have been found in mostly warmer waters, it may not have tolerated the cooler temperatures. Additionally, a marine megafauna extinction during the Pliocene was discovered to have eliminated 36% of all large marine species including 55% of marine mammals, 35% of seabirds, 9% of sharks, and 43% of sea turtles. It reports instead that validated fossil data suggests that megalodon died out near the end of the first stage of the Pliocene, the Zanclean Stage (about 3.6 million years ago). The timing of the Megalodon's extinction makes sense, since these ancient sharks fed on marine mammals, including whales and dolphins, the researchers write in the paper. Competition from a fish much smaller, but sill quite deadly in its own right, caused the demise for the biggest shark species ever. Based on the size of Megalodon teeth, which have been found measuring up to 7 inches in height and weighing over a pound, scientists have determined this shark could have been 50 feet long and weighed around 50 tons. For more than 10 million years, Megalodon was at the top of its game as the oceans’ apex predator...until 2.6 million years ago, when it went extinct. It was the biggest shark species of all times. Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. Others were at one point known to humans, but are gone now. The previously unknown extinction led to the loss of around a third of the Earth's largest marine mammals, including the giant shark, Carcharocles megalodon. We still don't know what killed megalodon. …were descended from the extinct megalodon (. Cause of Megalodons’ extinction revealed Scientists from Zurich University have proposed the largest shark that ever lived became extinct due to a lack of prey and increased competition from predators. However, the exact cause of Megalodon’s demise remains a mystery. The megalodon shark's (Otodus megalodon) extinction may have been caused by the great white shark. A new paper in the Journal of Life and Environmental Sciences reveals the likely cause for the megalodon shark’s extinction, CNN reports. The megalodon has been extinct for millions of years, but the huge prehistoric shark still fascinates people today. Other reports suggest it could have been other predators, such as the tiger shark which was the culprit. Video overview of the possible causes of the megalodon's extinction. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. During the Oligocene period, the Earth’s ocean started to cool down. Ring in the new year with a Britannica Membership. There's a good reason why “mega” names this shark. What we can learn from the extinction of Megalodon is that we should also focus on the effect of prey when studying the potential for extinction in our apex predators. Inspired designs on t-shirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. 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