Did Megalodon Only Get So Big Because Of The Climate?

A new research examined Megalodon’s body size in more detail in order to determine what may have motivated these prehistoric species to grow to such amazing proportions. They discovered that the maximum body size seems to be related to the water’s average temperature. They reported their results in the journal Historical Biology.

Until roughly 3 million years earlier, the world’s waters were inhabited by the Megalodon, the world’s biggest shark animal. As was the case with other sharks, the Megalodon’s body was primarily cartilage and did not fossilize effectively. As a consequence, we virtually entirely know them by the dentures they left us. And they left behind a large number of teeth. To get a sense of how the Meg may have appeared, we contrast the preserved teeth to those of current sharks. Megalodon is estimated to reach a length of up to 20 meters, which is longer than the average school bus.

In general, oceans closer to the equator are warmer, whereas waters closer to the poles are cooler. Analysis of fossil teeth discovered at various latitudes reveals a relationship amongst the temperature of the water and maximal size. There are a few possible causes for this correlation.

It is possible that infant and immature Megs were nursed in warmer places and then relocated to more arctic regions as they became bigger and larger. Moreover, it is possible that various sharks, as well as shark groups, chose different latitudes for unknown purposes.

Variety in body size in response to heat is a well-known biological phenomenon called Bergmann’s rule. In summary, animals living at higher latitudes are bigger and thicker on average than their equivalents nearer to the equator. A larger body size leads to a greater surface-to-volume ratio, which aids in heat retention.