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[winjer]

Otodus megalodon, commonly known as the megalodon, is an extinct species of giant mackerel shark that lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago (Mya), from the Early Miocene to the Pliocene epochs.
The megalodon was a top-of-the-food-chain predator. It fed on other big marine mammals, like whales and dolphins. It may have even eaten other sharks.
These sharks also had a ferocious bite. While humans have been measured to have a bite force of around 1,317 newtons, researchers have estimated that the megalodon had a bite force between 108,514 and 182,201 newtons.

Megalodon - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[SJRB]

I've seen the two-part documentary with Jason Statham.

 

[ManaByte]

 

[HRK69]

OP conveniently left out this bit about the size

While regarded as one of the largest and most powerful predators to have ever lived, megalodon is only known from fragmentary remains, and its appearance and maximum size are uncertain.

 

[winjer]

OP conveniently left out this bit about the size

There is a full graph, referencing 4 studies and their respective size estimates.
And 1 videos explaining all the data available, the ways the researchers used for their estimates.
And that video references a dozen studies also talking about it.

 

[HRK69]

There is a full graph, referencing 4 studies and their respective size estimates.
And 1 videos explaining all the data available, the ways the researchers used for their estimates.
And that video references a dozen studies also talking about it.

I see! Guess it didn't load properly

 

[John Marston]

Paging Angry_Megalodon !

 

[darth.shrimp]

That is supposed to be the biggest shark? Amateurs...

 

[Davevil]

one thing that always amazes me is the incredible diversity of terrestrial fauna (and flora).
who knows what awaits us in the rest of the universe

 

[winjer]

 

[Werewolf Jones]

Fuck the Roman Empire how often do men think about the Megalodon? I think about that thing all the time. If it still existed today it's game over for sea food.

 

[kpopSuperstar]

Fuck the Roman Empire how often do men think about the Megalodon? I think about that thing all the time. If it still existed today it's game over for sea food.

Nah, the killer whales would still take it out, they are smart, fast, massive and hunt in packs.

 

[winjer]

Nah, the killer whales would still take it out, they are smart, fast, massive and hunt in packs.

But if megalodon was as big as 15 meters in length and 61 tons, it would be very difficult for an orca to kill it. Even a pack of orcas would rather avoid the megalodon.

 

[kpopSuperstar]

But if megalodon was as big as 15 meters in length and 61 tons, it would be very difficult for an orca to kill it. Even a pack of orcas would rather avoid the megalodon.

The orcas hunt in packs by smashing into whatever they want to take down, a whale or large shark can't swim like an orca, so an orca pack will smash it in from all sides. orcas can chase and smash into prey for long distances. they have no problem taking down large whales and a megalodon would be no different. the megalodon would be slow with its mass.

Of course, a single orca would likely struggle, but who knows.

 

[TheUnicornGuy]

Nah, the killer whales would still take it out, they are smart, fast, massive and hunt in packs.

Fun fact, killer whales aren't whales, they're dolphins.

 

[poppabk]

But if megalodon was as big as 15 meters in length and 61 tons, it would be very difficult for an orca to kill it. Even a pack of orcas would rather avoid the megalodon.

Killer whales take down blue whales. Now admittedly a blue whale has no offensive capabilities but still shows they can take something down bigger than a megaladon.

 

[jason10mm]

Nah, the killer whales would still take it out, they are smart, fast, massive and hunt in packs.

IIRC one theory for why the meg died off was that whales became too small and fast for it to catch. Then, once it died away and only smaller sharks survived, whales could grow in size again.

 

[winjer]

Killer whales take down blue whales. Now admittedly a blue whale has no offensive capabilities but still shows they can take something down bigger than a megaladon.

The big difference is that a megalodon bites back. One bite from one megalodon would be more than enough to kill an orca.
Even if a pack of orcas were to do a coordinated attack against a megalodon and win, it would be at the cost of several members.

 

[kpopSuperstar]

The big difference is that a megalodon bites back. One bite from one megalodon would be more than enough to kill an orca.
Even if a pack of orcas were to do a coordinated attack against a megalodon and win, it would be at the cost of several members.

It's hard to know until we learn more about the megalodon.

If the orcas would notice the megalodon before it attacked, they will probably be able to avoid it. sharks are ancient creatures, a little stupid, while orcas and other dolphins are the chimpanzes of the ocean, they are smart and agile. if they fought a megalodon, they would locate its gills and smash it in. their hunting tactics is far beyond sharks or whales.

But it depends on how mobile the megalodon is, if it can turn its head fast enough to bite them. most likely it would be a slow swimmer that goes after cadavers and big slow whales.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Fuck the Roman Empire how often do men think about the Megalodon? I think about that thing all the time. If it still existed today it's game over for sea food.

They are rad. Every time I'm near the ocean and see it on tv I imagine it coming from the depths. Definitely terrifying.

 

[Synless]

Fun fact, if you live in South Carolina you commonly find these teeth in the rivers…. You'd think ocean but no, rivers. I have a large one almost bigger than my hand I found and several small ones. Had lots of fun finding them with the kids.

 

[Trogdor1123]

Fun fact, if you live in South Carolina you commonly find these teeth in the rivers…. You'd think ocean but no, rivers. I have a large one bigger than my hand I found and several small ones. Had lots of fun finding them with the kids.

That's cool. I bet you could make a mint finding a selling them online. Not sure if that's legal.

 

[jason10mm]

That's cool. I bet you could make a mint finding a selling them online. Not sure if that's legal.

You can already buy them online, like 10-20 bucks. But I imagine the market is flooded with resin fakes. Every time I got back to the carolina beach i forget to see if I can buy some legit ones.

 

[Trogdor1123]

You can already buy them online, like 10-20 bucks. But I imagine the market is flooded with resin fakes. Every time I got back to the carolina beach i forget to see if I can buy some legit ones.

That's awesome. I'd absolutely buy a big legit one.