IF you thought today’s sharks were blood-thirsty, spare a thought for creatures in the ocean millions of years ago.
A giant shark that once topped the food chain was capable of eating a killer whale in just five bites, new research has revealed.
1
From nose to tail, the massive megalodon shark measured about 50ft, making it longer than a bus.
The colossal creature is two to three times the size of today’s great white shark.
Its huge gaping jaw was perfect for feasting on other big beasts.
Other sea life didn’t stand a chance, with the jaw able to open almost 6ft wide.
And once its 10,000 litre stomach was full, the megalodon could go without eating again for months at a time, experts believe.
The shark weighed 70 tons, which is the same as 10 elephants.
It was a strong swimmer too, travelling at about 4.5ft per second, leaving any target doomed.
Scientists have formed the clearest picture yet of the hungry animal by using fossils to create a detailed 3D model.
Most read in Tech
They scanned various bits, including fist-sized teeth.
“It would be a superpredator just dominating its ecosystem,” said John Hutchinson, from the Royal Veterinary College.
“There is nothing really matching it.”
The shark is thought to have lived approximately 23 to 3.6million years ago.
Researchers from the UK, US, Switzerland, Australia and South Africa published their shock findings in the Science Advances journal.
Find out more about science
Want to know more about the weird and wonderful world of science? From the Moon to the human body, we have you covered…
We pay for your stories! Do you have a story for The Sun Online Tech & Science team? Email us at [email protected]
This post first appeared on Thesun.co.uk
