TLDR: Megalodon, the colossal shark, extinct due to climatic changes, competition, declining prey, shaping today’s marine ecosystem.
This article is a summary of a You Tube video “Why Megalodon (Definitely) Went Extinct” by PBS Eons
Key Takeaways:
- Megalodon’s Existence and Characteristics: Megalodon was the largest shark to have ever lived, measuring up to 18 meters long, with massive teeth and jaws capable of swallowing a human whole.
- Global Presence: This apex predator lived globally, from the Netherlands to New Zealand, dominating the oceans for over 10 million years.
- Extinction Timeline: Megalodon went extinct 2.6 million years ago, coinciding with the transition from the Pliocene to the Pleistocene epoch.
- Fossil Record Evidence: Its extinction is evident from its disappearance from the fossil record and the composition of modern marine life.
- Ancestry and Classification: Megalodon belonged to the Otodontidae family, part of the Lamniformes order of sharks, which includes modern species like the great white shark.
- Growth and Development: Megalodon’s size was a result of evolutionary adaptations to prey on large marine mammals, with fossils indicating rapid growth in their early years.
- Environmental Changes: The Pleistocene Ice Ages brought significant climatic changes that impacted Megalodon’s habitat and prey, particularly whales.
- Competition with Other Predators: Newer, more agile predators like the giant sperm whale Livyatan and the great white shark posed significant competition for Megalodon.
- Dietary Challenges: A decline in whale populations and changes in oceanic ecosystems reduced Megalodon’s food sources, making survival more challenging.
- Impact on Marine Ecosystems: Megalodon’s extinction allowed other marine predators like great white sharks and Orcas to become the dominant apex predators, influencing the evolution and size of modern whales.
