Megalodon

Megalodon adalah spesies ikan hiu purba raksasa yang hidup sekitar 20 hingga 1,2 juta tahun lalu. Hiu ini berukuran lebih besar dari sebuah kapal pesiar. Namanya sendiri berarti "gigi yang besar". Hewan ini termasuk jenis hiu perairan dalam yang jarang naik ke permukaan kecuali untuk mencari mangsa.

Isu yang tersebar, meski hiu ini belum pernah ditemukan dalam keadaan hidup, banyak di antara kalangan ilmuwan berpendapat bahwa hiu ini masih hidup, dan termasuk fosil hidup. Keturunan dekat hiu ini adalah hiu putih.

Twice the size of a great white shark, and with teeth 21cm long, this was the top predator of its time.

Type: Cartilaginous fish
Size: Up to 16m in length
Diet: Carnivore
Predators: No known predators
Lived: The Miocene and Pliocene epochs, 16-1.6 million years ago.

Name: Megalodon

Pronounced: MEG-a-la-don

Description: Measuring up to 50 feet long and tipping the scales at up to 50 tons, the Megalodon, a shark, was probably two to three times larger than today's great white shark. Its name means "long tooth," and its teeth were not only long but huge all around, with serrated edges.

Fighting Style: The Megalodon had an extremely sharp sense of smell and good eyesight; it was also very agile, which made it a lethal predator. After stalking and catching up to its victim, the Megalodon would use its rows of massive teeth to rip into its flesh. The shark would then retreat and allow its prey to lose blood, returning to attack again when the victim had become weaker.

Home Turf: Ocean waters around the world

When It Lived: Miocene and Pliocene Eras (roughly 25-5 million years ago)

What's For Dinner?: The Megalodon was an apex predator, at the top of the food chain in its waters. Its prey probably ranged from victims as small as seals (100 pounds each) to much bigger animals, including giant squid, other large sharks and, especially, whales.

Did You Know?: Sharks don't have bones, which makes it hard for paleontologists to estimate the Megalodon's size and shape. They did have some bony cartilage that fossilized, but most existing information about them comes from their teeth, which were replaceable. In guessing the size of the Megalodon, scientists estimate 10 feet for every inch of tooth.