Megalodon is an extinct species of shark that lived from around 23 million to around 3.6 million years ago, during which time it occupied a prime position at the top of the food web, before being ...

At the same time, many whale species, megalodon’s primary prey migrated to colder waters or went extinct. “Megalodon was adapted to a world that no longer existed,” explains McCormack.

Megalodon dispatched its prey with a ferocious bite and lethal, serrated teeth that could reach up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) long — the size of a human hand.

Megalodon was a 'SUPER PREDATOR': 52ft shark targeted prey as large as killer whales when it roamed the oceans 11 million years ago – and could then survive without eating for two months, study ...

Their results suggest that the megalodon could fully consume prey the size of today's killer whales and then roam the seas without more food for two months. Skip to main content.

They estimated the megalodon would have been able to devour prey the size of orca whales – which can be up to 26 feet long and weigh over 8,000 pounds – in just five bites.

Roaming the ancient seas eons ago, the megalodon shark eviscerated its prey with jaws that were 10 feet wide. Warpaintcobra/iStock via Getty Images Plus Michael Heithaus, Florida International ...

"These results suggest that the megalodon could travel long distances and was capable of eating whole prey of up to 8 meters long," the university said in a statement Wednesday.

Editor's Note: The video above is from 2018. When did the megalodon shark go extinct, and why? That's the question posed by 10-year-old Landon. Imagine traveling back in time and observing the ...

Given that the slower great white shark can travel nearly 7,000 miles without stopping in order to take advantage of seasonal prey, the team argued, the megalodon likely could have gone much further.

Megalodon dispatched its prey with a ferocious bite and lethal, serrated teeth that could reach up to 7 inches (18 centimeters) long — the size of a human hand.

Editor's Note: The video above is from 2018. When did the megalodon shark go extinct, and why? That's the question posed by 10-year-old Landon. Imagine traveling back in time and observing the ...