When people think of “big sharks,” they usually think of the legendary shark, Megalodon (Otodus megalodon), which reached at least 50 feet (15 meters) in length when it was ruling our oceans million years ago. So, it should come to no surprise that they gave birth to pups that are larger than most adult humans… right?
Yes, you read that right. Their babies were larger than humans. Gulp!
Almost everyone knows Megalodon… but there still exist large gaps in our knowledge of them. And thanks to this latest study in the international journal Historical Biology, scientists have shed vital light on the reproductive biology, growth, and life expectancy of these extinct predators. “As one of the largest carnivores that ever existed on Earth, deciphering such growth parameters of O. megalodon is critical to understand the role large carnivores play in the context of the evolution of marine ecosystems,” said Kenshu Shimada, a paleobiologist at DePaul University in Chicago and lead author of the study.
https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproje...o-large-newborns-that-ate-their-siblings/amp/
Yes, you read that right. Their babies were larger than humans. Gulp!
Almost everyone knows Megalodon… but there still exist large gaps in our knowledge of them. And thanks to this latest study in the international journal Historical Biology, scientists have shed vital light on the reproductive biology, growth, and life expectancy of these extinct predators. “As one of the largest carnivores that ever existed on Earth, deciphering such growth parameters of O. megalodon is critical to understand the role large carnivores play in the context of the evolution of marine ecosystems,” said Kenshu Shimada, a paleobiologist at DePaul University in Chicago and lead author of the study.
https://www-forbes-com.cdn.ampproje...o-large-newborns-that-ate-their-siblings/amp/