If this is your first time even hearing the name “Megalodon” (pronounced without the a) then don’t feel like you’ve either 1. Had a bad science teacher in the past that missed it or 2. The great white shark has really been the least of your worries while swimming in the ocean. Or maybe it’s just me. The first time I heard of the Megalodon was from a Miami Ohio Redhawks men’s hockey player who is more popularly known for playing for a national championship this past season than flaunting random, unknown Wikipedia definitions. Because we all really wonder what prime-time athletes really do in their free time now we know one of them.  William Weber, number four on the Redhawks team, explained one of them matter-of-factly, “watching the History Channel of course.” He went on to explain how a few of his teammates had gotten caught up in the mysteriousness of the Megalodon a creature who scientist’s figure grew up to more than 60 feet and was the largest shark to ever live. When first typing “Megalodon” into Google then, it did not surprise me to see the picture:

A little scary? I think the word “little” is an understatement. Wikipedia goes on to say the “oldest remains of this species found are about 18 million years old.” But I still can’t help but think that next time I go swimming in the ocean I’ll have images of the six feet high jaws opening to close around me completely. Scientists have had trouble estimating the size of this shark but it seems clear that it is HUGE. And much bigger than humans and any great white shark that has ever swam in the ocean. The largest tooth that was found in 1973 but ichthyologist John E. Randall had an enamel height of 115 mm. From this enamel height, Randall concluded that the Megalodon could grow to 13 meters which is 43 feet. So now, what the heck would this large beast eat? I can only imagine that ships would seem like crackers to the Meg. According to Wikipedia, there is evidence that C. Megalodon preyed on whales, sirenians, dolphins and sea turtles. Lastly, and I’m sure the most imperative question we all want to know is: do these things still exist?! And if they don’t-how the heck does something so dominant die out?

Well, I’m sure that the Miami of Ohio Red Hawks Men’s Hockey Team will argue you till then end that these large dudes do still exist and perhaps one day they will launch a ship to find them but I will NOT be on board that ship. (I might sponsor it) But again, I will NOT be on board. Anyway, there have been no definite recent sightings of the beast. It is said that they were extinct during “Pliocene” which is the timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. Sure, sounds plausible they have survived since then

Miami. Anyway, two reasons are hypothesized why they died out:

1.      Climate

2.      Shortage of Food

Climate could have been a concern for our big Meg because five million years ago the entire globe cooled and the Megalodon thrived in warm waters. Also, during the late Pliocene and Pleistocene there were huge volumes of water in continental ice sheets and this resulted in seal level drops of  100 mm or more over the entire surface of the Earth. And this could have restricted the Megaladon’s breeding grounds. Shortage of food-now that is just a given. Besides the scientific aspect of it where many of the species of whales became extinct; I mean, these large guys just need way too much stuff to eat. It is like fat guy goes to sushi bar. In the end I cannot see how the sushi bar would not be put out of business. Especially if the fat guy brings his family.

So the history on the Megalodon is great and I love the theory but I would recommend to the men’s hockey team at Miami of Ohio that if they are looking for a big shark with that big of teeth to come back that maybe they should rename their hockey team. Miami Megalodon’s? It’s got a nice ring to it.

Renz. “Megaladon.” Wickipedia. Wickimedia Foundation Inc. Web.10 Jun 2009.