Animal Profiles
Fish

Megalodon

Otodus megalodon

Extinct

This animal is extinct. No living individuals remain.

Status source

Megalodon (Otodus megalodon) was a giant extinct shark. Most of what is known comes from teeth and vertebrae, which preserve far more readily than a shark’s largely cartilaginous skeleton.

Megalodon, AI-generated lifelike reconstruction
AI-generated reconstruction. Colors and soft tissues are interpretive.

At a glance

Habitat
Open ocean
Diet
Carnivore
Food
Marine animals, including marine mammals.

Classification

Common name
Megalodon
Browse group
Fish
Scientific name or taxon
Otodus megalodon
Taxon rank
species
Order
Lamniformes
Family
Lamnidae
Genus
Otodus
Source classification
Chondrichthyes

Taxonomy checked against GBIF. For breeds and hybrids, this describes the listed parent taxon.

Three things to know

  • Most finds are teeth and vertebrae.
  • Its skeleton was largely cartilage.
  • Scientists regard the species as extinct.

Habitat and range

Megalodon inhabited ancient oceans, and its teeth have been discovered in many parts of the world. Florida is one region with abundant finds. The species is extinct despite fictional portrayals of living survivors.

Appearance and adaptations

Large serrated teeth provide evidence for a powerful feeding apparatus. Body size and overall shape must be reconstructed from limited remains and comparisons with other sharks, so estimates carry uncertainty.

Diet and behaviour

It was a major marine predator, probably taking whales and other substantial prey. Its exact relationships and ecology continue to be investigated. The cited older museum article uses the alternative genus name Carcharocles.

Sources

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