In today's world, one of the strongest overlords in the ocean is the great white shark. The most ferocious fish, the jaws are feared, and they are remembered as one of the natural enemies of humanity in both people's minds and science fiction movies.
(Photo caption: Exaggerated megalodon art)
However, in the entire history of the earth, the great white shark has not been the most powerful shark. About 23 million years ago, an extremely terrifying shark appeared on Earth, that is, the megalodon. At present, the world's largest great white shark is deep blue, with a body length of 6.1 meters, which is amazing enough. However, in front of the megalodon, it is only a small point, and even the body length may only be about 1/3 of the latter!
According to paleontologists, in general, a juvenile megalodon shark takes about 25 years to grow. Compared with the basic full development of humans in their teens, the development process of megalodon sharks is indeed relatively slow. This is also understandable, as their body shape changes are truly amazing. According to current research, a mature megalodon shark can reach at least 14 meters in length and even grow to 18 meters long, which is exactly 3 times that of a great white shark!
(Photo caption: Megalodon and Great White Shark Teeth Comparison)
It is said that such a huge size, megalodon sharks should be fearless and unscrupulous in the ocean. Neither the so-called whale nor any other shark is, at least in absolute combat effectiveness, nor is it likely to become their prey. In the ocean, megalodon sharks have few natural predators. However, just about 3 million years ago, this terrifying creature gradually became extinct and disappeared from the stage of history.
So, what exactly is causing the extinction of the megalodon?
Recently, the latest research, published in biology newsletter, the journal of the Royal Society, may help us solve the mystery of the extinction of the megalodon shark.
Carlos Martinez-Perez and Humberto Ferron of the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom were two participants in the study, who had previously visited a museum and saw some teeth from megalodon sharks. It was through these teeth that they tracked down a megalodon childcare area off the coast of the eastern Spanish province of Haita Laguna, which hides the secret of megalodon extinction.
Although adult megalodon sharks are unbeatable in size, they are not so large as they are born. For megalodon pups, this ocean is definitely dangerous. In the ocean, bold animals often come to attack and prey on the cubs of megalodons, especially other fierce sharks. There are few other marine predators in these nursery areas, and there is an excellent living environment, which is a paradise for juvenile megalodon sharks.
So, how did the researchers identify these parenting areas?
In an interview with AFP they explained: "For these megafauna, a large part of these fossilized teeth appears very small. Therefore, they speculated that the teeth were likely to come from juvenile megalodons, and then proposed that this is likely to be the place where many megalodon sharks spend their infancy. They describe this "kindergarten" in Spain as an absolute "perfect growing area" for megalodons.
They describe it as a "shallow bay full of warm waters, connected to the sea, full of coral reefs and large populations of invertebrates, schools of fish, marine mammals and other sharks and rays.".
(Photo caption: Megalodon jaw preserved at the National Aquarium in Baltimore)
We know that sharks are typical cartilaginous fish, and megalodons are no exception. Therefore, in the long years, the fossilized bones of their torsos have long been reduced to ashes. Fortunately, sharks also have a characteristic, that is, they constantly renew their teeth throughout their lives, which also provides scientists with a large number of fossilized megalodon teeth. Regarding the size of the megalodon shark, scientists have also speculated from fossils such as the only teeth. In addition to their body size, these teeth can provide a wealth of information about megalodon sharks.
The researchers had in their hands eight groups of fossil megalodon teeth from Chile, Panama, the United States and Peru. They analyzed the fossils and found that two of them were from Panama and two were from the United States, apparently belonging to young megalodons. Therefore, it is reasonable to speculate that these four teeth also come from the area where juvenile megalodon sharks grow.
They pointed out in the study that the remaining four groups of fossils showed typical large and small structure types, with adult megalodons accounting for the majority, suggesting that these areas may also be feeding and mating areas. It is precisely because sharks often haunt these nurseries that a large number of teeth fall out, bury them on the ocean floor, turn into fossils, and eventually be excavated by humans.
The researchers believe that the fossils of megalodon sharks were able to be excavated in large quantities in these places, not by accident, but because of their choice of this living environment. "Our results reveal for the first time that these parenting sites are widely used by megalodon sharks on extremely large spatial and temporal scales," the researchers noted. ”
It is the unique and favorable environment here that provides the perfect living space for megalodon sharks. Marine species are abundant here and can be used as prey for megalodon sharks to fill their stomachs. At the same time, very few megalodon competitors will appear here, reducing the pressure to survive, which allows megalodons to grow "carefree" freely, and eventually achieve such an amazingly large size.
Just as the so-called success is also Xiao He, defeat is also Xiao He, it is precisely this greenhouse that may lead to the extinction of the megalodon shark.
During the Miocene period, from about 23 million years ago to about 5 million years ago, megalodon sharks dominated the oceans on Earth for nearly 20 million years, and also became hugely dependent on these greenhouses. However, during the Pliocene, about 5.3 million years ago, things changed – the Earth entered a new ice age.
As the sea temperature continues to decrease, the living space of megalodon sharks becomes smaller and smaller. Other marine life has long been squeezed by megalodon sharks to survive in a relatively harsh environment, and it can also be used to cool oceans. Megalodons, on the other hand, are accustomed to enjoying warm waters, and as the ocean temperatures drop, they can go less and less and get less and less food.
While food is decreasing, megalodon sharks are hit head-on, and that is, a new challenger has emerged - the great white shark. Admittedly, in terms of size, great white sharks and megalodon sharks cannot be compared at all. But the great white shark is more flexible and has a less voracious appetite than the megalodon, so it is more adaptable.
In this way, under the double blow of climate change and competitors, megalodons have gradually lost their homeland and the opportunity to survive. Enjoyed too much warmth and ended up dying in the cold. In the darkness, nature has taught us a lesson through megalodon sharks. Sometimes, if you have too much advantage and the living environment is too good, it may be easier to perish under the change of the environment.