50-Foot Megasharks Are Reportedly Extinct — But Could They Still Be Living in the Deep Seas?
Stories about ancient creatures like dinosaurs and megasharks both terrify and enchant. The knowledge that such majestic creatures walked the same land as humans makes them an intriguing subject for explorers.
Many hope to lay eyes on such grandiose creatures in their lifetime. Otodus megalodon, a.k.a megashark, is a prehistorical creature that by all accounts has gone extinct, but there are still individuals hoping for its reemergence, Popular Science reported.
The earliest megashark fossils found on Earth are dated back to 20 million years ago, the Natural History Museum reported. As per research, these creatures dominated oceans for the next 13 million years. The beast went extinct just about 3.6 million years ago.
According to the records available from experts, the megashark was not only the biggest shark in the world but also one of the biggest fishes to ever exist, the Natural History Museum reported.
Scientists believe that in their lifetime these creatures grew to between 15 and 18 meters in length. This makes them three times longer than the largest recorded great white shark.
These figures have been derived from the tooth samples available from experts. Experts also state that the creature's habitat had a huge impact on its ultimate growth.
Several conspiracy theories present on the internet point towards the megashark having taken refuge in the depths of the underwater kingdom, Popular Science reported.
The 50-foot predator's popularity has elevated amongst the public after the release of the movie The Meg. The possibility of such an enigmatic beast surviving the odds and establishing a habitat in the depths of the ocean has fascinated the fans of the franchise.
The conspiracy theories about the beast's survival in the ocean hinge on the fact that a huge chunk of water on earth is unexplored, Popular Science reported. Therefore, the possibility that the megashark has somehow survived in those portions cannot be ruled out, as per the fans of the creature.
Experts though believe that the likelihood of such a scenario is close to impossible. According to scientists, the adaptations required to thrive in the nether waters are too extreme for any creature to pull it off in their lifetime.
Experts suggest that even if these creatures have managed to create a habitat for themselves in the nether waters, the possibility is they are nowhere close to what they were in their heyday on Earth, Popular Science reported.
The first recorded discovery of megashark fossils was made by Swiss naturalist Louis Agassiz, in 1835, Popular Science reported. The naturalist found a fossil which he described as triangular, finely serrated teeth, which could be a “megatooth” relative of the great white. Since, then megashark fossils have been found in Panama, Japan, Australia, and the southeastern United States.
One particular discovery fired up the speculation that the megasharks might be swimming in the deep, Popular Science reported. The HMS Challenger, during an expedition for the Royal Society of London in 1875, found a 4-inch-long tooth from a depth of 14,000 feet near Tahiti. Zoologist Wladimir Tschernezky estimated that the sample was just 11,300 years old. Other experts have since dismissed the dating, but conspiracy theorists continue to imply that the finding indicates that megasharks are still amongst humans.
Experts' findings regarding megashark's anatomy and lifestyle also dismiss the possibility of the creatures serving in such depths of the ocean, Popular Ocean reported. The megashark's fossils were mostly found near the shores. "Remains generally come from coastal marine rock deposits formed in tropical-temperate areas," DePaul University shark researcher Kenshu Shimada said.
The dietary habits of the species to which megasharks belonged also had a preference for shores, Popular Science reported. The gnawed ancient whale bones showed the creature's penchant for marine mammals in their diet.
Moreover, the ancient whales had to break through the surface for oxygen and paleontologists believe that megasharks followed suit in this case. Researchers have never found a full skeleton of Otodus megalodon but believe that they shared features like being air breathers with other members of their species.
Despite, most experts surmising that megasharks have become extinct, explorers still hope that the beast has somehow beat the odds, Popular Science reported.
"As a deep-sea explorer and as a scientist who spends a lot of time researching known ocean giants, I really want there to be some unknown one that is undiscovered, and to make that discovery," Craig McClain, Executive Director, Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium said.