Sharks have roamed the Earth’s oceans for over 400 million years, but one mega-toothed shark stood out from the rest: Otodus megalodon. Commonly known as “Meg”, O. megalodon was the largest shark to ever exist, measuring over 15 meters in length.
Although its fossilized teeth are frequently found along coastlines worldwide, less is known about where Meg roamed in deeper waters. A recent discovery by deep-sea explorers sheds new light on the habitat of this extinct predator.
In the fall of 2022, researchers aboard the deep-sea exploration vessel E/V Nautilus were studying seamounts in the central Pacific Ocean when their remotely operated vehicle (ROV) spotted something unusual on the seafloor: a large tooth protruding from the sediment.
Situated over 10,000 feet below the surface, it marked the first observation of an in situ fossilized tooth of O. megalodon before its collection. Back on the ship, scientists confirmed that the 68mm tooth belonged to none other than the gigantic megalodon shark, identified by its distinctive triangular shape and serrations. But how did it end up so far from the coast?
Meg inhabited the oceans approximately between 5 and 3.6 million years ago, during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs. Most fossils are found in coastal sediments, near where it is believed giant sharks hunted prey such as whales, dolphins, sea turtles, and other marine animals on continental shelves.
However, studies in deep waters for over a century have revealed Meg teeth scattered across remote ocean floors, showing that it sometimes ventured far from the coast. Reconstructing its distribution area is challenging without direct observations of existing fossils until now.
Close examination of underwater images provided new data. The tooth was only partially buried, indicating limited sediment accumulation in the deep seas over millions of years. Its sharp serrations remained intact, suggesting little transportation or abrasion.
A gradually forming black crust of manganese, a common element in nodules and crusts on the seafloor, surrounded the fossil over time. Eventually, manganese would completely encase remnants like shark teeth left on the bottom.
Other clues suggest Meg explored the open ocean. Historical records describe ear bones and cetacean teeth found alongside Meg fossils hundreds of kilometers from land, proving that the giant shark may have followed long distances to migratory whale herds.
Like present-day great white sharks, Meg was a top predator in the food chain with no natural enemies other than humans. Its enormous size allowed it to traverse the oceans in search of prey rather than relying solely on coastal habitats.
The remote location of this serendipitous deep-sea discovery raises intriguing questions. How widespread were Meg’s deep-sea diving habits? Could the seasonal migrations of its prey or its mating patterns have taken it beyond solid ground?
Thanks to technological advances that enable exploring the 99% of the seafloor not yet seen by human eyes, we continue to fill gaps in the habitat of long-lost predators like Otodus megalodon.
Sources
Jürgen Pollerspöck, Danielle Cares, David A. Ebert, Katherine A. Kelley, Robert Pockalny, Rebecca S. Robinson, Daniel Wagner & Nicolas Straube (2023) First in situ documentation of a fossil tooth of the megatooth shark Otodus (Megaselachus) megalodon from the deep sea in the Pacific Ocean, Historical Biology, DOI:10.1080/08912963.2023.2291771
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