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When we think of megalodons, we often imagine them as massive great white sharks. However, a recent study by an international team suggests a different anatomical design based on their analysis of fossilized vertebrae. The researchers propose that megalodons were actually "more slender and possibly even longer" than previously thought, resembling sleeker mako sharks rather than bulky great whites. Researchers first proposed that megalodons may have looked like giant mako sharks. Credit: Deposit Photos This new hypothesis has sparked a debate among paleobiologists, with some questioning the evidence supporting the idea of giant prehistoric makos. A follow-up study by the original authors suggests that megalodons may have been even longer and leaner than initially proposed, more closely resembling lemon sharks than great whites. Megalodons may have resembled sleeker lemon sharks than great whites. Credit: Deposit Photos Rob de Vries The findings of the revised shape and size are detailed in a recent paper published in the journal Palaeontologia Electronica. After analyzing a megalodon's vertebral column and comparing it to over 100 shark species, the researchers estimate that megalodons could have reached lengths of around 80 feet and weighed as much as 94 tons, similar in size to a blue whale. This is a significant shift from the previous estimates of 50-65 feet in length and 53-115 tons in weight. The study suggests that even newborn megalodons were sizable creatures, comparable in size to adult great whites. One of the co-authors, Phillip Sternes, argues that megalodon pups may have been capable of hunting marine mammals shortly after birth. He believes that this latest study offers the most comprehensive analysis of megalodon's body size and shape to date. The study suggests that megalodons had a more elongated and slender body, similar to lemon sharks, which would have allowed them to move efficiently through water. This contrasts with the bulkier, torpedo-like shape of great white sharks, which are built for quick bursts of speed. The researchers point out that evolutionary efficiency played a role in shaping megalodons, much like Olympic swimmers streamline their bodies for optimal performance. They propose that megalodons likely swam at a moderate pace, with the ability to accelerate quickly for hunting. Overall, the study suggests that megalodons evolved to survive at a massive scale, with a body shape optimized for efficient movement in the water. The debate between Team Lemon and Team Great White continues, but both sides may agree on the idea of megalodon speed—a balance between moderate swimming and quick attacks. "Gigantism isn't just about getting bigger—it's about evolving the right body to survive at that scale," Sternes concludes. "And megalodon may have been one of the most extreme examples of that." More deals, reviews, and buying guides The PopSci team has tested hundreds of products and spent thousands of hours trying to find the best gear and gadgets you can buy. Andrew Paul is Popular Science’s staff writer covering tech news.

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