![]() The new biological inferences drawn from this study represent a leap in our knowledge of this singular super predator and help to better understand the ecological function that megafaunal species play in marine ecosystems, and the large-scale consequences of their extinction.Megalodon was the largest shark that ever roamed the planet about 23 million to 2.6 million years ago. The complete 3D model can now be used as a basis for future reconstructions and further scientific research. The extinction of this iconic giant shark likely impacted global nutrient transport and released large cetaceans from a strong predatory pressure.” ![]() The study’s lead author Catalina Pimiento, Professor at the University of Zurich and Senior Lecturer at Swansea University, said: “These results suggest that this giant shark was a transoceanic super-apex predator. ![]() Feeding upon whales up to sizes rivalling today’s orcas may have allowed the shark to swim thousands of miles across oceans without eating again for two months. To fulfil such energetic demands, the megalodon would have needed to eat creatures packed full of calories like marine mammals, who are known to have calorie-rich flesh. For extinct animals we can estimate the body mass with modern 3D digital modelling methods and then establish the relationship between mass and other biological properties such as speed and energy usage,” said co-author John Hutchinson, professor at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. “Weight is one of the most important traits of any animal. A 3D scan of the full body of a great white shark was used to add “flesh” around the megalodon skeleton, producing a full 3D model of its whole body. The resulting skull was then attached to the vertebrae, producing a base model of megalodon’s skeleton. They then recreated the skull of a megalodon, using an existing 3D scan of the skull of a great white shark, which was scaled up and fitted with 3D scans of a megalodon dentition. The research team, which includes researchers from Switzerland, UK, USA, Australia and South Africa, first used 3D scans of the fossilised Belgian vertebrae to reconstruct the spinal column, scaling it up to real size. The results also suggest that the megalodon could travel long distances and could eat whole prey of up to eight meters long – the size of modern killer whales, today’s top ocean predator.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |