Megalodon (also known as the meg is an extinct species of shark which lived many many years ago)

In this video, I'll be answering 6 questions people ask about the megaladon
1.How strong was the Megalodon's bite?
2.Why do fossil megaladon teeth come in so many different colors?
3.How many teeth did the Megalodon have?
4.How often did the Megalodon replace it's teeth?
5.What did the Megalodon eat?

Timestamps
0:00 Intro
0:06 How strong was the Megalodon's bite?
1:14 Why do fossil megaladon teeth come in so many different colors?
1:49 How many teeth did the Megalodon have?
2:21 How often did the Megalodon replace it's teeth?
3:06 What did the Megalodon eat?
3:43 End screens


How strong was the Megalodon's bite?

In 2008, a team of scientists led by S. Wroe conducted an experiment to determine the bite force of the great white shark, using a 2.5-meter (8.2 ft) long specimen, and then isometrically scaled the results for its maximum size and the conservative minimum and maximum body mass of the meg. They placed the bite force of the latter between 108,514 to 182,201 newtons (24,395 to 40,960 lbf) in a posterior bite, compared to the 18,216 newtons (4,095 lbf) bite force for the largest confirmed great white shark, and 7,400 newtons (1,700 lbf) for the placoderm fish Dunkleosteus. In addition, Wroe and colleagues pointed out that sharks shake sideways while feeding, amplifying the force generated, which would probably have caused the total force experienced by prey to be higher than the estimate.


In addition, Wroe and colleagues pointed out that sharks shake sideways while feeding, amplifying the force generated, which would probably have caused the total force experienced by prey to be higher than the estimate

Why do fossil megaladon teeth come in so many different colors?

The color of fossil Megalodon teeth has nothing to do with the original color of it's teeth which would have been white like modern day shark teeth. The color comes from the minerals that replaced the tooth during the fossilization process or leached into the tooth post fossilization. That is why coloration tends to be very distinctive of different localities, because of the varying mineral content in the ground.

How many teeth did the Meg have?

The Meg had 46 front row teeth, 24 in the upper jaw and 22 in the lower jaw. Most sharks had at least six rows of teeth, so a Megalodon would have had about 276 teeth in it's mouth at any given time. The teeth in the back rows were replacement teeth, sliding in to replace the front teeth when they become worn or damaged.

How often did the Meg replace it's teeth?

The Meg like all sharks replaced it's teeth as it grew or the teeth become worn/damaged. New teeth are continually grown in a groove in the shark's mouth and the skin acts as a "conveyor belt" to move the teeth forward into new positions. Younger sharks replace their teeth more often than older ones. Unfortunately we have relatively little real data on the tooth replacement rates of modern day sharks, let alone a prehistoric one. But we can safely assume an adult Megalodon would have shed thousands of teeth in it's lifetime.

What did the Meg eat?

A large adult Megalodon may have required more than a ton of food EACH DAY to sustain its lifestyle. Fossil evidence indicates the Megalodon preyed primarily upon marine mammals including whales, dolphins, sea lions and sea cows. Many whale bones have been found that have clear bite marks made by teeth that match the Megalodon's. Megalodon teeth have also been found in close association with whale fossils, possibly lost during feeding

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