CARCHARODON MEGALODON SIGHTINGS
- Thread starter Sarcosuchus
- Start date
Reading now...I hate to rain on the party here but there in no way IMO that C. megalodon is still alive. The giant squid is one thing, it's a deep sea creature and has been very well documented for a long time, ever since people started cutting open sperm whales. The coelacanth is also a deep water species and not even half the length of a meg. If the meg did still exist we would know it. There would probably be whales with bite marks found, teeth that weren't fossils, photographs and other evidence. There is no way the meg lives in deep water. Think about it...what would it eat? There are no whales down there and those are and were the only thing large enough to support such an animal. I'm sorry but the megalodon is extict and will remain so.
And before anyone throws the megamouth shark in my face, they are plankton eaters and thus can support themselves in a deep water environment.
If anyone is looking for a good writeup on why the megalodon could not still be alive read Richard Ellis's book "Great White Shark", he devotes a chapter to the subject.
As for Steve Alten, he isen't a scientist. He is a fiction author...key word being fiction. Ask any real shark scientist what they think of him and his opinions and they will rotf laughing.
And before anyone throws the megamouth shark in my face, they are plankton eaters and thus can support themselves in a deep water environment.
If anyone is looking for a good writeup on why the megalodon could not still be alive read Richard Ellis's book "Great White Shark", he devotes a chapter to the subject.
As for Steve Alten, he isen't a scientist. He is a fiction author...key word being fiction. Ask any real shark scientist what they think of him and his opinions and they will rotf laughing.
Sorry folks - I just don't put much stock in the idea that the Megalodon Still Exists.
Ever bit of current paleo research - suggests that MEGs like current Great Whites where specialized feeders. In MEG's case large Whales, although juvie MEGs may have preyed on smaller marine mammals, like large seals & sea lions. Also this same research suggest MEG preferred warm sub-tropical & tropical oceans.
And Most Paleo Shark biologists - suggest there were possible 3 major factors for the MEGs extinction.
- the Smaller but faster Adult Great Whites out competed sub-adult MEGs for the same food sources.
- The Ice Ages (from 1 million to 10,000 years ago) cut off possible pupping & mating grounds from Adult MEGS.
- Also their main prey items(food source) went extinct between 1 million yrs ago & 10,000 yrs ago.
Also Most of current realistic estimates for the actual size of the Megalodon is between 40 - 60 ft. About the same size as the Whale Shark. And it was likely about the same general mass as well.
Ever bit of current paleo research - suggests that MEGs like current Great Whites where specialized feeders. In MEG's case large Whales, although juvie MEGs may have preyed on smaller marine mammals, like large seals & sea lions. Also this same research suggest MEG preferred warm sub-tropical & tropical oceans.
And Most Paleo Shark biologists - suggest there were possible 3 major factors for the MEGs extinction.
- the Smaller but faster Adult Great Whites out competed sub-adult MEGs for the same food sources.
- The Ice Ages (from 1 million to 10,000 years ago) cut off possible pupping & mating grounds from Adult MEGS.
- Also their main prey items(food source) went extinct between 1 million yrs ago & 10,000 yrs ago.
Also Most of current realistic estimates for the actual size of the Megalodon is between 40 - 60 ft. About the same size as the Whale Shark. And it was likely about the same general mass as well.
"Y'all know me. Know how I earn a livin'. I'll catch this bird for you, but it ain't gonna be easy. Bad fish. Not like going down to the pond and chasing bluegills and tommycats. This shark, swallow you whole. No shakin', no tenderizin', down you go. And we gotta do it quick, that'll bring back your tourists, put all your businesses on a payin' basis. But it's not gonna be pleasant. I value my neck a lot more than three thousand bucks, chief. I'll find him for three, but I'll catch him, and kill him, for ten. But you've gotta make up your minds. If you want to stay alive, then ante up. If you want to play it cheap, be on welfare the whole winter. I don't want no volunteers, I don't want no mates, there's too many captains on this island. Ten thousand dollars for me by myself. For that you get the head, the tail, the whole damn thing."
You want a Meg...I'll find the Meg.
You want a Meg...I'll find the Meg.
None of us here said Meg still exists. But the discussion here is pretty interesting that we went on. I have no opinion on whether or not Meg still exists or has it gone extinct today.
But let me say a few things, fish like the Coelacanth, Megamouth and many others nobody had any idea for so damn long that they even existed today. There were even stories on monstrous carcasses washed up near the shore, caught up in big fishing nets etc...
All these alimals, even with an enormous size did not mean people were able to discover them. Even the Giant Squid took so long...
Do you know recently, Great White Shark researchers discovered through tagging them that these predators traveled so far and went to deep sea area? And the researchers said this evidence is going to shock many...they said they thought Great Whites were only coastal predators. And kept asking the question on why would they travel to deep sea area? What is there? What do they do there and what could they find in there?
It is true that there are so many sea creatures that are yet to be discovered. And recent studies have showed Great Whites are not linked to Megalodons. So we have to forget it being a primarily coastal shark when even Great Whites discovered not to be so now.
I am not saying Meg exists nor am I saying it doesn't. If that incident of seeing an huge Shark is true...then I don't know what it is. It seems they all have said the same thing about the Shark, that it was strangely white.
But let me say a few things, fish like the Coelacanth, Megamouth and many others nobody had any idea for so damn long that they even existed today. There were even stories on monstrous carcasses washed up near the shore, caught up in big fishing nets etc...
All these alimals, even with an enormous size did not mean people were able to discover them. Even the Giant Squid took so long...
Do you know recently, Great White Shark researchers discovered through tagging them that these predators traveled so far and went to deep sea area? And the researchers said this evidence is going to shock many...they said they thought Great Whites were only coastal predators. And kept asking the question on why would they travel to deep sea area? What is there? What do they do there and what could they find in there?
It is true that there are so many sea creatures that are yet to be discovered. And recent studies have showed Great Whites are not linked to Megalodons. So we have to forget it being a primarily coastal shark when even Great Whites discovered not to be so now.
I am not saying Meg exists nor am I saying it doesn't. If that incident of seeing an huge Shark is true...then I don't know what it is. It seems they all have said the same thing about the Shark, that it was strangely white.
Great Thread.. Can Sarcosuchus tell more about that "discovery" about great whites not being coastal, after all? I allways understood that they were not pelagic. The king of the pelagic sharks being the Longimanus.
The mere( marvellous) hyphotesis of Meg being down there gives one shivers...
The mere( marvellous) hyphotesis of Meg being down there gives one shivers...
Well - IIRC when MBA release the young female Great White in early 2005 - they tracked her for a month.
During that Month, while she usually stayed within a few dozen miles of the California coast. She did travel as much as a hundred miles off shore, and to depths of over 800 ft deep.
Keep in mind - she's still a juvenile.
Adult Great Whites have been known to travel fo South Africa to Australia, and from California to Hawaii. And IIRC, they have also been reported to dive up to 1/2 mile down.
Adult Great Whites in the open ocean - may feed on dead whales, dolphins, other sharks, or fatty fishes like mackeral, & tuna.
As for the size of The MEG's jaws. In the Newer reconstructions. I have.
They aren't large enough for an adult normal size human to stand up in. Present - accurate reconstructions of the MEG's jaws are only about 4-4.5' tall - not the 7' of much older reconstructions.
The Older Reconstructions - assumed that all of MEG's teeth were about 5-7" in length, instead of just the front center teeth. Present Reconstructions have the Teeth ranging from less that 1" up to 7", and built similar to the jaws of most modern sharks.
During that Month, while she usually stayed within a few dozen miles of the California coast. She did travel as much as a hundred miles off shore, and to depths of over 800 ft deep.
Keep in mind - she's still a juvenile.
Adult Great Whites have been known to travel fo South Africa to Australia, and from California to Hawaii. And IIRC, they have also been reported to dive up to 1/2 mile down.
Adult Great Whites in the open ocean - may feed on dead whales, dolphins, other sharks, or fatty fishes like mackeral, & tuna.
As for the size of The MEG's jaws. In the Newer reconstructions. I have.
They aren't large enough for an adult normal size human to stand up in. Present - accurate reconstructions of the MEG's jaws are only about 4-4.5' tall - not the 7' of much older reconstructions.
The Older Reconstructions - assumed that all of MEG's teeth were about 5-7" in length, instead of just the front center teeth. Present Reconstructions have the Teeth ranging from less that 1" up to 7", and built similar to the jaws of most modern sharks.
