What did Otodus look like?
Like other elasmobranchs, the skeleton of Otodus was composed of cartilage and not bone, resulting in relatively few preserved skeletal structures appearing within the fossil record. The teeth of this shark are large with triangular crown, smooth cutting edges, and visible cusps on the roots.
What did the Otodus Obliquus evolve from?
megalodon shark
It’s thought Otodus originated from a smaller, but similar shark called Cretalamna. Otodus obliquus eventually evolved into the megalodon shark. Over time, the shark grew larger and more specialized. The teeth became larger and broader.
Is an Otodus shark a megalodon?
Megalodon is now considered to be a member of the family Otodontidae, genus Otodus, as opposed to its previous classification into Lamnidae, genus Carcharodon. The great white shark is more closely related to the mako shark (Isurus spp.), with a common ancestor around 4 mya.
Is the Otodus shark extinct?
The extinct †Otodus megalodon has been estimated to be the largest macropredatory shark known to have existed3. Based on its fossil teeth and using the modern great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) as an analogue, it has been calculated that it reached a maximum total length (herein, TL) of ~ 15 to 18 m3,4,5.
Is the megalodon still alive?
Megalodon is NOT alive today, it went extinct around 3.5 million years ago. Go to the Megalodon Shark Page to learn the real facts about the largest shark to ever live, including the actual research about it’s extinction.
What evolved from a megalodon?
Millions of years ago the oceans were ruled by a bus-sized, whale-eating shark with teeth as big as your hand. Scientists have long believed that the prehistoric megalodon shark evolved into today’s scariest sea predator, the great white. Sharks replace their teeth regular, so they can be found on the seafloor.
Are Megalodons extinct 2020?
Megalodon is NOT alive today, it went extinct around 3.5 million years ago.
Which is the only fossil evidence of Otodus?
About Otodus Since the skeletons of sharks are composed of biodegradable cartilage rather than longer-lasting bone, often times the only fossil evidence of prehistoric species consists of teeth (sharks grow and shed thousands of teeth during their lifetimes, which is why they’re so abundant in the fossil record).
What kind of animals did the Otodus eat?
Otodus likely preyed upon marine mammals such as early whales, seals, large bony fish, and other sharks. It was among the top predators of its time. Scientists determined that Otodus evolved into the genus Carcharocles, given substantial fossil evidence in the form of transitional teeth.
How is the Otodus shark related to other sharks?
It is the shark that gives its name to the family Otodontidae and is related to sharks such as C. auriculatus, C. angustidens, and C. megalodon. This shark is known from the fossil teeth and fossilized vertebral centra.
Are there any descendants of the Otodus obliquus?
The largest predatory shark that ever lived, the Megalodon, is thought to be one of the Otodus obliquus’s descendants. One of the reasons the Megalodon is extinct may be that it was out-competed by its cousins, other Otodus obliquus descendants.