The Megalodon: the true ancient king of the seas, an apex predator that makes a great white shark look like a doll. It is one of the most iconic sea creatures of prehistoric times, which most people have likely at least heard of. Its terrifying size, when fully understood, baffles even the most knowledgeable scientists. But how could an animal ever evolve to become so large? A group of researchers from New Jersey may have found an answer.
An important piece of information to keep in mind is Bergmann's rule. Creatures found in higher latitudes will inherently be thicker and larger, as colder temperatures require them to have a small surface area to volume ratio in order to maintain heat.
The New Jerseyan researchers applied several new methods to provide a more reliable examination of information. They began their investigation by analyzing the previously presented body size trends and nursery areas of the shark "by confining the previously used samples to upper anterior teeth offering more reliable TL [total length] estimates, and by taking paleo latitudes and sea-surface temperatures into consideration," (Shimada, Kenshu). Thus, they concluded that Megalodon individuals originating from cooler waters are, on average, larger than their counterparts in warmer ones because of Bergmann’s rule - which contributed to the enormity of this species in the first place.
In the end, although specimens of warmer waters were also gigantic, there is no denying that the truly colossal sharks were mostly from colder climates. Bergmann’s rule is a law of nature that is still in effect today and it is interesting to know that it was in place long before humans ever existed.
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