The massive vertebrae of the extinct megalodon shark, long thought to have been irretrievably lost since the 1980s, have been rediscovered in a museum archive in Denmark. This serendipitous find has proven to be a true gift for science: an international team of paleontologists now has the chance to refine estimates of the size, age, and even dietary habits of this prehistoric giant, as reported by Phys.org.
The story of this specimen began in the late 1970s, when enormous fossils were unearthed in a large industrial clay quarry in Gram, Denmark. In the early 1980s, they were handed over to the Geological Museum in Copenhagen for study. Following the publication of a scientific paper, the specimen unfortunately vanished—it disappeared from the laboratory, leaving the scientific community to rely solely on old photographs and notes.
The situation changed nearly 40 years later. In the late 2010s, an attentive museum employee, while sorting through old collections, stumbled upon several mysterious boxes containing fossils. Realizing the historical significance of the find, they alerted specialists. “Rediscovering the vertebrae was a genuine joy. This specimen empirically confirms the maximum vertebral diameter of 23 cm cited in the literature. In essence, these are the largest fish vertebrae ever recorded,” shared Kenshu Shimada, the lead author of the new study.
The Danish museum has unlocked the key to unraveling the secrets of the megalodon.
To uncover all the mysteries of the lost fossil, scientists employed modern technology. Using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), they were able to examine the internal structure of the vertebrae without damaging them. An analysis of the “growth rings” within the bone tissue revealed that this individual was at least 64 years old at the time of death. Furthermore, a mathematical growth model suggested that the theoretical lifespan of the megalodon could extend up to 96 years.
Micro-computed tomography also yielded an unexpected discovery. Within the rock surrounding the vertebrae, fragments of gills and tiny scales from another shark—the giant shark Cetorhinus maximus—were found. Researchers concluded that this was the stomach contents of the megalodon. This finding represents the first documented evidence that the ancient predator preyed on other large sharks.
As scientists emphasize, the cartilaginous skeletons of sharks rarely fossilize, making every discovered vertebra immensely valuable. The newly rediscovered specimen not only confirms the megalodon’s status as an apex predator but also serves as an empirical foundation for estimating its maximum size—approximately 24 meters.
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