Megalodon

Megalodon is an extinct species of shark that lived approximately 23 to 2.6 million years ago, during the Cenozoic Era.

The taxonomic assignment of ''C. megalodon'' has been debated for nearly a century, and is still under dispute. The two major interpretations are Carcharodon megalodon or Carcharocles megalodon. Consequently, the scientific name of this species is commonly abbreviated ''C. megalodon'' in the literature.

Regarded as one of the largest and most powerful predators in vertebrate history, ''C. megalodon'' probably had a profound impact on the structure of marine communities. Fossil remains suggest that this giant shark reached a length of 18 metres, and also indicate that it had a cosmopolitan distribution. Scientists suggest that ''C. megalodon looked like a stockier version of the great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias''.