Scientists Found an 8-Meter Shark Fossil in Australia, And It Lived Long Before Megalodon Ruled the Seas

Fossilized remains of a colossal shark discovered in northern Australia have upended scientists’ understanding of when oceanic giants first emerged. Measuring up to 8 meters in length, this Early Cretaceous predator swam Earth’s seas around 115 million years ago, predating the infamous megalodon by tens of millions of years.

Paleontologists say this previously unknown shark likely belonged to a group distinct from the lineage that later gave rise to megalodon, the 18-meter predator that ruled the oceans millions of years later. That makes the Australian fossil not only a record-breaker, but a signpost to a forgotten chapter of shark evolution.

A Predator From The Age Of Dinosaurs

The vertebrae were uncovered in marine sediment layers dated to the Early Cretaceous, approximately 115 million years ago. According to a study published in Communications Biology, the remains belonged to an individual estimated to be between 6 and 8 meters long, weighing several tonnes. The fossilized bones display visible growth rings, which allowed researchers to determine the shark’s age and growth rate, an analysis method still used in modern shark biology.

The exceptional level of preservation caught scientists off guard. Since shark skeletons are mostly made of cartilage, they typically degrade quickly and seldom fossilize. Researchers involved in the study noted that the vertebrae’s size and morphology point to a high-performance predator, likely built for speed and endurance.

When Evolution Took A Different Path

Before this find, the rise of mega-predatory sharks was thought to have occurred much later in the Cretaceous period. As Benjamin Kear, the senior curator in paleobiology at the Swedish Museum of Natural History and one of the study’s authors, said:

“It would’ve looked for all the world like a modern, gigantic shark, because this is the beauty of it.” he added, “This is a body model that has worked for 115 million years, like an evolutionary success story.”

Scientists suggest the Australian shark would have shared its habitat with other marine reptiles, including plesiosaurs, and likely competed with them for food. Its massive size suggests it served as an apex predator in its ecosystem, long before the rise of later dominant species.

Australia’s Fossil Boom

According to a report on the Western Australian Museum’s website, the find underlines the country’s importance in paleontological research, particularly in marine vertebrate evolution.

While most high-profile shark fossils have come from Europe or North America, this find places Australia at the center of current research into the early evolution of ocean giants. As scientists continue to study the region’s geology, more revelations about Earth’s ancient seas may still be buried beneath the surface.

“This is where our modern world begins,” stated Kear. “By looking at what happened during past shifts in climate and biodiversity, we can get a better sense of what might come next.”