3.  Lived between 2 million and 16 million years ago  Discovered by their fossilized teeth during the Renaissance  Classified by a Swiss Naturalist in 1835  Teeth range from 3-7 inches in length  Estimated length was 60 feet and estimated weight was 48 tons (96,000 lbs)

5.  Ate large marine mammals and fish  The Megalodon’s bite has been estimated to be 10 times more powerful than a great white  Inhabited the open ocean, in mainly tropical areas  Closest living relative thought to be the great white shark

6.  Climatic upheavals  Isthmus of Panama closed around 5 mya and fundamentally changed global ocean circulation  Disintegration of the food chain  Many species of whales and dolphins became extinct as a result of the climatic shifts  Surviving species migrated to polar regions (out of Megalodon range)