Cannibalism in the womb may have helped megalodon sharks become giants

The ancient sea terror may have grown to 14 meters thanks to a firstborn’s predatory practice

Megalodon shark illustration

Massive megalodon ruled the seas between about 23 million to 2.5 million years ago, as seen in this illustration. Why these giants got so big isn’t known, but may be due to a combination of warm-bloodedness, readily available large prey — and cannibalization in the womb, new research suggests.

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The largest sharks ever to hunt in Earth’s oceans may have gotten so big thanks to their predatory behavior in the womb, scientists report October 4 in Historical Biology.