Megalodon is an ancient species of shark that lived between 23 and 3.6 million years ago. It is also one of the largest shark species ever to exist with an estimated length of 18 meters. However, a group of 26 scientists consisting of shark paleontologists now hypothesize that Megalodon may be larger than the original estimate.
Previous predictions of Megalodon's size assumed that its body shape was similar to that of a great white shark. Based on the analysis of the size of 16 white shark vertebrae, the length of Megalodon can then be estimated using its fossilized vertebrae. However, fossils found in Belgium prove that the estimation technique used may not be accurate. Based on old assumptions, the spine of this fossil should be only 9.2 meters long. But the fossil spine found was 11.2 meters long.
Using the analysis of existing Megalodon bone fossils, this group of scientists hypothesized that it had a flatter and longer body. Therefore the new estimate of Megalodon's length is almost 20 meters.
The exact size of this ancient animal is impossible to know because complete skeletons have never been found due to prone to decay after several million years. For sure, whether it is 20 meters long or "only" 18 meters, Megalodon is still one of the scariest predatory fish ever to exist and can only be killed by Jason Statham.