The giant shark that lived
more than 23 million years ago was almost four times bigger than the great white shark that cruises our oceans today.
However, the two
shark species, which once coexisted, likely hunted some of the same prey.
This competition could potentially
have been one reason why the 65-foot-long (20-meter-long) megalodon went extinct
Researchers analyzed dietary signatures
contained in the teeth of 13 extinct shark species and 20 modern sharks to understand where they fit in the food chain
The researchers were able
glean this information by looking at the presence of different isotopes, or variants
Chemical element zinc
preserved in the sharks' tooth enamel. Zinc is essential for living organisms
Hueter Told CNN That Ocearch
Has tagged great white sharks as long as 17.5 feet and as heavy as 4,000 pounds, meaning Ironbound is of modest size.