Megalodon — the biggest shark that ever lived — ate sperm whales because it was attracted by their huge noses, a new study claims.
Measuring up to 65ft long and weighing an estimated 100 tonnes, the prehistoric predator was one of the most ferocious animals when it swam in oceans around the globe between 23 and 3.6 million years ago.
The sperm whale’s enormous snout, which makes up a third of its body, was particularly appealing to megalodon because it is packed with oily saturated fats, according to researchers at the University of Zurich.
Their findings are based on analysis of 7 million-year-old fossilised sperm whale skulls from southern Peru.
A series of bite marks indicate that sharks consistently fed on them.
Fearsome: Megalodon — the biggest shark that ever lived — ate sperm whales because it was attracted by their huge noses, a new study claims. An artist’s impression of an attack is shown
The sperm whale’s enormous snout, which makes up a third of its body, was particularly appealing to megalodon because it is packed with oily saturated fats, according to researchers at the University of Zurich
Lead author Aldo Benites-Palomino, a palaeontology student at the University of Zurich, said: ‘These are concentrated along the nose, mouth and face.
‘In sperm whales, these regions receive most of their greatly enlarged nasal organs that are responsible for the sound production and emission system.
‘The main organs of this complex are the spermaceti and the melon, structures rich in fats and oils, but also heavily regulated by the facial muscles.
‘Most of the bite marks have been found on the bones that would be adjacent to these soft tissue structures, such as the jaws, or around the eye, thus indicating that sharks actively targeted this region.’
The sharks that attacked sperm whales ranged from megalodon — meaning big-tooth — to species that are still around today, including mako sharks, sand sharks and the Great White.
Megalodon even attacked prehistoric sea monster Leviathan melvillei — named after the author of Moby Dick, say scientists.
Half a dozen skulls were unearthed at the Pisco Formation in the Ica Desert.
It is famous for a treasure trove of Miocene shark and ray remains, bony fishes, turtles, marine crocodiles, seabirds, whales and seals.
In the oceans, the Miocene was a time of changing circulation patterns, probably due to global cooling.
It spanned 23 million to five million years ago. By the end of it, almost all modern groups of whales had appeared.
Benites-Palomino said: ‘Sperm whales are a group characterised by their greatly enlarged, and rich in fat, nasal organs, which they use for sound production.
‘Here, we report several fossil sperm whale skulls from the Pisco Formation that display a similar pattern of shark bite marks.
‘These are located across the skull regions which housed these organs, indicating a feeding preference by sharks over these nasal organs.
A series of bite marks on 7 million-year-old fossilised sperm whale skulls from southern Peru indicate that sharks consistently fed on them
‘Such a feeding pattern has no modern preference and suggest the broad diversity of Miocene sperm whales served as a fat repository for prehistoric sharks.’
During the last 30 years, explorations carried out in the area have also unveiled aquatic sloths and even walrus-faced dolphins.
Benites-Palomino said: ‘It indicates a rich and diverse ecosystem seven million years ago.
‘Warmer oceanic water temperatures combined with a series of protected coastal environments greatly benefited the marine fauna.
‘Among these, sperm whales and sharks were some of the most abundant and conspicuous groups around.
‘During the last decade palaeontologists across the globe have been inquiring about the interactions between these two large groups of marine predators.’
Lead author Aldo Benites-Palomino, a palaeontology student at the University of Zurich
The researchers hope their study could shed light on the connections between them.
Benites-Palomino said: ‘The overall shape, size and arrangement of the bite marks is greatly variable, suggesting more than one species of shark was targeting the sperm whales.’
Today, sharks seek the carcasses of baleen whales with high concentrations of fats, such as the blubber.
‘During the Miocene baleen whales were small, but sperm whales would have constituted a perfect fat repository due to their greatly enlarged and lipid-rich nasal organs,’ Benites-Palomino added.
Megalodon and Leviathan died out about three million years ago during the period of global cooling, but the reasons for their demise are still being debated.
The new study has been published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences.
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