The extinct giant shark known for its enormous teeth and Cenozoic life was Megalodon. Its scientific name, Otodus megalodon, means “large tooth,” an apt name for a shark whose teeth could exceed 18 centimeters in height.
Megalodon lived mainly during the Miocene and Pliocene epochs, roughly 23 to 3.6 million years ago. Fossil teeth have been found worldwide, including in marine sediments from North and South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and Japan. Because sharks have cartilaginous skeletons, their teeth are the most common surviving evidence of the animal.
Estimates suggest Megalodon may have reached around 15 to 20 meters in length, though its exact maximum size remains debated. It likely hunted whales, seals, and other large marine animals. A common mix-up is confusing it with the great white shark: great whites are living relatives, but Megalodon was much larger and belonged to a different genus.