| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Order: Lamniformes Family: Otodontidae Genus: Otodus Species: Otodus megalodon | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Superfamily: Mosasauroidea Family: Mosasauridae Tribe: Mosasaurini Genus: Mosasaurus Species: Mosasaurus hoffmannii |
| Size | Height: N/A Length: 4.2–20.3 meters (47–67 feet) Weight: 65 metric tons (about 143,000 pounds) | Height: N/A) Length: 12–18 meters (39–59 feet) Weight: 5–15 tons (11,000 – 33,000 lbs) |
| Appearance and Physical Features | -robust, streamlined body -massive head with a blunt -wide jaws with a toothy grin -thicker fins -large, crescent-shaped tail fin | -robust, streamlined body -elongated tail -two-lobed fin -limbs modified into flippers -conical skill with croc-like snout -wide and robust front flippers |
| Distribution | Worldwide | North America, Europe, Africa |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Cruising Speed: 3.1 miles per hour (5 kilometers) Burst Speed: 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour) | Top Speed: 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) |
| Weapons | -massive 7-foot-wide jaws -large teeth with tough jaw muscles -bite force of 108,514 and 182,201 Newtons | -elongated, crocodile-like snout -tapering jaw with 40 to 50 conical shaped-teeth -sharp, jagged massive teeth -slender, blade-like teeth -wide jaws suited for gripping and swallowing |
| Sensory Capabilities | -well-developed vision -adapted to any water condition -can sense larger objects or shaped in water -great sense of smells -excellent hearing and electroreception abilities | -excellent vision due to its large eyes -can perceive sounds and vibrations |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -complex maneuvers and intricate tactics -chomping down opponents -skilled in taking down large prey -sheer power | -agile with more maneuvering skills -complex tactics to face off enemies |
If we make a list of the biggest and baddest monsters to have ever roamed the Earth’s oceans, megalodon and Mosasaurus would most likely top that list.
These two massive predators are alike, yet so different.
One is a giant reptile, a relative of living lizards and snakes that hunted the depth of earth’s prehistoric oceans during the Cretaceous Period.
The other is an equally massive fish—a cartilaginous analog of modern great white sharks that lived until relatively recently.
Both were apex predators in their own time.
They sat right at the top of the aquatic food chain and preyed on pretty much any animal that strayed into their gaping jaws.
Both the megalodon and the Mosasaurus have made appearances in movies, so they’re quite popular as far as modern pop culture is concerned.
Separated by more than 40 million years, the megalodon and the Mosasaurus could not have crossed paths in real life.
This makes an epic showdown between these two monsters highly improbable.
However, we can still imagine what this massive undersea battle would look like if it ever happened.
Below the waves, in the cold icy waters of the Atlantic (home to the megalodon), or in the ancient western interior seaways where the giant Mosasaurus lived.
Two monsters locked in a fatal embrace, splashing and thrashing about in a heated battle that could only have one winner.
Who would emerge victorious?
While it’ll be difficult to say for sure, we can at least compare these two prehistoric predators to see how a fight between them might play out.
In this article, we’ll compare the size, agility, physical features, battle weapons and combat skills of these two aquatic carnivores to reconstruct a possible battle between them.
Comparing Megalodon and Mosasaurus
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Scientific classification | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Order: Lamniformes Family: Otodontidae Genus: Otodus Species: Otodus megalodon | Domain: Eukaryota Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Reptilia Order: Squamata Superfamily: Mosasauroidea Family: Mosasauridae Tribe: Mosasaurini Genus: Mosasaurus Species: Mosasaurus hoffmannii |
| Distribution | Worldwide | North America, Europe, Africa |
Otodus megalodon (commonly called the megalodon) is a type of mackerel shark.
That makes it a relative of some of the most recognizable shark species today, like the goblin shark and the great white shark.
Commonly referred to as “the meg,” this massive shark lived approximately 23 to 3.6 million years ago in oceans all around the world.
Although only fragmentary remains of this shark are known, it is considered one of the biggest and most powerful sharks to have ever lived.
The megalodon had giant jaws lined with massive teeth.
Its name means “big tooth,” referring to the thick and robust, triangular-shaped teeth, which are its most commonly preserved body parts.
Although it might have looked slightly different, the megalodon is often reconstructed with similar build and features of the great white shark, which is one of the apex predators in Earth’s oceans today.
On the other side of the ring, we have the much older Mosasaurus.
This squamate reptile lived between 82 and 66 million years ago, going extinct along with the dinosaurs at the end of the Cretaceous Period.
The Mosasaurus is a distant relative of modern lizards and snakes.
Although it descended from terrestrial ancestors, this reptile was adapted to a full-marine lifestyle.
It had an elongated body with a long tail and two pairs of flippers that aided with locomotion in the ocean’s depths where it lived.
The Mosasaurus inhabited the waters of the Atlantic Ocean and other ancient seas associated with it.
This marine reptile lived in a time of monsters and often faced off against other large predatory reptiles like the Tylosaurus.
Mosasaurus ate fish, cephalopods and other marine reptiles.
It also ate sharks for lunch, which means these two contenders may have hated each other if they lived in the same place around the same time.
Physical Features of Megalodon and Mosasaurus
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Appearance and Physical Features | -robust, streamlined body -massive head with a blunt -wide jaws with a toothy grin -thicker fins -large, crescent-shaped tail fin | -robust, streamlined body -elongated tail -two-lobed fin -limbs modified into flippers -conical skill with croc-like snout -wide and robust front flippers |
The megalodon is often depicted as a scaled-up version of the famous great white shark.
It had a typical shark-like build with a robust but streamlined body.
The meg had a massive head with blunt, wide jaws and a toothy grin.
The fins were probably similar in shape to that of other large shark species but significantly thicker due to their bigger size.
The tail fin was large and crescent-shaped, while the anal and second dorsal fin were smaller.
Much of what we know about the appearance of the megalodon is speculatory.
As a cartilaginous fish, the body fossils of this shark have not been preserved in the fossil records, which makes it challenging to reconstruct its physical appearance.
The Mosasaurus was a large marine reptile similar in build to modern marine vertebrates like whales and dolphins.
It had a robust, streamlined body with an elongated tail that ended in a downturned, two-lobed fin.
Like other marine reptiles before it, the limbs of the mosasaurus were modified into flippers that aided with locomotion and steering in the water.
The Mosasaurus had a conical skull that tapered into a short croc-like snout.
The front flippers were wide and robust, while the hind limbs formed a paddle supported by four sets of digits.
While the megalodon and the Mosasaurus are both fully adapted to an aquatic lifestyle, they showed distinct physical features that reflect their identities as fish and reptiles, respectively.
The megalodon’s shark-like anatomy made it adapted to life in the ocean’s depths.
The Mosasaurus, on the other hand, was a reptile not so far off from its terrestrial ancestry.
It demonstrates some impressive adaptations to an aquatic lifestyle, including possessing modified limbs and tails.
While these aided with life underwater, it was clearly not as specialized as that of sharks like the megalodon.
A Size Comparison
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Size | Height: N/A Length: 4.2–20.3 meters (47–67 feet) Weight: 65 metric tons (about 143,000 pounds) | Height: N/A) Length: 12–18 meters (39–59 feet) Weight: 5–15 tons (11,000 – 33,000 lbs) |
The megalodon and the Mosasaurus were both colossal beasts.
However, the giant shark was the bigger predator by a small margin.
While estimates vary, most experts suggest an average size of about 14.2 to 20.3 meters (47–67 feet) for this giant shark.
The maximum size limit of the megalodon puts it slightly above the whale shark, which is currently the biggest shark species in the world.
Mass estimates for the megalodon are between 12.6 and 33.9 tons for an adult male.
Not only was the megalodon the biggest shark, but it is also one of the largest fish species to ever exist.
The Mosasaurus also ranks high on the size scale for marine reptiles and prehistoric marine predators in general.
Mosasaurus hoffmannii (the largest species in the genus) grew to a maximum length of about 17.1 meters (56 feet), with a skull length of up to 171 centimeters (67 in) and a weight of about 5.5 tons.
It is worth noting that the other Mosasaurus species were not this big.
Most individuals had an average length of about seven to 10 meters (23 to 33 feet), which would make them significantly smaller than the average megalodon.
The enormous size of the megalodon would give it a significant advantage in an underwater duel.
With a colossal size comes a massive skull, giant teeth and powerful bite force.
However, the smaller size of the Mosasaurus would also give it more agility, making their faceoff more of a challenge for the bulky fish.
Speed, Movement, and Agility
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Speed, Movement and Agility | Cruising Speed: 3.1 miles per hour (5 kilometers) Burst Speed: 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour) | Top Speed: 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour) |
The megalodon was not a particularly agile predator.
This is partly due to its massive size and also because the shark lacked narrowly spaced ridges known as keels, typically found in fast-swimming sharks
The cruising speed of this fish has been estimated to be about 3.1 miles per hour (5 kilometers).
However, it was also capable of occasional bursts of speed when chasing prey, during which its swimming speed can increase to up to 11 miles per hour (18 kilometers per hour).
This is still relatively slow compared to some modern shark species.
Great whites, for instance, are powerful swimmers that can hit top speeds of up to 35 miles per hour (56 kilometers per hour).
The Mosasaurus, on the other hand, was an agile swimmer.
The top speed of this marine reptile has been estimated to be about 30 miles per hour (48 kilometers per hour).
Mosasaurus had a streamlined body similar to that of modern dolphins and whales.
It used its long tail and flippers to achieve rapid acceleration, which made it quite agile in the water.
The Mosasaurus is equipped to make quick and sharp turns that would give it an edge against a relatively slow opponent like the megalodon.
The tissue structure of this marine reptile also suggests that it had a high metabolic rate consistent with that of warm-blooded animals.
Sharks like the megalodon are mostly cold-blooded.
Their level of activity depends on the temperature of the surrounding water, and they’re generally less active and agile compared to warm-blooded animals.
Given all of these, a fight between these creatures would be slightly tricky to call.
While the megalodon’s size means it had more power on its size, its slower speed and limited agility would make it difficult to catch up and keep up with the rapid moves of the Mosasaurus.
Battle of the Weapons
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Weapons | -massive 7-foot-wide jaws -large teeth with tough jaw muscles -bite force of 108,514 and 182,201 Newtons | -elongated, crocodile-like snout -tapering jaw with 40 to 50 conical shaped-teeth -sharp, jagged massive teeth -slender, blade-like teeth -wide jaws suited for gripping and swallowing |
When aquatic monsters clash, their most potent (and often only weapon) is their jaws.
The Mosasaurus had an elongated crocodile-like snout as its primary offensive weapon.
This tapering jaw was lined with about 40 to 50 massive teeth, each one with a conical shape and sharp, jagged edges.
In some Mosasaurus species, the teeth lacked serrations and had a slender, blade-like profile.
Like modern reptiles, the jaws of this reptile could open very wide as they were best adapted to gripping and swallowing prey whole instead of biting through flesh
The megalodon, on the other hand, hunted prey with sheer force and power.
The massive seven-foot-wide jaws of this fish were lined with up to five rows of teeth, numbering 276 in total.
Each tooth had a diagonal length of about 18 centimeters (7.1 inches), the largest of any shark species discovered so far.
The jaws were strengthened by tough muscles, capable of chomping down on prey with a significant force.
The bite force of the megalodon has been estimated to be between 108,514 and 182,201 Newtons.
That’s the highest of any animal, both living and extinct!
For context, the T-rex’s bite force is about 35,000 newtons, while the saltwater crocodile’s bite force, which is the highest of any living animal, is only 16,460 Newtons.
The meg’s jaws can crush bones and shells and will have no trouble crushing the skull or backbone of its reptilian adversary.
The Mosasaurus can still inflict serious damage on the megalodon with its sharp conical teeth despite its low bite force.
But a gaping wound is less of a fatal injury compared to a massive bite from the giant fish’s massive chompers.
Sensory Capabilities
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Sensory Capabilities | -well-developed vision -adapted to any water condition -can sense larger objects or shaped in water -great sense of smells -excellent hearing and electroreception abilities | -excellent vision due to its large eyes -can perceive sounds and vibrations |
Like modern shark species, the megalodon probably had well-developed vision.
Its vision was most likely adapted to detecting movements and light contrasts in the water.
This means it can sense large objects or shapes but would have trouble perceiving finer details of its opponent’s appearance.
To make up for its visual deficiencies, the megalodon may have had other amplified senses, such as a great sense of smell, excellent hearing, and electroreception abilities.
Marine reptiles like the Mosasaurus had large eyes, which gave them excellent vision.
It also had features for hearing and could perceive sounds and vibrations in the water.
The Mosasaurus’ sensory abilities would make it easier to detect and evade an attack, especially from a large opponent like the megalodon.
It isn’t clear how much this would be helpful in a combat situation, especially if both animals are in close quarters.
Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques
| Megalodon (“Giant tooth”) | Mosasaurus (“Meuse lizard”) | |
| Combat Skills and Fighting Techniques | -complex maneuvers and intricate tactics -chomping down opponents -skilled in taking down large prey -sheer power | -agile with more maneuvering skills -complex tactics to face off enemies |
The megalodon was the biggest and baddest predator of the Neogene Period.
Given its massive size and fearsome jaw, this giant fish had no business with complex maneuvers and intricate tactics.
All it has to do is chomp down on an adversary repeatedly, and all that’ll be left is a trail of blood.
The megalodon was particularly skilled at taking down large prey.
It hunted marine mammals, sharks and big fishes, mauling them with its powerful jaws.
The Mosasaurus is just in the right size range of its typical prey, and it should have no trouble taking it on.
While the Mosasaurus was an apex predator in its own right, it mainly had to face off against other marine reptiles and smaller prey.
A massive, 60-foot shark was probably not on its list of typical adversaries.
As an agile predator, this marine carnivore probably had more maneuvers and complex tactics in its toolbox compared to the megalodon.
These might count for something when facing off against a foe that’s several times your weight.
In all, the megalodon’s battle tactics would probably be based on sheer power.
A successful bite into any part of the reptile’s body means almost certain death for the smaller predator.
The mosasaurus may also aim at getting a bite out of the megalodon’s tail or any of its massive fins.
This is plausible given the slower reflexes of the fish and the reptile’s agility.
But a single bite will probably not be enough to take down the giant monster fish—meaning almost certain death to the reptile.
That’s not to mention the fact that the fish is naturally at home in the water.
The reptile still has to surface occasionally for air since it has lungs instead of gills.
If the fight drags on for too long (which is quite unlikely), the Mosasaurus might meet its end during a futile attempt to come up for air.
Who Would Reign Supreme?
The Mosasaurus’s long, streamlined body gives it an advantage in terms of speed and agility.
That’s about all to it.
When you compare other metrics such as size, offensive weapons and combat efficiency, it’s easy to see who will likely emerge victorious if the reptile had to face off against the notorious megalodon.
The giant fish had a robust body with huge whale-killing jaws.
The Mosasaurus would have a hard time getting its jaws around the meg’s robust body, and even if it did, it’d need to bite multiple times to do fatal damage.
All it takes for the megalodon to end this battle is a single catastrophic bite to any part of the Mosasaurus’ body.
Even if it doesn’t crush a bone or damage a delicate organ right away, the reptile may likely bleed to death in the long run.
Despite being outclassed and outranked by the meg, the Mosasaurus is still one of the most efficient predators that can be pitched against the giant shark.
It’ll still be an epic battle that’s fun to think about despite its implausibility.
Sources:
About The Author
