Megalodon may have been warm blooded, new study suggests

@ OldCarpy

“Measuring the ratios of the different isotopes of elements such as carbon or oxygen in tissues like tooth enamel gives us a unique window into the diet and habitat of an animal who has been extinct for millions of years,” explains Cullen, currently a Research Associate at the Field Museum and a Postdoctoral Research Scholar at NC State University.

“Dinosaurs lived in a weird world: broad-leafed and flowering plants were much less common, it was warm enough in high latitudes to support crocodilians, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere was higher than it is today, and there was little to no ice at the poles. It’s not like anything we as humans have any direct experience with, but it may be the direction we are headed, so it’s critical that we understand how ecosystems and environments function under those sorts of conditions so we can better prepare ourselves for the future,” says Cullen.

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It won't tell us whether or not dinos were warm blooded but it will give us a clues to very interesting data.

Warm-blooded you say?

Now we can have a relatable cartoon character.
For example, Mike-Megalodon:

"My name's Mike and I'm a shark,
I live in the ocean, alone in the dark.

My blood is warm, but it sometimes gets hot
When a sexy shark-lady bites a whale in my spot".

Great Whites have a warmer body temp then ambient temp, so it makes sense, or at the least, it would not surprise me.

originally posted by: Oldcarpy2
So, I have always believed that some dinosaurs were warm blooded.

Like Rhinos are, yet are so similar to Triceratops and similar.

And the theory that Chickens have evolved from T Rex's. Which may have had feathers.

So now it seems Meg may have been warm blooded, too.

So, what say you ATS?

www.openaccessgovernment.org...

"By examining isotopes found in the tooth enamel of the megalodon, scientists have determined that this prehistoric giant could maintain a body temperature approximately 13 degrees Fahrenheit (7 degrees Celsius) warmer than the surrounding water.

This is a groundbreaking finding which is expanding our understanding of sea animals."

I think your understanding of biology is limited. Any apparent similarity in morphology with triceratops and rhinos would be unrelated to them both being warm or cold blooded. Morphology does not dictate this.

Like the great white shark- it’s possible the Megalodon could be partially warm blooded. Not sure how this is really ground breaking either, just interesting.

a reply to: ITSALIVE

I'll admit I'm no Biologist, but the similarities seem quite striking?

Cool post! I've heard that dinosaurs were likely highly adaptable, so this comes as no surprise, but is ridiculously interesting. That said, I wouldn't be shocked to learn that they still exist in the ocean. For anyone who does saltwater aquariums or saltwater coral reefing, it's not far-fetched to consider the possibility of a whole plethora of prehistoric monsters living underwater. Hey, those people during the Age of Exploration surely weren't just tripping out about nothing when they reported sightings of beasts and weird stuff while sailing across the ocean to new lands. Food for thought.

Thanks for sharing and for the source material.