Fossil tooth of an ancestral megalodon found in the Indian Ocean

Australian scientists have discovered a deep-sea shark graveyard containing fossilized teeth of an ancient ancestor of megalodon sharks. They also discovered a new species of shark.

The discovery was made during two surveys on the Research Vessel (RV) Investigator operated by Australia’s national scientific organization, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO).

We explored Australia’s newest marine reserve. The Cocos (Keeling) Islands Marine Park in the remote Indian Ocean and the Gascoyne Marine Park off the coast of Western Australia.

At depths of over five kilometers, researchers have found the remains of ancient and modern sharks. Among them is a 12-meter-long shark tooth, the closest known relative to a giant megalodon.

Thought to have been one of the most powerful predators ever, they went extinct about 3.5 million years ago.

The voyage’s chief scientist, John Keesing, told VOA that an important discovery had been made.

“From the deepest point, this is about 5,000 meters. We unearthed a recent fossil shark tooth,” he said. “So what we found on this trip was a great white shark and a mako shark. We also found fossil teeth of a relative of the megalodon, which is the ancestor of modern sharks.”

The research area of ​​the Indian Ocean is known to be home to some of the most diverse marine life in the world, but researchers believe much of what lies beneath the waves is a mystery.

A new type of small striped shark was also discovered in Gascoigne Marine Park. Scientists say it is “unique to Australia”. They haven’t formally described or named it yet. CSIRO says about one-third of the marine species collected on biodiversity expeditions are likely to be new to science.

The RV Investigator has a crew of 54 people, 35 of whom are scientists. The research vessel she operates 24 hours a day.