# Megalodon (*Otodus megalodon*)

Canonical page: https://creaturedata.com/animals/megalodon  
Data as of: 2026-11-11

Megalodon (Otodus megalodon) is a fish in the sharks and rays subgroup, classified in the family Otodontidae of the order Lamniformes. It has a representative body length of 25 m. Its scientific name carries the authority (Agassiz, 1835), and it is also called the giant great white shark.

## Quick facts

| Fact | Value |
|---|---|
| Weight | Not recorded |
| Length | 25 m |
| Lifespan | Not recorded |
| Main food | Not recorded |
| Habitat | coastal |
| Young per litter or clutch | Not recorded |
| Conservation status | Not recorded |
| Countries on record | Not recorded |

## Classification

- kingdom: Animalia
- phylum: Chordata
- class: Elasmobranchii
- order: Lamniformes
- family: Otodontidae
- genus: Otodus
- species: *Otodus megalodon* (Agassiz, 1835)

Synonyms: *Carcharocles megalodon*, *Carcharodon megalodon*, *Carcharodon megalodon var. chubutensis*, *Megaselachus megalodon*, *Procarcharodon megalodon*

## Common questions

### How big is the megalodon?

The megalodon has a representative body length of 25 m.

### What kind of animal is the megalodon?

The megalodon is a fish in the sharks and rays subgroup, belonging to the class Elasmobranchii and the order Lamniformes.

### What is the scientific name of the megalodon?

The scientific name of the megalodon is Otodus megalodon, placed in the genus Otodus.

### What family does the megalodon belong to?

The megalodon belongs to the family Otodontidae.

### What is another name for the megalodon?

The megalodon is also called the giant great white shark.

## Sources

- [Catalogue of Life eXtended Release](https://www.checklistbank.org/dataset/316691), CC BY 4.0, 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life (2026). Catalogue of Life eXtended Release, version 2026-10-16 XR. Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgzlf
- [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org), per file (CC0 / public domain / CC BY green, CC BY-SA amber, anything else not displayed), 2026-11-11. Wikimedia Commons contributors. Wikimedia Commons. https://commons.wikimedia.org (each file credited to its author under its own licence).
- [Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org), CC0 1.0, 2026-11-11. Wikidata contributors. Wikidata. https://www.wikidata.org (data retrieved via the Wikidata Query Service).
- [Wikipedia (English)](https://en.wikipedia.org), CC BY-SA 4.0, 2026-11-11. Wikipedia contributors. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. https://en.wikipedia.org (text under CC BY-SA 4.0; each block names its article and revision).

Cite as: Megalodon (Otodus megalodon). Retrieved from https://creaturedata.com/animals/megalodon