Carcharodon is a genus of large lamniform sharks within the family Lamnidae, currently represented by the extant species Carcharodon carcharias (the white shark) and several extinct species known from the fossil record. Members of this genus are characterized by robust, conical teeth with serrated cutting edges, a fusiform body adapted for high-speed predation, regional endothermy enabling elevated body temperatures relative to ambient seawater, and an apex trophic position in marine food webs. Paleobiological and molecular data indicate a complex evolutionary history distinct from the extinct megatooth sharks (genus Otodus), with Carcharodon exhibiting specialized adaptations for macropredatory feeding on marine mammals and large fishes.
A new study analyzing two fossilized whale skulls from around 5 million years ago has revealed fragments of sharks' teeth lodged inside them. This provides rare evidence of how sharks fed on whales in north European waters ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Mar 18, 2026
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Environmental DNA (eDNA) tests can identify genetic material left by organisms in the environment, such as cells and excrement, but surveys of ocean wildlife can be difficult and expensive, and standard eDNA tests are also ...
Ecology
Mar 9, 2026
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How many fossils does it take to accurately train an image-based AI algorithm? According to a new study co-authored by Bruce MacFadden, UF Distinguished Professor Emeritus and retired curator of vertebrate paleontology at ...
Paleontology & Fossils
Feb 25, 2026
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On April 20, 2023, a juvenile great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) measuring approximately 210 cm and weighing between 80 and 90 kg was incidentally caught by local fishermen off the coast of the eastern peninsula within ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 10, 2026
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When I see a great white shark, I am in awe of the enigmatic, powerful apex predator. My life has been dedicated to trying to know everything about sharks and immersing myself in their world. Most people when they see "shark ...
Plants & Animals
Feb 1, 2026
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A great white shark is a masterwork of evolutionary engineering. These beautiful predators glide effortlessly through the water, each slow, deliberate sweep of the powerful tail driving a body specialized for stealth, speed ...
Evolution
Jan 28, 2026
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Sensible people might prefer to flee at torpedo speed from a great white shark, but there's one job in Australia that pays you to race toward the predators.
Ecology
Dec 11, 2025
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