The extinct megalodon shark, studied by scientists from De Polska University in the United States, turned out to be not only huge, but also slow-moving. Reports of scientists indicate that this predator can swim at a speed of no more than 1.9 km per hour.

Megalodon lived in the world’s oceans about 15 to 3.6 million years ago. The dimensions of these sharks reached a length of 20 meters, weighing about 30-40 tons. Megalodon’s appearance remains a mystery, as its cartilaginous skeleton is completely destroyed over time. However, it is assumed that they resemble a larger version of the modern great white shark.

Scientists conducting a new study set the goal of determining the maximum speed of this ancient predator. His work is based on analysis of plaqueoid flakes preserved in rock formations in Japan. The study of these scales allowed the scientists to make an interesting discovery: the scales of the megalodon lack the “backbones” or narrow protrusions that are characteristic of fast-swimming sharks. This separates Megalodon from previous estimates that this ancient shark could reach speeds of up to 5.6 km/h. However, American experts concluded that its true speed did not exceed 1.9 km/h.

For comparison, it’s worth noting that Olympic champion Michael Phelps’ swimming speed was an impressive 9.6 km/h. These results were published by The Daily Mail.