Great White Shark
A living shark related to mako sharks, known for attacking prey from the soft underside.
The great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) is a species of mackerel shark. It was once thought to be a close relative of the extinct megalodon, but megalodon has been reclassified into the extinct family Otodontidae, which diverged from the great white shark during the Early Cretaceous. The great white shark is more closely related to the mako sharks (Isurus spp.), with a common ancestor around 4 million years ago. Unlike megalodon, which attacked prey from the chest, the great white attacks prey from the soft underside.
Lore & Background
The great white shark's relationship to other sharks has been a subject of scientific debate. While megalodon was once classified in the same genus (Carcharodon) as the great white due to dental similarities, most authors now believe this is due to convergent evolution. The great white shark is more closely related to the extinct broad-toothed mako (Cosmopolitodus hastalis) than to megalodon, as evidenced by more similar dentition. Proponents of the former model, where megalodon and the great white are more closely related, argue that the differences between their dentition are minute and obscure.
The great white shark's teeth have much finer serrations than megalodon teeth. The great white's hunting strategy differs from megalodon's; while megalodon used its strong jaws to break through the chest cavity and puncture the heart and lungs of its prey, the great white attacks prey from the soft underside.
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