Perhaps the most famous extinct shark, the Megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) was a massive predator that lived around 23 to 3.6 million years ago. It grew up to 60 feet long, making it one of the largest sharks ever.
Known for its spiral tooth formation, the Helicoprion lived around 290 million years ago. Its tooth arrangement resembled a buzzsaw, making it a distinctive predator in ancient seas.
This early shark from the Devonian period, about 370 million years ago, had a sleek body and unique features, like long, pointed fins, and it’s one of the oldest known shark species.
Known for its odd dorsal fin shaped like a spine, Stethacanthus lived around 300 million years ago. Its distinct fin shape made it one of the most unique sharks of its time.
This freshwater shark lived about 250 million years ago. With a eel-like body and large spines protruding from its back, Xenacanthus was quite different from the sharks we know today.
A small shark that lived around 200 million years ago during the Jurassic period, Palaeospinax had spiny, smooth teeth and was likely a bottom-dweller.
This extinct shark from the Cretaceous period had a long, flat, and shovel-like snout. It swam in the ancient oceans and is thought to have fed on small marine creatures.