Megalodon (/ˈmɛɡələdɒn/ meg-ə-lə-don; meaning "big tooth", from Ancient Greek: μέγας (megas) "big, mighty" + ὀδόν (odon) (from ὀδούς (odous) "tooth"),[1] is an extinct species of shark that lived approximately 28 to 1.5 million years ago, during the Cenozoic Era (late Oligocene to early Pleistocene). |--| The taxonomic assignment of C. megalodon has been debated for nearly a century, and is still under dispute. The two major interpretations are Carcharodon megalodon (under family Lamnidae) or Carcharocles megalodon (under family Otodontidae).[2] Consequently, the scientific name of this species is commonly abbreviated C. megalodon in the literature. |--| C. megalodon is regarded as one of the largest and most powerful predators in vertebrate history,[3] and likely had a profound impact on the structure of marine communities.[4] Fossil remains suggest that this giant shark reached a maximum length of 14--18 metres (46--59 ft),[3] and also affirm that it had a cosmopolitan distribution.[2] Scientists suggest that C. megalodon looked like a stockier version of the great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias. Please Visit. these sites for live ocean footage.