Liopleurodon, Megalodon, and Dunkleosteus were three of the fiercest sea animals of their time. While none were dinosaurs, they were apex predators in their own ecosystems, terrorizing their prey. They never met on the ocean battlefield, but we can still use science to tell us who would win.
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Battle Facts about Liopleurodon vs. Megalodon vs. Dunkleosteus
| Name | Liopleurodon (Liopleurodon ferox) | Megalodon (Otodus megalodon) | Dunkleosteus (Dunkleosteus terrelli) |
| Size | 16-23 feet long, 2,200-3,700 pounds | 52-67 feet long, 53 tonnes (over 100,000 pounds!) | 13-20 feet long, 2,000-4,000 pounds |
| Speed | 20-25 mph | 20-25 mph | 15-20 mph |
| Offense | Bite force of up to 7,700 pounds, maneuverability | Bite force of 24,000-40,000 pounds | Could open its mouth wide and close it in 20 milliseconds |
| Defense | Great sense of smell to find enemies and food | Strong sense of smell, hearing, and great vision | Thick armor on the head |
| Endurance and Behavior | Could stay underwater for miles but had to breathe air | Ambush predator, had gills | Had gills and could swim in deeper waters |
Liopleurodon, Megalodon, and Dunkleosteus were sea monsters that ruled the ocean during different prehistoric times.
Using size comparison alone, the Megalodon shark would be the clear winner. But the biggest isn’t always the best, and all three sea animals had amazing adaptations that made them the apex predator of their ecosystems.
Was Megalodon stronger than Dunkleosteus?
Megalodon was more than two times as long and over 25 times the weight of Dunkleosteus. Pound for pound, Megalodon was easily the strongest. Megalodon was even stronger than Tyrannosaurus Rex!
Dunkleosteus had thick armor on its head, which helped protect it from larger predators. The armor was effective when another Dunkleosteus attacked. But Megalodon had huge teeth, and Dunkleosteus’s armor only covered the front half of its body.
What was the bite force of the Megalodon, Liopleurodon, and Dunkleosteus?
Megalodon had a bite force of 24,000-40,000 pounds. Liopleurodon had a bite force of up to 7,700 pounds. Dunkleosteus’s bite force was around 8,000 pounds.
Megalodon’s bite force was even stronger than T-rex’s 12,800 pounds. Only Pliosaurus funkei (Predator X) and the raptorial Sperm Whale Livyatan had similar bite forces.
Among modern-day sea animals, the Killer Whale has a bite force close to Megalodon at an estimated 19,000 pounds!
Dunkleosteus still had an impressive bite, even if it wasn’t as strong as other sea animals. This dino could open its mouth wide and shut it in 20 ms or 1/50th of a second. This created a suction that pulled prey into its mouth!
What did the megalodon eat?
Megalodon ate mammals, sharks, and fish. Anything the massive Megalodon shark could get its jaws around was fair game, including smaller Megalodons.
But it was no match for the gigantic Blue whale, which was about twice the size of Megalodon!
When did the Dunkleosteus Live?
Dunkleosteus placoderm fish lived during the Late Devonian period from 382-358 million years ago. This was the moment when the first amphibians and reptiles started appearing. Placoderms were completely extinct by the end of the Devonian period, around 350 million years ago.
Rapid climate change was blamed for the extinction of Placoderms. Most other Devonian era sea animals also went extinct with the Placoderms. About 80% of all the animals on Earth died during this time.
When did Liopleurodon Live?
Liopleurodon was a marine reptile that lived during the Jurassic period from 165-155 million years ago. Liopleurodon was a long-necked Plesiosaur called a Pliosaur. Some paleontologists believe the Liopleurodon might have lived a little longer, up to 150 million years ago.
Marine reptiles didn’t appear until 250 million years ago in the Triassic period. The massive Ichthyosaur called Shonisaurus lived from 237-227 million years ago.
Mosasaurs like Tylosaurus and Mosasaurus came later, during the Cretaceous period.
Cretaceous Plesiosaurs were much larger than Liopleurodon and other Jurassic Plesiosaurs. Elasmosaurus was about 50 feet long, and Kronosaurus was around 40 feet long. They had flippers instead of fins, just like Liopleurodon.
When did Megalodon Live?
Megalodon lived long after dinosaurs, about 20-3.6 million years ago. For comparison, Orcas appeared during that period, around 11 million years ago. Great White Sharks like the ones alive today appeared around 7 million years ago.
Many ocean mammals also appeared around Megalodon’s lifetime. Ancient whale Basilosaurus lived about 10 million years and went extinct shortly before Megalodon first appeared. Blue whales appeared about 4.5 million years ago, and ancestors of seals appeared around 28 million years ago.
Who was the Biggest: Dunkleosteus, Liopleurodon, or Megalodon?
Megalodon was by far the biggest of the three sea monsters. New estimates of the Dunkleosteus put it as the smallest of the three. Liopleurodon falls right in the middle.
Still, it’s hard to find a true size for Dunkleosteus. Like most Placoderms of the Devonian era, Dunkleosteus only had armor on the front half. Because of this, the back half of Dunkleosteus was eaten, and there is not enough fossil evidence to show what the back of Dunkleosteus looked like.
Who Would Win, Megalodon, Dunkleosteus, or Liopleurodon?
Based on bite force, size comparison, and speed, Megalodon would win the battle of the sea monsters. Liopleurodon and Dunkleosteus could sometimes escape Megalodon’s jaws, but most of the time, Megalodon would win.
Dunkleosteus could escape by using its body armor to ram and stun Megalodon and Liopleurodon. Dunkleosteus was also built for deeper ocean water. Its smaller, compact body could fit into crevices and hide until the danger passed.
Liopleurodon was smart and agile, which could help it escape Megalodon. Like seals twist and turn to get away from Orcas and Great White Sharks, Liopleurodon could use its flippers to maneuver out of Megalodon’s way. Liopleurodon was in no danger from slow and clunky Dunkleosteus.
Megalodon was easily the winner of this battle. Dunkleosteus and Liopleurodon could get away now and then, but most of the time, they would be a mega meal for Megalodon. Luckily for Dunkleosteus and Liopleurodon, these three sea monsters have never met in real life!