Megalodon was the most likely to win in a fight vs. Liopleurodon and Mosasaurus. The giant Blue Whale was just about the only animal Megalodon couldn’t eat during its lifetime. The predatory sperm whale known as Livyatan was the only other sea monster that threatened Megalodon. But even in a fight between Megalodon vs. Livyatan, Megalodon would still be a winner!
Table of Contents
Battle Facts about Megalodon vs. Mosasaurus vs. Liopleurodon
| Name | Megalodon (Otodus megalodon) | Mosasaurus (Mosasaurus missouriensis) | Liopleurodon (Liopleurodon ferox) |
| Size | 52-67 feet long, 100,000 pounds (53 tonnes) | 43-58 feet long, 30,000 pounds (15 tonnes) | 16-23 feet long, 2,200-3,700 pounds |
| Speed | 20-25 mph | 30-35 mph | 20-25 mph |
| Offense | Bite force of 24,000-40,000 pounds | Powerful jaws, short bursts of speed | Powerful jaws, maneuverability |
| Defense | Strong sense of smell, hearing, and vision | Smart and quick, maneuvers quickly | Great sense of smell and smart |
| Endurance and Behavior | Crafty and patient ambush predator, had gills | Could swim far in a short amount of time, air breather | Could swim underwater for miles, air breather |
Megalodon, Mosasaurus, and Liopleurodon were all apex predators. Despite the size difference, each of these sea monsters had awesome adaptions that made them excellent fighters. All three lived their entire lives in water, but they never met face to face because they lived in different time periods.
What kind of Sea Animal was the Liopleurodon?
Liopleurodon was a marine reptile, not a fish or a dino. Instead of fins or feet, Lio had four flippers and a paddle-like tail similar to a beaver. Liopleurodon was part of the family of short-necked Plesiosaurs called Pliosaurs.
Kronosaurus and Predator X were also Pliosaurs. All three species had flippers, breathed air, and lived in the ocean. Liopleurodon, Kronosaurus, and Predator X preyed on smaller marine reptiles and other sea animals.
Lio lived during the Jurassic Period around 160 million years ago (when Allosaurus was alive). Both these carnivores were amazing predators, but they never met face to face.
Was the Mosasaurus a Dinosaur?
Mosasaurus wasn’t a dinosaur at all. Just like Liopleurodon, Mosasaurus was a marine reptile. But Mosasaurus belonged to a more evolved marine reptile group called Mosasaurs. Mosasaurus and Tylosaurus were both Mosasaurs.
Mosasaurus lived in the early Cretaceous Period when Spinosaurus was alive. Additionally, the appearance of Mosasaurs in the earliest part of the Cretaceous Period contributed to the extinction of Liopleurodon. Mosasaurs were much bigger, out-competing Liopleurodon for food and even eating Lio.
Mosasaurs were also better swimmers. They traded the beaver-like paddle for a more shark-like tail. With this new crescent-shaped tail, Mosasaurs could propel their long body through the ocean faster than other marine reptiles!
When did the Megalodon Live?
Megalodon lived 20-2.6 million years ago during a time period called the Pliocene epoch. During Megalodon’s life, Orcas (Killer Whales), Great White sharks, and the vicious sperm whale Livyatan appeared. Blue Whales appeared shortly before Megalodon went extinct.
Megalodon was the only one of our three sea monsters that lived after all the dinos went extinct. Late Cretaceous dinos like Tyrannosaurus rex and Velociraptor died out more than 40 million years before Meg appeared in the ocean!
But sharks appeared on Earth around 450 million years ago and are still around today! During their reign, the ocean saw massive sea monsters like Basilosaurus and Dunkleosteus come and go. Ancient sharks have even been around longer than crocodilians!
Who was the Biggest Sea Monster of the three?
Megalodon was the biggest sea monster by a lot! It got up to 67 feet long and weighed over 100,000 pounds. That’s about as long and heavy as a semi-truck carrying 5 elephants!
Liopleurodon was the smallest of the three — about 23 feet long. This was about the size of a Great White shark.
Mosasaurus was in the middle of the three sea monsters. Being 43-58 feet long, the Mosasaurus was still much bigger than Liopleurodon. Mosa was closer to Meg’s length but only about one-third of Meg’s massive weight.
Which Sea Monster was the Strongest?
Megalodon was by far the strongest of the three. Based on bite force alone, Megalodon could crush Mosasaurus and Liopleurodon with one chomp! Megalodon had a bite force of up to 40,000 pounds! That’s even stronger than T-rex’s 12,814-pound bite force.
Only a Pliosaur called Predator X (Pliosaurus funkei) and a raptor-like sperm whale called Livyatan had similar bite forces. Today, Orcas have the closest bite strength to Megalodon at 19,000 pounds.
Which dino was the Best Swimmer?
Mosasaurus was the best swimmer, as it ditched the paddle tail in favor of the vertical crescent-shaped tail. Its slender, flexible body and four flippers moved it through the water at up to 35 mph.
Megalodon was great swimmer, but their weight slowed them down. Like Mosasaurus, Megalodon had a powerful caudal fin. The shape and placement of the rest of their fins also help to cut drag, making them a deadly swimming machine.
Liopleurodon was the most primitive of the three sea monsters but still a great swimmer! Lio also had a sleek, flexible body, like a seal. Lio didn’t have the bursts of speed like Meg, but its four large flippers and paddle tail propelled it through the water at similar speeds to Meg for long periods of time.
What was the difference between Megalodon, Liopleurodon, and Mosasaurus?
Size and body shape are the biggest differences between Megalodon, Liopleurodon, and Mosasaurus. Megalodon was a thick-bodied shark that looked like a massive Great White shark. Liopleurodon was a small marine reptile with features similar to modern seals. Mosasaurus was somewhere in between.
Each of our fighters also had different hunting styles:
- Megalodon was an ambush predator that used its strong bite to eat huge sea animals.
- Mosasaurus used its speed and maneuverability to hunt other marine reptiles that were smaller and slower.
- Liopleurodon used its strong sense of smell and endurance to find and hunt down food.
Megalodon was the only one of the three with gills. That meant Meg could stay underwater at all times. Mosa and Lio would need to swim to the surface for air at some point.
Final Battle Results: Who Would Win?
Megalodon was the most likely winner. Bite force, size, and the ability to breathe underwater gave this apex predator an edge over the other two. Plus, Megalodon was a predator that would wait patiently to surprise its prey.
Liopleurodon wasn’t a danger to Mosasaurus or Megalodon. Lio was smart and could twist easily in the water like a seal. This would help Lio escape Mosasaurus and Megalodon sometimes, just like seals can escape the jaws of a Killer Whale.
Mosasaurus could beat Liopleurodon but was no threat to Megalodon. Like Lio, Mosa’s best defense in this battle was to escape. Since Mosasaurus could swim around 10 mph faster than Meg, escape was possible!
Even if both marine reptiles managed to escape from Megalodon, there was a chance the battle wasn’t over. Patience and the ability to breathe water meant the intelligent Meg could wait for the right time to finish the fight.
If Megalodon chased the other two until they were forced to surface for air or exhausted, Meg could swoop in and finally catch the prey!