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Although Dunkleosteus ranks as one of the most terrifying fish to ever swim in Earth’s oceans, its history is little known to most. Lurking 360 million years ago, Dunkleosteus was among the largest fish in the Arthrodira group and one of the final survivors of its kind.
Yet, the chilling fossils of this powerful predator still exist, serving as a haunting reminder that the prehistoric world often featured creatures of gargantuan proportions. So, what exactly was Dunkleosteus, and how did it come to be recognized as one of the deadliest aquatic carnivores in history?
Here’s a list of 10 surprising facts about this ancient apex predator that you probably didn’t know.
10. Dunkleosteus Used Its Own Skull to Crush Its Prey
Though Dunkleosteus was a fearsome predator, it didn’t have a single tooth. Instead, its entire skull was armored with bony plates that formed two long 'fangs'—one on the upper jaw and one on the lower. These acted like teeth, delivering a powerful and deadly bite.
What’s even more alarming is that Dunkleosteus’ fangs grew larger as it aged. Scientists believe this change was due to an evolution in its diet as it matured.
While younger Dunkleosteus fed on softer prey, older specimens were capable of crushing armored sea creatures. Interestingly, this shift in diet mirrors the behavior of today’s great white sharks, which evolve from fish to large sea mammals as they age.
9. Its Fangs Were Self-Sharpening
If you’ve ever sharpened an axe or hunting knife, you already have a good sense of how Dunkleosteus kept its fangs sharp. Each time it opened and closed its jaws, the edges of its fangs rubbed against each other, generating friction. Over time, this constant grinding maintained them as razor-sharp weapons capable of inflicting serious harm, even on other massive prehistoric sea creatures.
Unfortunately for Dunkleosteus’ prey, a broken fang didn’t slow this predator down. When a fang became worn down, it simply regrew. In fact, Dunkleosteus’ self-sharpening fangs could regenerate endlessly.
8. It Had A Devastating Bite Force
Recently, scientists at the Field Museum in Chicago managed to virtually reconstruct the bite force of Dunkleosteus using fossilized skull remains. The results were nothing short of remarkable. The jaws could snap shut with an astonishing 8000 pounds of bite force per square inch.
To put this into perspective, this places Dunkleosteus' bite force on par with the infamous T. rex. In modern terms, a Dunkleosteus fang could exert more than double the bite force of a crocodile, which delivers a relatively weak 3,700 pounds per square inch. Even today’s great white sharks can only muster about half the bite force of Dunkleosteus.
7. It Could Suck Its Prey Into Its Mouth
Not only could Dunkleosteus bite with double the force of a great white shark, but this terrifying creature could also suck its prey straight into its enormous mouth. This astonishing ability was due to the incredible speed at which it could open its jaws.
In fact, Dunkleosteus could open its jaws in a jaw-dropping 1/50th of a second. This rapid motion created such a powerful vacuum that anything unfortunate enough to be near would be sucked into its mouth.
This makes Dunkleosteus fairly unique, as it’s rare for a fish to have the ability to bite both hard and fast. Although Dunkleosteus was a sluggish swimmer, all it needed was to get close enough to its prey to suck it inside.
6. Dunkleosteus Would Eat Just About Anything
As a formidable predator, Dunkleosteus had a wide range of prey options. When hunger struck, Dunkleosteus wasn’t picky. Its immense bite strength allowed it to feast on other armored sea creatures, and it was also known to consume tentacled animals. In fact, sharks even made it onto its menu.
It's important to note, however, that the sharks Dunkleosteus feasted on were much smaller than many of the shark species we see today. This is because large shark species didn’t evolve until after Dunkleosteus had gone extinct.
Mark Westneat, a leading expert on this massive creature, has stated that Dunkleosteus would almost certainly prevail in a battle against a great white shark.
5. Dunkleosteus May Have Been Cannibalistic
Though it’s hard to imagine, evidence suggests that Dunkleosteus actually fought with members of its own kind. Upon examining Dunkleosteus skull fossils, scientists found massive scrapes and gouges in the bones. These marks could only have been made by another Dunkleosteus. Some of these violent encounters were so intense that they even caused complete fractures in the bones.
Dunkleosteus was strategic in its attacks, targeting vulnerable spots on the skull to inflict damage. However, it's unclear if these were acts of cannibalism. While it's possible they were attempting to eat one another, another theory suggests that these violent encounters were fought over territory or other vital resources.
4. It Was Built On A Truly Epic Scale
Dunkleosteus was a prehistoric beast of truly monumental size. At its peak, it could stretch to about 9 meters (30 feet) in length. For comparison, the largest great white shark ever recorded was a comparatively modest 6 meters (20 feet) long from nose to tail.
Dunkleosteus was also incredibly heavy. Scientists believe a fully grown Dunkleosteus weighed over 3 tons. That’s more than the weight of a killer whale. In fact, it’s about the same weight as a large hippopotamus, adding yet another reason why encountering Dunkleosteus would be an unforgettable experience.
3. No One Knows Exactly Why They Died Out
You might assume that a species of massive fish would thrive for ages, but that wasn’t the case for Dunkleosteus. This giant predator only roamed the Earth for about 50 million years, which is relatively brief when compared to other species. The reason behind its extinction remains unclear, despite its dominance across the planet.
The leading theory is that Dunkleosteus met its end during a catastrophic event known as the 'Hangenberg Event.' This period saw a drastic drop in oxygen levels in the oceans, a fatal change for most species. And for a 3-ton creature with a massive body, survival became nearly impossible.
2. Dunkleosteus Flourished The World Over
As we’ve established, Dunkleosteus was a creature to steer clear of at all costs. But in reality, avoiding it wasn’t that simple. Dunkleosteus seemed to thrive in nearly every environment, and evidence shows they inhabited oceans around the globe.
Fossils of Dunkleosteus have been discovered as far apart as Africa, Europe, New York, Missouri, and even as far north as Canada. No corner of the Earth was free from the reign of this apex predator.
1. Dunkleosteus Spat Out Food It Couldn’t Digest
After capturing its ill-fated prey, Dunkleosteus would have begun the task of chewing it with its powerful jaws. This conclusion was drawn by scientists who discovered numerous fish boluses alongside Dunkleosteus fossils. A fish bolus consists of food that’s been chewed before being swallowed.
The intriguing part of these findings is that the prey’s bones were only partially digested. This indicates that Dunkleosteus was chewing its food but spitting out the bones rather than fully digesting its meal. Not exactly a pleasant thought.
