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 茶六燒肉堂服務態度如何？》台中公益路美食攻略｜精選10間超人氣餐廳，一次帶你吃遍熱門口袋名單 |
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身為一個熱愛美食、喜歡在城市裡挖掘驚喜的人，臺中公益路一直是我最常出沒的地方之一。這條路可說是「臺中人的美食戰場」，從精緻西餐到創意火鍋，從日式丼飯到義式早午餐，每走幾步，就會有完全不同的特色料理餐廳。 這次我特別花了一整個月，實際造訪了公益路上十間口碑不錯的餐廳。有的是網友熱推的打卡名店，也有隱藏在巷弄裡的小驚喜。我以環境氛圍、口味表現、價格CP值與再訪意願為基準，整理出這篇實測評比。希望能幫正在猶豫去哪裡吃飯的你，找到那一間「吃完會想再來」的餐廳。 評比標準與整理方向
這次我走訪的10家餐廳橫跨不同料理類型，從高質感牛排館到巷弄系早午餐，每一間都有自己獨特的風格。為了讓整體比較更客觀，我依照以下四大面向進行評比，並搭配實際用餐體驗來打分。
整體而言，我希望這份評比不只是「哪家好吃」，而是幫你在不同情境下（約會、家庭聚餐、朋友小聚、商業午餐）都能快速找到合適的選擇。畢竟，美食不只是味覺的滿足，更是一段段與朋友共享的生活記憶。 10間臺中公益路餐廳評比懶人包公益路向來是臺中人聚餐的首選地段，從火鍋、燒肉到中式料理與早午餐，每走幾步就有驚喜。以下是我實際造訪過的10間代表性餐廳清單，橫跨平價、創意、高級各路風格。
一頭牛日式燒肉｜炭香濃郁的和牛饗宴，約會聚餐首選
走在公益路上，很難不被 一頭牛日式燒肉 的木質外觀吸引。低調卻不失質感的門面，搭配昏黃燈光與暖色調的內裝，讓人一進門就感受到濃濃的日式職人氛圍。店內空間不大，但桌距規劃得宜，每桌皆設有獨立排煙設備，烤肉時完全不怕滿身油煙味。 餐點特色
一頭牛的靈魂，絕對是他們招牌的「三國和牛拼盤」。 用餐體驗整體節奏掌握得非常好。店員會在你剛想烤下一片肉時貼心遞上夾子、幫忙換烤網，讓人完全不用分心。整場用餐過程就像一場表演，從視覺、嗅覺到味覺都被滿足。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段162號電話：04-23206800 小結語一頭牛日式燒肉不僅是「吃肉的地方」，更像是一場五感盛宴。從進門那一刻到最後一道甜點，都能感受到他們對細節的用心。 TANG Zhan 湯棧｜文青系火鍋代表，麻香湯底與視覺美感並重
在公益路這條美食戰線上，TANG Zhan 湯棧 是讓人一眼就會想走進去的那一種。 餐點特色
湯棧最有名的當然是它的「麻香鍋」。 用餐體驗整體氛圍比一般火鍋店更有質感。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段248號電話：04-22580617 官網：https://www.facebook.com/TangZhan.tw/ 小結語TANG Zhan 湯棧 把傳統火鍋做出新的樣貌保留臺式鍋物的溫度，又結合現代風格與細節服務，讓吃鍋這件事變得更有品味。 如果你想找一間兼具「好吃、好拍、好放鬆」的火鍋店，湯棧會是公益路上最有風格的選擇之一。 NINI 尼尼臺中店｜明亮寬敞的義式早午餐天堂
如果說前兩間是肉食愛好者的天堂，那 NINI 尼尼臺中店 絕對是想放鬆、聊聊天的好地方。餐廳外觀以白色系與大片玻璃窗為主，陽光灑進室內，讓人一踏入就有種度假般的輕盈感。假日早午餐時段特別熱鬧，建議提早訂位。 餐點特色
NINI 的菜單融合義式與臺灣人口味，選擇多樣且份量十足。主打的 松露燉飯 濃郁卻不膩口，米芯保留微Q口感；而 香蒜海鮮義大利麵 則以新鮮白蝦、花枝與淡菜搭配微辣蒜香，口感層次豐富。 用餐體驗店內氣氛輕鬆不拘謹，無論是一個人帶電腦工作、或朋友聚餐，都能找到舒服角落。餐點上桌速度穩定，服務人員態度親切、補水與收盤都非常主動。整體節奏讓人覺得「時間變慢了」，很適合想遠離忙碌日常的人。 綜合評分
地址：40861臺中市南屯區公益路二段18號電話：04-23288498 小結語NINI 尼尼臺中店是一間能讓人放下手機、慢慢吃飯的餐廳。餐點不追求浮誇，而是以「剛剛好」的份量與風味，陪伴每個平凡午後。如果你在找一間能邊吃邊聊天、拍照也漂亮的早午餐店，NINI 會是你在公益路上最不費力的幸福選擇。 加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物｜平價卻用心的湯頭系火鍋，家庭聚餐好選擇
在公益路這條高質感餐廳林立的戰場上，加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物 走的是截然不同的路線。它沒有浮誇的裝潢、也沒有高價位的套餐，但靠著實在的湯頭與親切的服務，默默吸引許多回頭客。每到用餐時間，總能看到家庭或情侶三兩成群地圍著鍋邊聊天。 餐點特色
主打 北海道浜中昆布湯底，湯頭清澈卻不單薄，越煮越能喝出海藻與柴魚的自然香氣。 用餐體驗整體氛圍偏家庭取向，桌距寬敞、座位舒適，帶小孩來也不覺擁擠。店員態度親切，補湯、收盤都很勤快，給人一種「被照顧著」的安心感。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路288號電話：0910855180 小結語加分100%浜中特選昆布鍋物是一間「不浮誇、但會讓人想再訪」的火鍋店。它不追求豪華擺盤，而是用最簡單的湯頭與新鮮食材，傳遞出家常卻不平凡的溫度。 印月餐廳｜中式料理的藝術演繹，宴客與家庭聚會首選
說到臺中公益路的中式料理代表，印月餐廳 絕對是榜上有名。這間開業多年的餐廳以「中菜西吃」的概念聞名，把傳統中式料理以現代手法重新詮釋。從建築外觀到餐具擺設，每個細節都散發著低調的典雅氣息。 餐點特色
印月最令人印象深刻的是他們將傳統中菜融入創意手法。 用餐體驗服務方面完全對得起餐廳的高級定位。從入座、點餐到上菜節奏，都拿捏得恰如其分。每道菜都會有服務人員細心介紹食材與吃法，讓人感受到「被款待」的尊榮感。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段818號電話：0422511155 小結語印月餐廳是一間「不只吃飯，更像品味生活」的地方。 KoDō 和牛燒肉｜極致職人精神，專為儀式感與頂級味覺而生
若要形容 KoDō 和牛燒肉 的用餐體驗，一句話足以總結——「像在欣賞一場關於肉的表演」。 餐點特色
這裡主打 日本A5和牛冷藏肉，以「精切厚燒」的方式呈現。 用餐體驗KoDō 的最大特色是「儀式感」。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路260號電話：0423220312 官網：https://www.facebook.com/kodo2018/ 小結語KoDō 和牛燒肉不是日常餐廳，而是一場體驗。 永心鳳茶｜在茶香裡用餐的優雅時光，臺味早午餐的新詮釋
走進 永心鳳茶公益店，彷彿進入一間有氣質的茶館。 餐點特色
永心鳳茶的餐點結合中式靈魂與西式擺盤，無論是「炸雞腿飯」還是「紅玉紅茶拿鐵」，都能讓人感受到熟悉卻不平凡的味道。 用餐體驗店內服務人員態度溫和，對茶品介紹詳盡。上餐節奏剛好，不急不徐。 綜合評分
地址：40360臺中市西區公益路68號三樓(勤美誠品)電話：0423221118 小結語永心鳳茶讓人重新定義「臺味」。 三希樓｜老饕級江浙功夫菜，穩重又帶人情味的中式饗宴
位於公益路上的 三希樓 是許多臺中老饕的口袋名單。 餐點特色
三希樓的菜色以 江浙與港式料理 為主，兼顧傳統與現代風味。 用餐體驗三希樓的服務給人一種老派但貼心的感覺。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段95號電話：0423202322 官網：https://www.sanxilou.com.tw/ 小結語三希樓是一間「吃得出功夫」的餐廳。 一笈壽司｜低調奢華的無菜單日料，職人手藝詮釋旬味極致
在熱鬧的公益路上，一笈壽司 低調得幾乎不顯眼。 餐點特色
一笈壽司採 Omakase（無菜單料理） 形式，每一餐都由主廚根據當日食材設計。 用餐體驗整場用餐約90分鐘，節奏緩慢但沉穩。 綜合評分
地址：408臺中市南屯區公益路二段25號電話：0423206368 官網：https://www.facebook.com/YIJI.sushi/ 小結語一笈壽司是一間真正讓人「放慢呼吸」的餐廳。 茶六燒肉堂｜人氣爆棚的和牛燒肉聖地，肉香與幸福感同時滿分
若要票選公益路上「最難訂位」的餐廳，茶六燒肉堂 絕對名列前茅。 餐點特色
茶六主打 和牛燒肉套餐，價格約落在 $700–$1000 間，份量與品質兼具。 用餐體驗茶六的服務效率相當高。店員親切、換網勤快、補水速度快，整場用餐流程流暢無壓力。 綜合評分
地址：403臺中市西區公益路268號電話：0423281167 官網：https://inline.app/booking/-L93VSXuz8o86ahWDRg0:inline-live-karuizawa/-LUYUEIOYwa7GCUpAFWA 小結語茶六燒肉堂用「穩定品質＋輕奢氛圍」抓住了臺中年輕族群的心。 吃完10家公益路餐廳後的心得與結語吃完這十家餐廳後，臺中公益路不只是一條美食街，而是一段生活風景線。 有的餐廳講究細膩與儀式感，像 一頭牛日式燒肉 與 一笈壽司，讓人感受到食材最純粹的美好 有的則以親切與溫度打動人心，像 加分昆布鍋物、永心鳳茶，讓人明白吃飯不只是為了飽足，而是一種被照顧的幸福。 而像茶六燒肉堂、TANG Zhan 湯棧 這類人氣名店，則用穩定的品質與熱絡的氛圍，成為許多臺中人心中「想吃肉就去那裡」的代名詞。 這十家店，構成了公益路最動人的縮影 有華麗的，也有溫柔的；有傳統的，也有創新的。 每一家都在自己的風格裡發光，讓人吃到的不只是料理，而是一種生活的溫度與節奏。 對我而言，這不僅是一場美食旅程，更是一趟關於「臺中味道」的回憶之旅。 FAQ：關於臺中公益路美食常見問題Q1：公益路哪一區的餐廳最集中？ Q2：需要提前訂位嗎？ 最後的話若要用一句話形容這趟美食之旅，我會說： NINI 尼尼臺中店值得排隊嗎？ 如果你也和我一樣喜歡用味蕾探索一座城市，那就把這篇公益路美食攻略收藏起來吧。一頭牛日式燒肉家庭過節聚會適合嗎？ 無論是約會、慶生、家庭聚餐，或只是想犒賞一下辛苦的自己——這條路上永遠會有一間剛剛好的餐廳在等你。TANG Zhan 湯棧婚前派對適合嗎？ 下一餐，不妨從這10家開始。一頭牛日式燒肉CP 值高嗎？ 打開手機、約上朋友，讓公益路成為你生活裡最容易抵達的小確幸。NINI 尼尼臺中店用餐時間會不會太短？ 如果你有私心愛店，也歡迎留言分享，KoDō 和牛燒肉整體體驗如何？ 你的推薦，可能讓我下一趟美食旅程變得更精彩。TANG Zhan 湯棧有什麼推薦搭配？ Octopus arms use a segmented nervous system for precise movement and sensory control of suckers, forming a spatial map called “suckeroptopy.” Research revealed that similar structures exist in squid tentacle clubs but are absent in non-sucker regions, reflecting evolutionary adaptations to different environments. Credit: Cassady Olson The large nerve cord that runs along each octopus arm is divided into segments, allowing for precise movement control and forming a spatial map of its suckers. Octopus arms exhibit remarkable dexterity, capable of bending, twisting, and curling with an almost limitless range of motion. Researchers at the University of Chicago have discovered that the nervous system controlling these movements is segmented. This specialized circuitry allows octopuses to exert precise control over their eight arms and hundreds of suckers, enabling them to explore their surroundings, manipulate objects, and capture prey with extraordinary precision. “If you’re going to have a nervous system that’s controlling such dynamic movement, that’s a good way to set it up,” said Clifton Ragsdale, PhD, Professor of Neurobiology at UChicago and senior author of the study. “We think it’s a feature that specifically evolved in soft-bodied cephalopods with suckers to carry out these worm-like movements.” The study was recently published in Nature Communications. Anatomy of Octopus Arms and Nervous System Each octopus arm has a massive nervous system, with more neurons combined across the eight arms than in the animal’s brain. These neurons are concentrated in a large axial nerve cord (ANC), which snakes back and forth as it travels down the arm, every bend forming an enlargement over each sucker. Octopus bimaculoides. Credit: Cassady Olson Cassady Olson, a graduate student in Computational Neuroscience who led the study, wanted to analyze the structure of the ANC and its connections to musculature in the arms of the California two-spot octopus (Octopus bimaculoides), a small species native to the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. She and her co-author Grace Schulz, a graduate student in Development, Regeneration, and Stem Cell Biology, were trying to look at thin, circular cross-sections of the arms under a microscope, but the samples kept falling off the slides. They tried lengthwise strips of the arms and had better luck, which led to an unexpected discovery. Octopus arms move with incredible dexterity, bending, twisting, and curling with nearly infinite degrees of freedom. Credit: Cassady Olson Using cellular markers and imaging tools to trace the structure and connections from the ANC, they saw that neuronal cell bodies were packed into columns that formed segments, like a corrugated pipe. These segments are separated by gaps called septa, where nerves and blood vessels exit to nearby muscles. Nerves from multiple segments connect to different regions of muscles, suggesting the segments work together to control movement. Functional Insights: Segmental Control and “Suckeroptopy” “Thinking about this from a modeling perspective, the best way to set up a control system for this very long, flexible arm would be to divide it into segments,” Olson said. “There has to be some sort of communication between the segments, which you can imagine would help smooth out the movements.” Nerves for the suckers also exited from the ANC through these septa, systematically connecting to the outer edge of each sucker. This indicates that the nervous system sets up a spatial, or topographical, map of each sucker. Octopuses can move and change the shape of their suckers independently. The suckers are also packed with sensory receptors that allow the octopus to taste and smell things that they touch—like combining a hand with a tongue and a nose. The researchers believe the “suckeroptopy,” as they called the map, facilitates this complex sensory-motor ability. Octopus bimaculoides. Credit: Cassady Olson To see if this kind of structure is common to other soft-bodied cephalopods, Olson also studied longfin inshore squid (Doryteuthis pealeii), which are common in the Atlantic Ocean. These squid have eight arms with muscles and suckers like an octopus, plus two tentacles. The tentacles have a long stalk with no suckers, with a club at the end that does have suckers. While hunting, the squid can shoot the tentacles out and grab prey with the sucker-equipped clubs. Using the same process to study long strips of the squid tentacles, Olson saw that the ANC in the stalks with no suckers are not segmented, but the clubs at the end are segmented the same way as the octopus. This suggests that a segmented ANC is specifically built for controlling any type of dexterous, sucker-laden appendage in cephalopods. The squid tentacle clubs have fewer segments per sucker, however, likely because they do not use the suckers for sensation the same way octopuses do. Squid rely more on their vision to hunt in the open water, whereas octopuses prowl the ocean floor and use their sensitive arms as tools for exploration. While octopuses and squid diverged from each other more than 270 million years ago, the commonalities in how they control parts of their appendages with suckers—and differences in the parts that don’t—show how evolution always manages to find the best solution. “Organisms with these sucker-laden appendages that have worm-like movements need the right kind of nervous system,” Ragsdale said. “Different cephalopods have come up with a segmental structure, the details of which vary according to the demands of their environments and the pressures of hundreds of millions of years of evolution.” Reference: “Neuronal segmentation in cephalopod arms” by Cassady S. Olson, Natalie Grace Schulz and Clifton W. Ragsdale, 15 January 2025, Nature Communications. DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-55475-5 The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the U.S. National Science Foundation. Scientists have spent decades researching clean and efficient ways to break down plants for use as biofuels and other bioproducts. A species of ants works with a type of fungus to accomplish this naturally. Kristin Burnum-Johnson and her team set out to investigate how this is accomplished at the molecular level. Credit: Illustration by Mike Perkins and Nathan Johnson | Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Scientists at PNNL have devised a novel technique to visualize tiny inner workings of complex fungal community For years, researchers have dedicated themselves to developing methods that can effectively and economically break down plant materials, enabling their transformation into valuable bioproducts that enhance our daily lives. Bio-based fuels, detergents, nutritional supplements, and even plastics are the result of this work. And while scientists have found ways to degrade plants to the extent needed to produce a range of products, certain polymers such as lignin, which is a primary ingredient in the cell wall of plants, remain incredibly difficult to affordably break down without adding pollutants back into the environment. These polymers can be left behind as waste products with no further use. A specialized microbial community composed of fungus, leafcutter ants, and bacteria is known to naturally degrade plants, turning them into nutrients and other components that are absorbed and used by surrounding organisms and systems. But identifying all components and biochemical reactions needed for the process remained a significant challenge—until now. As part of her Department of Energy (DOE) Early Career award, Kristin Burnum-Johnson, science group leader for Functional and Systems Biology at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), and a team of fellow PNNL researchers, developed an imaging method called metabolome informed proteome imaging (MIPI). This method allows scientists to peer deep down to the molecular level and view exactly what base components are part of the plant degradation process, as well as what, when, and where important biochemical reactions occur that make it possible. Using this method, the team revealed important metabolites and enzymes that spur different biochemical reactions that are vital in the degradation process. They also revealed the purpose of resident bacteria in the system—which is to make the process even more efficient. These insights can be applied to future biofuels and bioproducts development. The team’s research was recently published in Nature Chemical Biology. A symbiotic relationship between leafcutter ants and fungi reveal key to success in plant degradation For its research, the team studied a type of fungus known for its symbiotic relationship with a species of leafcutter ants—a fungus known as Leucoagaricus gongylophorus. The ants use the fungus to cultivate a fungal garden that degrades plant polymers and other materials. Remnant components from this degradation process are used and consumed by a variety of organisms in the garden, allowing all to thrive. The ants accomplish this process by cultivating fungus on fresh leaves in specialized underground structures. These structures ultimately become the fungal gardens that consume the material. Resident bacterial members help with the degradation by producing amino acids and vitamins that support the overall garden ecosystem. “Environmental systems have evolved over millions of years to be perfect symbiotic systems,” Burnum-Johnson said. “How can we better learn from these systems than by observing how they accomplish these tasks naturally?” But what makes this fungal community so difficult to study is its complexity. While the plants, fungus, ants, and bacteria are all active components in the plant degradation process, none of them focus on one task or reside in one location. Factor in the small-scale size of the biochemical reactions occurring at the molecular level, and an incredibly difficult puzzle presents itself. But the new MIPI imaging method developed at PNNL allows scientists to see exactly what is going on throughout the degradation process. “We now have the tools to fully understand the intricacies of these systems and visualize them as a whole for the first time,” Burnum-Johnson said. Revealing important components in a complex system Using a high-powered laser, the team took scans across 12-micron-thick sections of a fungal garden—the approximate width of plastic cling film. This process helped determine locations of metabolites in the samples, which are remnant products of plant degradation. This technique also helped identify the location and abundance of plant polymers such as cellulose, xylan, and lignin, as well as other molecules in specific regions. The combined locations of these components indicated hot spots where plant material had been broken down. From there, the team homed in on those regions to see enzymes, which are used to kick-start biochemical reactions in a living system. Knowing the type and location of these enzymes allowed them to determine which microbes were a part of that process. All of these components together helped affirm the fungus as the primary degrader of the plant material in the system. Additionally, the team determined that the bacteria present in the system transformed previously digested plant polymers into metabolites that are used as vitamins and amino acids in the system. These vitamins and amino acids benefit the entire ecosystem by accelerating fungal growth and plant degradation. Burnum-Johnson said if scientists had used other, more traditional methods that take bulk measurements of primary components in a system, such as metabolites, enzymes, and other molecules, they would simply get an average of those materials, creating more noise and masking information. “It dilutes the important chemical reactions of interest, often making these processes undetectable,” she said. “To analyze the complex environmental ecosystems of these fungal communities, we need to know those fine detail interactions. These conclusions can then be taken back into a lab setting and used to create biofuels and bioproducts that are important in our everyday life.” Using knowledge of complex systems for future fungal research Marija Velickovic, a chemist and lead author of the paper, said she initially became interested in studying the fungal garden and how it degrades lignin based on the difficulty of the project. “Fungal gardens are the most interesting because they are one of the most complex ecosystems composed of multiple members that effectively work together,” she said. “I really wanted to map activities at the microscale level to better understand the role of each member in this complex ecosystem.” Velickovic performed all the hands-on experiments in the lab, collecting material for the slides, scanning the samples to view and identify metabolites in each of the sections, and identifying hot spots of lignocellulose degradation. Both Velickovic and Burnum-Johnson said they are ecstatic about their team’s success. “We actually accomplished what we set out for,” Burnum-Johnson said. “Especially in science, that isn’t guaranteed.” The team plans to use its findings for further research, with specific plans to study how fungal communities respond and protect themselves amid disturbances and other perturbations. “We now have an understanding of how these natural systems degrade plant material very well,” Burnum-Johnson said. “By looking at complex environmental systems at this level, we can understand how they are performing that activity and capitalize on it to make biofuels and bioproducts.” Reference: “Mapping microhabitats of lignocellulose decomposition by a microbial consortium” by Marija Veličković, Ruonan Wu, Yuqian Gao, Margaret W. Thairu, Dušan Veličković, Nathalie Munoz, Chaevien S. Clendinen, Aivett Bilbao, Rosalie K. Chu, Priscila M. Lalli, Kevin Zemaitis, Carrie D. Nicora, Jennifer E. Kyle, Daniel Orton, Sarai Williams, Ying Zhu, Rui Zhao, Matthew E. Monroe, Ronald J. Moore, Bobbie-Jo M. Webb-Robertson, Lisa M. Bramer, Cameron R. Currie, Paul D. Piehowski and Kristin E. Burnum-Johnson, 1 February 2024, Nature Chemical Biology. DOI: 10.1038/s41589-023-01536-7 The work was funded by DOE’s Office of Science. Additionally, researchers accessed mass spectrometry imaging and computing and proteomics resources at the Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory, an Office of Science user facility located at PNNL. New 3D model shows that megalodon could eat prey the size of entire killer whales. Credit: J. J. Giraldo Megalodon, the largest shark that ever lived, is famous for its gigantic, human-hand-sized teeth. However, there is little fossil evidence of its whole body. International researchers in collaboration with the University of Zurich used an exceptionally preserved specimen to create a 3D computer model of its full body. According to their results, the megalodon could fully consume prey the size of today’s killer whales and then roam the seas without more food for two months. The reconstructed megadolon (Otodus megalodon) was 16 meters (52 feet) long and weighed over 61 tons. It was estimated that it could swim at around 1.4 meters per second (3.1 mph), required over 98,000 kilo calories every day, and had a stomach volume of almost 10,000 liters (2,600 gallons). These results suggest that the megalodon could travel long distances and was capable of eating whole prey up to 8 meters (26 feet) long. Notably, this is the size of modern killer whales, today’s top ocean predator. An ability to eat large apex predators of comparable size millions of years ago places megalodon at a higher trophic level than modern top predators. The reconstructed megadolon (Otodus megalodon) was 16 meters long and weighed over 61 tons. It was estimated that it could swim at around 1.4 meters per second. Credit: J. J. Giraldo Well-Preserved Spine Enables Reconstruction These are the findings of an international study carried out in collaboration with the University of Zurich and published on August 17 in Science Advances. The research was only possible due to the 3D modeling of one individual megalodon which was discovered in the 1860s. Against all odds, a sizeable portion of its vertebral column was left behind in the fossil record after the creature died in the Miocene oceans of Belgium about 18 million years ago. It is estimated that it was 46 years old when it died. “These results suggest that this giant shark was a trans-oceanic super-apex predator.” Catalina Pimiento “Shark teeth are common fossils because of their hard composition which allows them to remain well preserved,” says first author Jack Cooper, PhD student at Swansea University. “However, their skeletons are made of cartilage, so they rarely fossilize. The megalodon vertebral column from the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences is, therefore, a one-of-a-kind fossil.” From single vertebra to whole body mass The research team, which includes researchers from Switzerland, the UK, the United States, Australia, and South Africa, first measured and scanned every single vertebra, before reconstructing the entire column. Next, they attached the column to a 3D scan of a megalodon’s dentition from the United States. Finally, they completed the model by adding “flesh” around the skeleton using a 3D scan of the body of a great white shark from South Africa. “Weight is one of the most important traits of any animal. For extinct animals we can estimate the body mass with modern 3D digital modeling methods and then establish the relationship between mass and other biological properties such as speed and energy usage,” says co-author John Hutchinson, professor at the Royal Veterinary College in the UK. A Trans-Oceanic Super-Apex Predator The high energetic demand would have been met by feeding on the calorie-rich blubber of whales, in which megalodon bite marks have previously been found in the fossil record. An optimal foraging model of potential megalodon prey encounters found that eating a single 8-meter-long (26-foot-long) whale may have allowed the shark to swim thousands of miles across oceans without eating again for two months. “These results suggest that this giant shark was a trans-oceanic super-apex predator,” says Catalina Pimiento, Professor at the University of Zurich and senior author of the study. “The extinction of this iconic giant shark likely impacted global nutrient transport and released large cetaceans from a strong predatory pressure.” The complete 3D model can now be used as a basis for future reconstructions and further research. The novel biological inferences drawn from this research represent a leap in our knowledge of this singular super predator. The study helps to better understand the ecological function that megafaunal species play in marine ecosystems and the large-scale consequences of their extinction. Reference: “The extinct shark Otodus megalodon was a transoceanic superpredator: Inferences from 3D modeling” by Jack A. Cooper, John R. Hutchinson, David C. Bernvi, Geremy Cliff, Rory P. Wilson, Matt L. Dicken, Jan Menzel, Stephen Wroe, Jeanette Pirlo and Catalina Pimiento, 17 August 2022, Science Advances. DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.abm9424 RRG455KLJIEVEWWF |
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