The MEG vs InGen Mosasaur

In this section we will briefly explain and provide answers to the top 5 questions brought up in the comments in response to the episode.

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1. "If you used a maximum sized Mosa then she would have won this fight" 

 

Remember that it was mentioned in this episode that we will aim for the most equilibrated matchup. Meaning that we would use versions of these animals that would not only be evenly matched up, but also optimized to perform at maximum potential. Being too big is also not a good thing. This can potentially make you slower, less agile, and lower your reaction speed given that nerve signals take longer to travel if your body is a lot bigger - and you will waste much more energy. So would a larger Mosa fight better? Maybe, but also keep in mind that there is also a bigger version of the Meg. We decided to go with the sizes that were the sweet spot between optimum speed, agility, but without sacrificing important factors like bite strength from a bigger animal. Which is why we didn't side with the absolute smallest iteration of these animals either. 

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2. "Why were corporal armor and bite effectiveness the definitive factors in this fight?"

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A follow up question or comment to this would be "The Mosasaur would be too smart to lose here." Realistically speaking, there are many instances in the Animal Kingdom where the supposedly smarter animal falls prey to the less intelligent creature. In many cases the seeminly "less intelligent" is hardwired to perform maneuvers that kill effectively without regarding the level of intelligence of the opponent. Which is why you will lose against a chimpanzee in most cases. This battle takes place in the open ocean where both the Mosa and the Meg would most likely encounter each other. Therefore the use of strategy wouldn't be used to maximum potential given that there is no complex terrain nearby to use against the opponent. This is level ground. 

 

In this battle someone was most definitely going die by getting bit. Therefore making  armor and bite the most important factors in the fight. In this simulation it would have taken just one well-placed bite by the Megalodon to kill the Mosa, whereas it would have taken more than one bite to take down the Meg. Additionally, shark methodology when attacking (attacking from below) was also an important factor. The shark's objective was always to attack the vulnerable organs of the opponent - since we established that the Meg had the most experience. This shark came into the fight this this target in mind: the belly. So because the shark was less likely to get killed by one Mosa bite, this ended up being the determining factor. 

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3. "The battle would have been over as soon as the Mosa bit the Shark's tail. Why did it resort to ram it?" - The answer

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Let's be real, the battle would have been over if the shark landed that first bite to begin with. Remember this is a simulation and therefore it aims to showcase all the abilities of these two animals before one delivers the finishing blow... which is why these battles don't end prematurely. Having said this, it is likely that the Mosasaur (if he didn't let go) would have potentially caused the Meg to either drown, or resort to violent thrashing tail movements (which is what ended up happening). The smaller teeth of the Mosasaur would not have gripped deep enough the shark's hide to prevent it from escaping. 

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In the simulation the Mosasaur let go, why? Simply because of inexperience. In the mind of the Mosasaur, any other similar sized animal would have had its tail severely injured if not totally incapacitated with a bite of this magnitude. However, in this simulation the Mosa had never encountered anything like the meg before. Meaning that upon seeing that the tail is not completely incapacitated at once, it would have reconsidered its plan of attack. But in the act, this allowed the Shark to counter with a bite.. which again - felt like nothing else the Mosa had felt before. This decision to let go of the tail was not due to lack of intelligence, but lack of experience and confusion. 

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4. "Why was the Mosa's secondary inner jaw not considered?"

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Though it may not have been explicitly mentioned it was most definitely considered. In the InGen Mosa's case this secondary inner "jaw" or row of teeth proved to be efficient only to prey that would comfortably fit inside its mouth. When put in contact against a large stout body like the Meg, the outer teeth of the Meg would not have penetrated enough for these secondary "jaw" to do any considerable damage. Making them almost useless against an opponent like the Meg. This detail should have almost been self explanatory. 

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5. "The Mosa would have never run out of air this quickly.. so the Shark would have never had the chance to bite it from below"

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One thing to note and (something we will try to make clear in future episodes), is that just because the battle simulation seen on screen takes 2 minutes or so does not mean the battle adheres to this duration. Confrontations like this would take much longer. In the fight, the Meg began to retreat to low-visibility water. After the Mosa followed, the shark stayed out of sight for a long duration of time.  Repeating this process again right before it inflicted the fatal blow to the Mosa's belly. Even though the battle seemingly lasted a couple of minutes. This would have actually spanned a much longer time, enough for an exhausted and bled-out Mosa to need to refuel its oxygen supply. 

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