What is the Biggest Shark? A Chart Shows the Diversity of Shark Sizes
Sharks come in all sizes. The largest is the whale shark, which has been known to get as large as 18 meters (60 feet). The smallest fits in your hand. Find out how these modern sharks stack up against the ancient Carcharodon megalodon. And if you're a fan of great white sharks, you can download a shark-themed board game, track a shark named Omoo, and listen to a podcast about the species on our Great White Shark section.
Credit: © Courtesy of the Aquarium of the Pacific, Long Beach, California
Comments
I think that it is important
I think that it is important to note that despite their size, the majority of the sharks on this list do not pose a threat to humans.
Very good point! Thanks for
Very good point! Thanks for making it. For more information, read this article, 5 Reasons to Revere, Not Fear, The Shark.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
eerk
this is wrong. The nurse shark is not that big and the mako is more than 8 feet long. IN fact, Goblin sharks and pelagic thresher sharks should be ON THAT LIST.
re: eerk
Hi,
Thanks for reading and commenting. This chart has to generalize about size. Some mako sharks are 12 feet long, but most are closer to 8 feet. And nurse sharks can reach 13 feet long.
We wish we could have included all the shark species on the chart, but there simply isn't enough room!
As for goblin sharks, there have only been 45 specimens observed ever! From those, it seems like they average around 10 feet in length; however, 45 individuals isn't enough to be sure. Pelagic thresher sharks are also around 10 feet.
Thanks again!
Wheres the six gill shark on
Wheres the six gill shark on this shart
Hi, There are more than 470
Hi,
There are more than 470 species of shark, so we couldn't fit them all on the chart! The sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus), also known as the cow shark, would squeeze in between the mako shark and nurse shark. Male sixgill sharks average around 10 feet, while females are closer to 13 feet.
I hope that helps. Thanks for visiting and commenting!
Interesting Info
Glad bout this information.
i think the dwarf shark is
i think the dwarf shark is really small
question
is the bronze whaler the same as the whale shark?
no
no they are totaly different sharks
Hammer Head Shark
where is the hammer head shark it is bigger than a nurse shark but still not seeing it
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