SHARK VS SHARK

Common threshervsBluntnose sixgill

Length, weight and bite evidence—plus context from a human, city bus and blue whale. Every number below carries its uncertainty with it.

LivingAlopias vulpinus×LivingHexanchus griseus
QUICK VERDICT

Common thresher is about 1.58× longer by these reference values.

Common thresher uses a 7.6 m upper reference, compared with 4.8 m for Bluntnose sixgill. Bluntnose sixgill's weight reference is about 1.74× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
ACommon thresherreported to 7.6 m / 24.9 ft
BBluntnose sixgillreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft
REFAdult human1.8 m · about 80 kg

Length bars use upper comparison values and do not show body depth, tail proportion or typical adult size. A long thresher tail, for example, does not equal whale-shark body mass.

02

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureCommon thresherBluntnose sixgill
Length referencereported to 7.6 m / 24.9 ftreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft
Weight referencerecorded over 340 kg / 750 lbpublished to 590 kg / 1,300 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatTemperate and tropical open watersDeep temperate and tropical waters
DietSchooling fishes and squidFishes, rays, seals and carrion
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Common thresher is represented by reported to 7.6 m / 24.9 ft; Bluntnose sixgill by reported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft. Length comparisons can exaggerate body bulk because the tail is exceptionally long. Deepwater sampling is difficult, so upper records are sparse.

Bite evidence

Common thresher: Its hunting performance cannot be reduced to jaw force. Bluntnose sixgill: No standardized maximum is available.

Living versus extinct

Both species are living, but record-sized individuals are rare. These upper references should not be read as normal adult size.

Ecology changes the matchup

Much of its length is tail, which it uses to stun prey. Its six gill slits mark an ancient branch of shark diversity.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Common thresherFlorida MuseumBluntnose sixgillFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →