Dwarf lanternshark vs Epaulette shark: Size, Weight & Bite Force

QUICK VERDICT

Epaulette shark is about 5.1× longer by these reference values.

Epaulette shark uses a 1.07 m upper reference, compared with 0.21 m for Dwarf lanternshark. Epaulette shark's weight reference is about 15× heavier.

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS

ADwarf lanternsharkabout 0.21 m / 8.3 in

BEpaulette sharkreported to 1.07 m / 3.5 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.

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureDwarf lanternsharkEpaulette shark

Length referenceabout 0.21 m / 8.3 inreported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ft

Weight referencerough reference about 0.2 kg / 0.4 lblarge-adult reference about 3 kg / 6.6 lb

Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown

HabitatDeep Caribbean slopesShallow coral reefs of Australia and New Guinea

DietSmall crustaceans and fishesWorms, crustaceans and small fishes

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Dwarf lanternshark is represented by about 0.21 m / 8.3 in; Epaulette shark by reported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ft. Tiny sample sizes make the exact maximum provisional. Mass varies strongly with size and is shown only as a reference.

Bite evidence

Dwarf lanternshark: No standardized maximum is available. Epaulette shark: No standardized maximum is used.

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

One of the smallest known sharks also produces light. It can use its fins to walk across reef flats and tolerate low oxygen.

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Dwarf lanternsharkSmithsonian Ocean ↗Epaulette sharkAustralian Museum ↗How we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →