SHARK VS SHARK

Dwarf lanternsharkvsGreenland shark

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

LivingEtmopterus perryi×LivingSomniosus microcephalus
QUICK VERDICT

Greenland shark is about 30× longer by these reference values.

Greenland shark uses a 6.4 m upper reference, compared with 0.21 m for Dwarf lanternshark. Greenland shark's weight reference is about 5115× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
ADwarf lanternsharkabout 0.21 m / 8.3 in
BGreenland sharkconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 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.

MeasureDwarf lanternsharkGreenland shark
Length referenceabout 0.21 m / 8.3 inconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft
Weight referencerough reference about 0.2 kg / 0.4 lbreported to about 1,023 kg / 2,255 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo reliable published estimateUnknown
HabitatDeep Caribbean slopesCold North Atlantic and Arctic waters
DietSmall crustaceans and fishesFish, carrion and marine mammals
03

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; Greenland shark by confirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft. Tiny sample sizes make the exact maximum provisional. Age and upper mass involve uncertainty; length is better documented.

Bite evidence

Dwarf lanternshark: No standardized maximum is available. Greenland shark: TuffShark found no defensible species-level bite-force estimate to display.

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. The age estimate is extraordinary; a dependable bite-force figure is not available.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Dwarf lanternsharkSmithsonian OceanGreenland sharkNOAA Ocean ServiceHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →