SHARK VS SHARK

Dwarf lanternsharkvsHorn 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×LivingHeterodontus francisci
QUICK VERDICT

Horn shark is about 5.8× longer by these reference values.

Horn shark uses a 1.22 m upper reference, compared with 0.21 m for Dwarf lanternshark. Horn shark's weight reference is about 50× 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
BHorn sharkreported to 1.22 m / 4 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 lanternsharkHorn shark
Length referenceabout 0.21 m / 8.3 inreported to 1.22 m / 4 ft
Weight referencerough reference about 0.2 kg / 0.4 lblarge-adult reference about 10 kg / 22 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknown128–338 N theoretical, depending on tooth positionModeled
HabitatDeep Caribbean slopesRocky eastern Pacific reefs
DietSmall crustaceans and fishesUrchins, crabs and mollusks
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; Horn shark by reported to 1.22 m / 4 ft. Tiny sample sizes make the exact maximum provisional. Weight is a rounded adult reference.

Bite evidence

Dwarf lanternshark: No standardized maximum is available. Horn shark: Experiments also measured bites; the displayed range is the study's theoretical maximum from front to rear teeth.

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. Its rear teeth crush hard prey, and its bite mechanics have been tested directly and modeled.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Dwarf lanternsharkSmithsonian OceanHorn sharkHuber et al. (2005)How we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →