Megamouth shark is about 34× longer by these reference values.
Megamouth shark uses a 7.1 m upper reference, compared with 0.21 m for Dwarf lanternshark. Megamouth shark's weight reference is about 6075× heavier.
ON THE SAME SCALE
Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.
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.
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; Megamouth shark by reported to about 7.1 m / 23 ft. Tiny sample sizes make the exact maximum provisional. Sparse specimens make a true maximum difficult to establish.
Bite evidence
Dwarf lanternshark: No standardized maximum is available. Megamouth shark: This filter feeder lacks a comparable maximum-bite study.
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. Known from relatively few encounters, it still carries major uncertainty.
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