SHARK VS SHARK

Epaulette sharkvsSand tiger shark

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

LivingHemiscyllium ocellatum×LivingCarcharias taurus
QUICK VERDICT

Sand tiger shark is about 3.0× longer by these reference values.

Sand tiger shark uses a 3.2 m upper reference, compared with 1.07 m for Epaulette shark. Sand tiger shark's weight reference is about 53× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AEpaulette sharkreported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ft
BSand tiger sharkreported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 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.

02

THE NUMBERS

Side by side.

MeasureEpaulette sharkSand tiger shark
Length referencereported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ftreported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 ft
Weight referencelarge-adult reference about 3 kg / 6.6 lbreported to about 159 kg / 350 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatShallow coral reefs of Australia and New GuineaTemperate and subtropical coasts
DietWorms, crustaceans and small fishesFishes, rays, squid and crustaceans
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Epaulette shark is represented by reported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ft; Sand tiger shark by reported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 ft. Mass varies strongly with size and is shown only as a reference. Upper records vary by region and source.

Bite evidence

Epaulette shark: No standardized maximum is used. Sand tiger shark: A reliable comparable maximum was not found.

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

It can use its fins to walk across reef flats and tolerate low oxygen. Its protruding teeth look dramatic, but appearance alone does not reveal bite force.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Epaulette sharkAustralian MuseumSand tiger sharkFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →