Epaulette shark vs Zebra shark: Size, Weight & Bite Force

QUICK VERDICT

Zebra shark is about 3.3× longer by these reference values.

Zebra shark uses a 3.54 m upper reference, compared with 1.07 m for Epaulette shark. Zebra shark's weight reference is about 12× heavier.

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS

AEpaulette sharkreported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ft

BZebra sharkreported to 3.54 m / 11.6 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.

MeasureEpaulette sharkZebra shark

Length referencereported to 1.07 m / 3.5 ftreported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft

Weight referencelarge-adult reference about 3 kg / 6.6 lblarge-adult reference about 35 kg / 77 lb

Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown

HabitatShallow coral reefs of Australia and New GuineaTropical Indo-Pacific reefs and sand flats

DietWorms, crustaceans and small fishesMollusks, crustaceans and fishes

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; Zebra shark by reported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft. Mass varies strongly with size and is shown only as a reference. Its very long tail adds substantially to total length.

Bite evidence

Epaulette shark: No standardized maximum is used. Zebra 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

It can use its fins to walk across reef flats and tolerate low oxygen. Juveniles have stripes; adults are spotted despite the common name.

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Epaulette sharkAustralian Museum ↗Zebra sharkFlorida Museum ↗How we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →