Frilled shark vs Bluntnose sixgill: Size, Weight & Bite Force

QUICK VERDICT

Bluntnose sixgill is about 2.4× longer by these reference values.

Bluntnose sixgill uses a 4.8 m upper reference, compared with 2 m for Frilled shark. Bluntnose sixgill's weight reference is about 39× heavier.

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS

AFrilled sharkabout 2 m / 6.6 ft

BBluntnose sixgillreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 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.

MeasureFrilled sharkBluntnose sixgill

Length referenceabout 2 m / 6.6 ftreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft

Weight referencelarge-adult reference about 15 kg / 33 lbpublished to 590 kg / 1,300 lb

Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown

HabitatDeep continental slopesDeep temperate and tropical waters

DietSquid, fishes and small sharksFishes, rays, seals and carrion

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Frilled shark is represented by about 2 m / 6.6 ft; Bluntnose sixgill by reported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft. Deepwater records remain limited. Deepwater sampling is difficult, so upper records are sparse.

Bite evidence

Frilled shark: No standardized maximum is available. Bluntnose sixgill: No standardized maximum is available.

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

Its body plan looks ancient, but living frilled sharks are modern species—not unchanged fossils. Its six gill slits mark an ancient branch of shark diversity.

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Frilled sharkFlorida Museum ↗Bluntnose sixgillFlorida Museum ↗How we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →