SHARK VS SHARK

Goblin sharkvsGreenland shark

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

LivingMitsukurina owstoni×LivingSomniosus microcephalus
QUICK VERDICT

Greenland shark is about 1.04× longer by these reference values.

These animals are effectively close in maximum-length terms, so measurement uncertainty can matter more than the apparent difference. Greenland shark's weight reference is about 4.9× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AGoblin sharkphoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ft
BGreenland sharkconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 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.

MeasureGoblin sharkGreenland shark
Length referencephoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ftconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft
Weight referencelarge specimen reported near 210 kg / 463 lbreported to about 1,023 kg / 2,255 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo reliable published estimateUnknown
HabitatDeep continental slopes worldwideCold North Atlantic and Arctic waters
DietFishes, squid and crustaceansFish, carrion and marine mammals
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Goblin shark is represented by photo-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ft; Greenland shark by confirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft. The longest figures come from regression estimates based on photographs. Age and upper mass involve uncertainty; length is better documented.

Bite evidence

Goblin shark: Jaw speed and protrusion are not the same measurement as bite force. Greenland shark: TuffShark found no defensible species-level bite-force estimate to display.

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 jaws shoot forward rapidly; maximum body size remains uncertain. The age estimate is extraordinary; a dependable bite-force figure is not available.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Goblin sharkFlorida MuseumGreenland sharkNOAA Ocean ServiceHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →