SHARK VS SHARK

Goblin sharkvsGreat hammerhead

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×LivingSphyrna mokarran
QUICK VERDICT

Goblin shark is about 1.01× longer by these reference values.

These animals are effectively close in maximum-length terms, so measurement uncertainty can matter more than the apparent difference. Great hammerhead's weight reference is about 2.1× 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
BGreat hammerheadreported to 6.1 m / 20 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 sharkGreat hammerhead
Length referencephoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ftreported to 6.1 m / 20 ft
Weight referencelarge specimen reported near 210 kg / 463 lbrecorded to about 450 kg / 991 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatDeep continental slopes worldwideTropical coastal and offshore waters
DietFishes, squid and crustaceansRays, fish and smaller sharks
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; Great hammerhead by reported to 6.1 m / 20 ft. The longest figures come from regression estimates based on photographs. The comparison uses the largest reported length and a record mass.

Bite evidence

Goblin shark: Jaw speed and protrusion are not the same measurement as bite force. Great hammerhead: Comparative biomechanics exist, but a simple verified maximum is not established here.

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. Its wide head is a sensory platform, not just an unusual silhouette.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Goblin sharkFlorida MuseumGreat hammerheadFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →