SHARK VS SHARK

Goblin sharkvsOtodus obliquus

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×ExtinctOtodus obliquus
QUICK VERDICT

Otodus obliquus is about 1.47× longer by these reference values.

Otodus obliquus uses a 9.1 m upper reference, compared with 6.17 m for Goblin shark. A clean mass ratio is not shown because at least one weight is not reliably reconstructed.

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
BOtodus obliquusestimated to about 9.1 m / 30 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 sharkOtodus obliquus
Length referencephoto-based estimates to 5.4–6.17 m / 18–20 ftestimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ft
Weight referencelarge specimen reported near 210 kg / 463 lbNot reliably reconstructed
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo defensible estimate usedUnknown
TimeDeep continental slopes worldwideabout 56–45 million years ago
DietFishes, squid and crustaceansLarge fishes and marine vertebrates
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; Otodus obliquus by estimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ft. The longest figures come from regression estimates based on photographs. Soft-body dimensions are inferred from teeth and living analogues.

Bite evidence

Goblin shark: Jaw speed and protrusion are not the same measurement as bite force. Otodus obliquus: No species-specific model is used.

Living versus extinct

At least one animal is known from fossils. Fossil length, weight and bite estimates depend on which living analogues and scaling equations researchers choose.

Ecology changes the matchup

Its jaws shoot forward rapidly; maximum body size remains uncertain. It belonged to the megatooth lineage that later produced megalodon.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Goblin sharkFlorida MuseumOtodus obliquusPaleobiology DatabaseHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →