SHARK VS SHARK

Greenland 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.

LivingSomniosus microcephalus×LivingSphyrna mokarran
QUICK VERDICT

Greenland shark is about 1.05× 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 2.3× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AGreenland sharkconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 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.

MeasureGreenland sharkGreat hammerhead
Length referenceconfirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ftreported to 6.1 m / 20 ft
Weight referencereported to about 1,023 kg / 2,255 lbrecorded to about 450 kg / 991 lb
Bite forceNo reliable published estimateUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatCold North Atlantic and Arctic watersTropical coastal and offshore waters
DietFish, carrion and marine mammalsRays, fish and smaller sharks
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Greenland shark is represented by confirmed to about 6.4 m / 21 ft; Great hammerhead by reported to 6.1 m / 20 ft. Age and upper mass involve uncertainty; length is better documented. The comparison uses the largest reported length and a record mass.

Bite evidence

Greenland shark: TuffShark found no defensible species-level bite-force estimate to display. 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

The age estimate is extraordinary; a dependable bite-force figure is not available. Its wide head is a sensory platform, not just an unusual silhouette.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Greenland sharkNOAA Ocean ServiceGreat hammerheadFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →