SHARK VS SHARK

Great hammerheadvsShortfin mako

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

LivingSphyrna mokarran×LivingIsurus oxyrinchus
QUICK VERDICT

Great hammerhead is about 1.37× longer by these reference values.

Great hammerhead uses a 6.1 m upper reference, compared with 4.45 m for Shortfin mako. Shortfin mako's weight reference is about 1.27× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AGreat hammerheadreported to 6.1 m / 20 ft
BShortfin makoreported to about 4.45 m / 14.6 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.

MeasureGreat hammerheadShortfin mako
Length referencereported to 6.1 m / 20 ftreported to about 4.45 m / 14.6 ft
Weight referencerecorded to about 450 kg / 991 lbrecorded to about 570 kg / 1,257 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatTropical coastal and offshore watersOpen tropical and temperate oceans
DietRays, fish and smaller sharksFast fishes, squid and other sharks
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Great hammerhead is represented by reported to 6.1 m / 20 ft; Shortfin mako by reported to about 4.45 m / 14.6 ft. The comparison uses the largest reported length and a record mass. Record length and mass do not necessarily describe the same individual.

Bite evidence

Great hammerhead: Comparative biomechanics exist, but a simple verified maximum is not established here. Shortfin mako: No directly comparable maximum bite-force estimate is used.

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 wide head is a sensory platform, not just an unusual silhouette. Speed is its signature; the biggest animals are unusual and hard to verify.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Great hammerheadFlorida MuseumShortfin makoFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →