SHARK VS SHARK

Great hammerheadvsZebra shark

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×LivingStegostoma tigrinum
QUICK VERDICT

Great hammerhead is about 1.72× longer by these reference values.

Great hammerhead uses a 6.1 m upper reference, compared with 3.54 m for Zebra shark. Great hammerhead's weight reference is about 13× 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
BZebra sharkreported to 3.54 m / 11.6 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 hammerheadZebra shark
Length referencereported to 6.1 m / 20 ftreported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft
Weight referencerecorded to about 450 kg / 991 lblarge-adult reference about 35 kg / 77 lb
Bite forceNo dependable maximum foundUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatTropical coastal and offshore watersTropical Indo-Pacific reefs and sand flats
DietRays, fish and smaller sharksMollusks, crustaceans and fishes
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; Zebra shark by reported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft. The comparison uses the largest reported length and a record mass. Its very long tail adds substantially to total length.

Bite evidence

Great hammerhead: Comparative biomechanics exist, but a simple verified maximum is not established here. Zebra shark: No standardized maximum 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. Juveniles have stripes; adults are spotted despite the common name.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Great hammerheadFlorida MuseumZebra sharkFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →