SHARK VS SHARK

Horn sharkvsSand tiger shark

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

LivingHeterodontus francisci×LivingCarcharias taurus
QUICK VERDICT

Sand tiger shark is about 2.6× longer by these reference values.

Sand tiger shark uses a 3.2 m upper reference, compared with 1.22 m for Horn shark. Sand tiger shark's weight reference is about 16× heavier.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AHorn sharkreported to 1.22 m / 4 ft
BSand tiger sharkreported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 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.

MeasureHorn sharkSand tiger shark
Length referencereported to 1.22 m / 4 ftreported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 ft
Weight referencelarge-adult reference about 10 kg / 22 lbreported to about 159 kg / 350 lb
Bite force128–338 N theoretical, depending on tooth positionModeledNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatRocky eastern Pacific reefsTemperate and subtropical coasts
DietUrchins, crabs and mollusksFishes, rays, squid and crustaceans
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Horn shark is represented by reported to 1.22 m / 4 ft; Sand tiger shark by reported to about 3.2 m / 10.5 ft. Weight is a rounded adult reference. Upper records vary by region and source.

Bite evidence

Horn shark: Experiments also measured bites; the displayed range is the study's theoretical maximum from front to rear teeth. Sand tiger shark: A reliable comparable maximum was not found.

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 rear teeth crush hard prey, and its bite mechanics have been tested directly and modeled. Its protruding teeth look dramatic, but appearance alone does not reveal bite force.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Horn sharkHuber et al. (2005)Sand tiger sharkFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →