SHARK VS SHARK

Horn sharkvsBluntnose sixgill

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×LivingHexanchus griseus
QUICK VERDICT

Bluntnose sixgill is about 3.9× longer by these reference values.

Bluntnose sixgill uses a 4.8 m upper reference, compared with 1.22 m for Horn shark. Bluntnose sixgill's weight reference is about 59× 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
BBluntnose sixgillreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 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 sharkBluntnose sixgill
Length referencereported to 1.22 m / 4 ftreported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft
Weight referencelarge-adult reference about 10 kg / 22 lbpublished to 590 kg / 1,300 lb
Bite force128–338 N theoretical, depending on tooth positionModeledNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
HabitatRocky eastern Pacific reefsDeep temperate and tropical waters
DietUrchins, crabs and mollusksFishes, rays, seals and carrion
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; Bluntnose sixgill by reported to 4.8 m / 15.8 ft. Weight is a rounded adult reference. Deepwater sampling is difficult, so upper records are sparse.

Bite evidence

Horn shark: Experiments also measured bites; the displayed range is the study's theoretical maximum from front to rear teeth. Bluntnose sixgill: No standardized maximum is available.

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 six gill slits mark an ancient branch of shark diversity.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Horn sharkHuber et al. (2005)Bluntnose sixgillFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →