SHARK VS SHARK

Otodus obliquusvsSqualicorax

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

ExtinctOtodus obliquus×ExtinctSqualicorax pristodontus
QUICK VERDICT

Otodus obliquus is about 1.82× longer by these reference values.

Otodus obliquus uses a 9.1 m upper reference, compared with 5 m for Squalicorax. A clean mass ratio is not shown because at least one weight is not reliably reconstructed.

01

ON THE SAME SCALE

Human. Bus. Whale.
Pick your reference.

RELATIVE LENGTH · 0–24 METERS
AOtodus obliquusestimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ft
BSqualicoraxestimated to about 5 m / 16 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.

MeasureOtodus obliquusSqualicorax
Length referenceestimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ftestimated to about 5 m / 16 ft
Weight referenceNot reliably reconstructedNot reliably reconstructed
Bite forceNo defensible estimate usedUnknownNo defensible estimate usedUnknown
Timeabout 56–45 million years agoabout 85–66 million years ago
DietLarge fishes and marine vertebratesFishes, marine reptiles and carrion
03

WHAT THE DATA CAN SAY

Size is not the whole animal.

Length and weight

Otodus obliquus is represented by estimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ft; Squalicorax by estimated to about 5 m / 16 ft. Soft-body dimensions are inferred from teeth and living analogues. Body length and ecology are reconstructed from incomplete fossil evidence.

Bite evidence

Otodus obliquus: No species-specific model is used. Squalicorax: Bite traces show feeding, not maximum force.

Living versus extinct

At least one animal is known from fossils. Fossil length, weight and bite estimates depend on which living analogues and scaling equations researchers choose.

Ecology changes the matchup

It belonged to the megatooth lineage that later produced megalodon. Serrated teeth and bite traces show a broad, opportunistic diet.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Otodus obliquusPaleobiology DatabaseSqualicoraxPaleobiology DatabaseHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →