SHARK VS SHARK

Otodus obliquusvsZebra shark

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×LivingStegostoma tigrinum
QUICK VERDICT

Otodus obliquus is about 2.6× longer by these reference values.

Otodus obliquus uses a 9.1 m upper reference, compared with 3.54 m for Zebra shark. 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
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.

MeasureOtodus obliquusZebra shark
Length referenceestimated to about 9.1 m / 30 ftreported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft
Weight referenceNot reliably reconstructedlarge-adult reference about 35 kg / 77 lb
Bite forceNo defensible estimate usedUnknownNo dependable maximum foundUnknown
Timeabout 56–45 million years agoTropical Indo-Pacific reefs and sand flats
DietLarge fishes and marine vertebratesMollusks, crustaceans and fishes
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; Zebra shark by reported to 3.54 m / 11.6 ft. Soft-body dimensions are inferred from teeth and living analogues. Its very long tail adds substantially to total length.

Bite evidence

Otodus obliquus: No species-specific model is used. Zebra shark: No standardized maximum is used.

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. Juveniles have stripes; adults are spotted despite the common name.

04

TRACE THE CLAIMS

Sources and limits.

Otodus obliquusPaleobiology DatabaseZebra sharkFlorida MuseumHow we standardize comparisonsRead the methodology →