All types of sharks in the world. The biggest sharks in the whole world. Great whale shark
It is the largest marine mammal in the world. Many species of sharks also live in the oceans. Among these species are the "Whale Shark" - biggest shark in the world.
For many years, sharks have fascinated people with their deadly power and menacing appearance. Humanity creates myths around these mammals, and then they write books or make films based on them.
We have already briefly introduced you to the largest shark of the modern world. But when compiling such ratings, many authors mistakenly add “Megalodon” - a huge shark that appeared on our planet about 23 million years ago and lived in the oceans until the late Pliocene (2.6 million years ago).
By the way, according to the Guinness Book of Records, the largest predatory shark ever living is Carcharodon Megalodon, which was about 16 meters long and possibly 2 meters wide.
Now let's move directly to the list of the largest sharks in the world, which can be found in the waters of the world's oceans.
The largest sharks in the world
Great whale shark
The whale shark is the largest and heaviest living shark because it weighs over 21 tons and is over 12 meters long. These mammals live in the open ocean and warm waters. These predators mainly feed on plankton, but sometimes they can be found while hunting for larger fish. Whale sharks are not in danger of extinction because their population is large enough.
The heaviest whale shark (that was discovered) weighed about 21,000 kg. But the longest one is 12.19 meters.
Giant shark
This shark is in second place in our ranking. They live in temperate and warm oceans of the world. These giants are quite friendly and never watch divers. Giant sharks feed on plankton and small fish. This species of mammal is the heaviest in British waters.
The average weight of this shark of this species is 14515 kg, and its length varies from 9 to 11.6 meters.
Great white shark
The great white shark is the largest predatory fish in the world, and it feeds on other marine life. If you have seen the movie “Jaws”, then you are undoubtedly aware of the fact that these predators do not hesitate to eat “humans”. But in reality, this fish rarely attacks humans.
Very often, great white sharks can be found in coastal areas of all oceans. Their average weight is about 3300 kg. Yes, by the way, the white shark is also the fastest shark in the world.
Greenland shark
This huge shark lives in the cold waters of the oceans, and the largest population was found in the North Atlantic Ocean, near Greenland and Iceland. This deep-sea fish is not often seen, even while diving. Greenland shark meat is poisonous, so they are not used as food.
Its average weight is about 1020 kg. And she is in 4th place on the list of the largest sharks in the world.
Tiger shark
This is another type of dangerous and predatory shark that eats all types of marine animals. It is considered the most dangerous to humans because they often attack people. This shark was nicknamed “tiger” because of the stripes on its body, thanks to which its appearance resembles the color of tigers. It is found in all oceans and especially where warm waters are present. The average weight of tiger sharks is about 939 kilograms.
Hammerhead shark
Hammerhead sharks live off the coasts of all oceans and some large seas. Despite the fact that they are a dangerous predator, they very rarely attack people. Scientists say hammerhead sharks are on the verge of extinction.
This species of shark is famous for its beautiful fins and hammer-like head shape. Also, because of their appearance, many call hammerhead sharks the strangest sea creatures.
The average weight of these predators is about 844 kg.
Sixgill shark
The sixgill shark is also included in the list of the largest sharks in the world. These predators feed on various types of marine life. Sixgill sharks are found in almost all oceans, especially in the Pacific Ocean. These predators reach a length of about 5.5 m, and their average weight is about 590 kg.
Gray sand shark
The gray sand shark is one of the few non-aggressive shark species. They live in different parts of our planet, which is why they have many names. But most often it is called the “common sand shark.” This species feeds on most marine life, as well as some other smaller sharks.
The gray sand shark is renowned for its beautiful appearance, and many people especially like to watch these predators swim in the waters of the oceans.
The average weight of sharks of this species is about 556 kg.
Mako shark
Moko sharks are number nine on our list of the largest sharks in the world. This is a very rare shark species and is endangered. Some researchers claim that moko is one of the most intelligent marine animals.
The average weight of mocha sharks is 544 kg.
fox shark
This is the last shark species in our ranking. Fox sharks are mainly found in waters in temperate and warm oceans, especially the Pacific. He doesn't attack people. This is a very important species of shark because humanity uses their liver to produce medicines. The average weight of these predators is about 500 kg.
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Sharks are very ancient and widespread representatives of marine fauna (526 species). These cartilaginous fish with a torpedo-shaped body appeared more than 400 million years ago. With a few exceptions, they are true predators and live in sea water. However, the 3 largest sharks in the world - largemouth, giant and whale - feed on plankton and other small things.
The shark lives in the seas and belongs to the predatory fish species
Order of cartilaginous fish
The skeleton of sharks has no bones and consists of connective tissue, which is why they are called cartilaginous fish. The skin is covered with scales consisting of small teeth, and resembles sandpaper. The caudal fins are located vertically and can have different shapes depending on the habitat. The jaws are equipped with conical teeth that constantly grow and are replaced if necessary.
If the connections between the central nervous system and muscles are disrupted, they are able to function autonomously.
Low metabolism and the primitive structure of the body have led to the fact that sharks cannot withstand prolonged stress, due to which they can die. They breathe using gills, constantly passing water through special slits. These fish do not have a swim bladder, and the ability to swim perfectly is ensured by a very large liver.
A well-developed sense of smell helps to find prey and mating partners. One of the largest sharks in the world, the hammerhead, is especially good at distinguishing odors. She can smell blood at a concentration of one in a million.
Gestation of offspring in cartilaginous fish occurs in utero. In viviparous species, the baby is born fully formed and ready for independent life. Pregnancy lasts from several months to 2 years.
The longest shark in the world is the whale shark, it reaches 20 meters, and the smallest is the dwarf spiny one, which grows a little more than 25 centimeters. The average speed of movement is 8 km/h, but when accelerating it can reach 20 and even 50 km/h.
Largest species
The largest shark in the world was called a whale shark due to its size. The average length of this monster is 12 meters, and the maximum is 18-20 m. It weighs about 12 tons, but cases of catching twenty-ton specimens are known.
The whale shark is the longest shark in the world
The habitat of the whale shark is the tropical latitudes of the world's oceans. It swims slowly (5 km/h) and does not sink to depth. It is not a real predator and is safe for humans. It feeds on plankton, small fish and shrimp, filtering food from water passed through a special apparatus.
You can usually find small groups of sharks consisting of several individuals. In regions with plenty of food, fish can gather in large schools. They make long migrations in search of plankton.
To date, this unique species has been little studied. It is not known exactly what kind of lifestyle the largest shark in the world leads. The pattern of reproduction and population size also remains a mystery. In 2016, the largest existing fish was declared an endangered species, so most countries introduced a ban on its fishing.
You can see what the largest shark in the world looks like by visiting the Japanese Churaumi Aquarium, located on the island of Okinawa. There is a 7-meter male there - the largest specimen living in captivity.
Top 10 giant sharks
Sharks are quite diverse, many of them reach large sizes. The ranking presents the largest cartilaginous fish on planet Earth.
Top 10:
Popular Misconceptions and Myths
The image of a ruthless killing machine, prowling the ocean in search of the smell of blood, has firmly established itself behind the shark. She tracks down lonely swimmers and surfers, ready to enjoy human flesh with pleasure. Artistic works, including films, are responsible for creating such fame, giving rise to common misconceptions:
The frightening aura of notoriety surrounding sharks is just a fiction that has little in common with reality. Even the largest representative does not pose the slightest danger to humans. But uncontrolled fishing of these fish by people can lead to the extinction of the species.
These predators are considered a threat to the seas and oceans. Sharks eat anyone in their path. Only a person or a killer whale can encroach on their lives. Moreover, the latter calculates its strength and rushes at small-sized individuals. People are breaking records, trying to catch bigger fish. The achievements of fishermen show us which shark is the largest in the world.
Extinct record holder
The article will touch on incredible stories about fish of impressive size. But this monster, supposedly the ancestor of the white shark, has no rivals. Its name is Megalodon. The body length of the inhabitant of the warm seas reached 16 meters, and the weight was 45 tons. The bite force was 11 tons. Admire the photo of the Megalodon shark and its fossil tooth!
Such dimensions automatically deprived the giant of competition in the hunt. The diet consisted of living and dead marine mammals and large fish. Analysis of fossil remains shows that the predator was superior to modern sharks in strength and sophistication of hunting strategies.
The extinction occurred 3 million years ago. Two reasons are given: climate change or worsening competitive relations in hungry years. Remains have been found since the Renaissance throughout the globe. In 2013, the predator suddenly... came to life.
This is what the creators of the show on Discovery Chanel said. The facts were presented convincingly. But the video about the largest sharks in the world was fabricated. The television crews were criticized by scientists. However, this did not stop the launch of a series of programs.
XXI Century
There are 526 species of sharks in the ocean. Each of them has representatives of large sizes. Unfortunately, measurements of fish are carried out only after catching. Therefore, it is difficult to talk about the real dimensions of the inhabitants of the oceans. Let's compare officially caught representatives to find out which shark is the largest in the world.
Mako shark
Body length 4.5 meters. Individuals of this species jump out of the water to a height of 6 m and reach a speed of 70 km/h. The shark is considered dangerous to humans, but documented cases of attacks were provoked by the person himself.
Sixgill shark
Body length reaches 5.4 m. They eat living organisms and carrion, and cannibalism is also common. Cases of attacks on seals have been recorded. The predators themselves are victims of white sharks, killer whales, sea lions and people. Commercial harvest is carried out for the value of liver oil and meat. But more often they are caught for trophies.
The fish is indifferent to humans as long as it is not touched. Touching causes irritation, the animal rushes to the bottom.
The length of the largest shark in the world of this species is 5 m. The predator poses a particular danger to humans. Human remains have been found in the stomach on several occasions. They eat any living creature that is smaller in size. They do not disdain wounded fellow tribesmen and carrion.
The species was discovered in 1976. Science knows about 60 individuals. In 2004, a dead female 5.63m long washed up on the Ichihara shore. In 2006, a 5.7 m specimen became entangled in nets placed near Japan. The individual was released into the wild, but was soon found dead.
Females are larger than the stronger sex. The largest male, measuring 4.9 m, was caught in the waters off California. Thanks to this individual, some details from the life of the species have been revealed. Scientists observed the largest pelagic shark in the world for several days.
These giants are known to feed on plankton. For prey, they descend to a depth of 160m. In general, the species has been little studied.
The long thin tail increases the size of the fish to 6 meters. It is used as a mining tool. The victim is stunned and calmly absorbed by the predator. The species is famous for its shyness and safety for people.
Great hammerhead shark
The officially registered body length is 6.1 meters. The name is due to its unusual appearance: the fish’s face is comparable to a hammer. This “hammer” plays the role of a tool in the life of one of the largest sharks. With the help of it, he gets his favorite delicacy - stingrays. Like fox sharks, they immobilize fish and then eat them. Crustaceans and cephalopods are also included in the diet.
Carcharodon
Great white shark is the name of the most dangerous predator on the planet. Every year, 30–50 attacks on people are recorded. Sharks often bite their victims, but do not eat them. When bitten, the victim dies from blood loss in 90% of cases.
An interesting fact: snakes and even bees and wasps kill more people in a year than sharks do in a century.
The variation in body length in the species is enormous. A great white shark, Carcharodon, weighing 804 kg and 6.4 meters long, was caught off the coast of Australia in 1945. Shocked? It's the little things! History includes 3 individuals of this species:
- 1959 — fisherman Elf Dean pulled a fish weighing 1208.38 kg and 5.17 m tall from the Australian Gulf. The result is recorded in the Guinness Book of Records;
- 1976 — the weight of the prey caught by Cliven Green near Australia was 1.5 tons, length — 5.24 m. Registration of the achievement was denied due to the fisherman's use of whale meat as profit;
- 1978 - area of the Isthmus of Panama in the Pacific Ocean - a trophy was caught with a weight of 2.238 tons and a body length of 6.2 m.
Interestingly, in the first two cases a fishing rod was used. Elf Dean used steel line weighing a total of 59 kg. The result of the Pacific fishing trip was included in the Guinness Book of Records as the capture of the largest white shark. But he did not bring fishing glory, due to the use of a harpoon when fishing.
These fish break several records at once. They are slow-moving. The speed of movement does not exceed 2.7 km/h. Slow metabolism causes high life expectancy. Radiocarbon dating of the eyes of 28 individuals was carried out. Research has shown that these sea creatures live for about 500 years!
The maximum known body length is 6.4 meters, and the weight is about a ton. These dimensions make the shark a champion in its habitat – northern latitudes. Fish live exclusively in cold waters and encounters with humans are practically impossible. Some of the largest sharks in the world feed on seals. Cases of attacks on sleeping marine mammals have been recorded.
The giants' height reaches 9.8 meters and their weight is 4 tons. The largest specimen is considered to be caught in 1851. The weight was 9 tons, and the body length was 12.7 m. The diet consists of plankton, so it does not pose a danger to people. The species is vulnerable, the number of individuals is constantly declining.
Interestingly, a third of the weight is the liver. 150 years ago, fishing was widely developed, the target of which was shark liver oil. It is still used in medicine.
The world's largest shark, the megalodon, is much inferior in parameters to the whale shark. But this does not prevent it from occupying a leading position in size among all living fish. Off the coast of Pakistan in 2000. an individual 12.65 m long and 7 m wide was caught. This is an absolute record!
The Internet is filled with messages about “some data”, according to which the monster’s height reaches 20 meters. However, there are no links to reliable sources. Such information comes from deep-sea diving enthusiasts and you have to take their word for it.
Photo of the world's largest shark Giants eat plankton, squid and small fish. Relationships with people are good. A few years ago, an unusual video appeared on the Internet. The divers met the fish and expected it to calmly swim past. But the giant opened his mouth and carefully pulled the diver’s hand. This is how the sea animal asked for help: a fishing rope was wrapped around its body. At least that's what the participants in the liberation operation say.
Selfies look especially impressive while holding the fin of the world's largest shark.
As already noted, the dimensions of marine inhabitants can be objectively judged only on the basis of caught specimens. There is an opinion that the size of individuals of each species in the ocean thickness exceeds the recorded size by 3–8 meters. Do you think there are large fish hiding in the waters? Share in the comments.
Sharks are little studied, as is ocean life in general. It scares people. The appearance of even the smallest individuals inspires fear. Today we are convinced that not all predators are dangerous to humans. The degree of threat is greatly exaggerated by cinema and literature. Interestingly, large-sized animals are more disposed towards humans than their smaller counterparts.
Watching big sharks is very exciting. On TV, at least. But if you are in their habitat, you become a potential food source for these ruthless underwater predators.
The good news is that most sharks, of which there are 450 species, are not big enough to threaten you. The smallest shark is only 17 centimeters in size. However, in the depths of the sea there are even larger monsters. And for some of the biggest sharks, humans are just lunch.
The coloring of mako sharks is one of the characteristics that distinguishes them from most of their relatives. The dorsal portion of these sharks can range from a deep purple to a vibrant blue hue. The sides are silvery and the belly is white.
The main enemies of mako sharks are people who eat their meat. Mako sharks themselves prefer dolphins, squid, mackerel, and sea turtles for lunch. They definitely have a variety of food preferences.
No shark in the world can swim as fast as the mako shark. The speed and distances these creatures can swim are incredible. The constant speed of the mako shark is 35 km/h, and the fastest is 80 km/h.
These deep-sea predators are distinguished by the following features: they have six pairs of long gill slits on each side of their broad head, comb-like teeth on the lower jaw and a long tail.
Sixgill sharks live on continental and island shelves in temperate and tropical seas around the world, in the Pacific, Atlantic and Indian Oceans.
These sharks' diet includes other sharks, seahorses, many species of large bony fish, and invertebrates, including squid and crabs. This shark is also known to eat dead animals such as seals and whales. As for interaction with people, apparently the predator simply tolerates the presence of bipeds on its territory. Divers regularly observe juvenile sixgill sharks off the Pacific coast of Canada. Sometimes these sharks will swim close to divers and even surfers, but without threatening behavior or physical contact.
Perhaps even more dangerous than the great white, the tiger shark is known to prey on seabirds, dolphins and other marine life. Often hunting near the shore, at a depth of 6 and even 3 meters, tiger sharks can attack divers. Their attacks are more often fatal to humans than in the case of great white sharks. On average, there are 3-4 tiger shark attacks on people per year.
This shark got its name due to the stripes on its body that resemble the color of a tiger's skin.
The appearance of this shark with a huge mouth immediately brings to mind horror films where a sad ending awaits the diver. However, do not be afraid, despite its appearance, the largemouth shark feeds on plankton.
Perhaps it was this species that inspired people to create legends about monsters - half whales, half sharks.
Pelagic largemouth sharks are very rare and have no commercial value.
The genus of fox sharks (aka sea foxes) includes three species. The largest of them is Alopias vulpinus. These predatory creatures prefer the open ocean, not visiting depths below 500 meters. In the photo it is easy to see the most prominent part of the fox shark - this is the long upper blade of the caudal fin. Sometimes it is equal in length to the shark’s entire body.
People are much more dangerous to fox sharks than sharks are to people. These creatures are hunted for their meat, skin, fins (used as a delicacy in soup) and liver.
When people appear nearby, sea foxes get scared and immediately swim away. Although some divers may be stunned by the shark's tail, which it uses as a whip.
Hammerhead sharks are very rarely seen by people, as they are on the verge of extinction.
This type of shark is distinguished by beautiful fins and a special head shape - highly flattened, with large outgrowths on the sides. These underwater inhabitants are clearly not among the most beautiful fish.
Although Greenland sharks are not typically aggressive, they are certainly one of the largest sharks on the planet. And you shouldn’t approach them without a good reason.
This shark's diet mainly consists of fish and marine mammals, and due to its leisurely nature, it usually does not pose a danger to people. However, there are stories of Greenland sharks attacking kayaks.
It may not be the largest shark, but it is known as one of the most dangerous animals and the largest predatory fish on Earth. The average adult size is 4.4-4.6 meters, and the body weight reaches 520-770 kg. But there is a lot of (unconfirmed) information about great white sharks. According to it, the largest white shark can reach a length of up to 10 meters.
It's difficult to measure how big a great white shark really is. There are three reasons for this:
- These predators live in water, and approaching them is not entirely safe, to put it mildly.
- Another problem is their incredible speed: great white sharks can reach speeds of up to 56 km/h.
- The third difficulty is that the bodies of white sharks consist mainly of water. Therefore, when they find themselves on land, they dry out and become smaller in size.
It was the great white shark that appeared as an antagonist in the cult film Jaws.
Despite its terrifying name, this is a harmless creature. It feeds not on divers or even smaller relatives, but on plankton (tiny animals that can be found near the surface of the water) and small fish.
Their mouths are huge; they can be more than 1 meter wide. It would be logical to assume that a shark of this size would have long, sharp teeth, similar to those of a great white or tiger shark. However, the basking shark only has a few rows of small teeth. The large size of their mouth and the small size of their teeth directly coincide with the shark's unexpected diet. In order to feed, basking sharks keep their mouths open while they swim. This is how they collect plankton from the water.
Basking sharks are thermophilic and prefer moderate to warm waters. In addition, they prefer to swim close to the shore, close to the surface, which is why they have earned the nickname “sunfish.”
This is the largest living shark in the world. Luckily for most marine life - and us! - The whale shark's favorite food is plankton. She does not have such sharp teeth as smaller sharks, but their number is very large, reaching up to 15 thousand. To feed, the shark opens its heavy jaws and passively filters everything in its path using a special filtering apparatus formed by the gill arches.
Preferring warm waters, whale sharks inhabit all tropical seas of our planet. They migrate each spring to the continental shelf of Australia's central west coast, where an abundant supply of plankton awaits them.
Despite their enormous size, whale sharks are fairly calm and harmless fish. There's even a video on Twitter of a group of divers riding a whale shark.
To the question of what is the largest shark in the world, science currently gives a confident answer - a large whale shark. But it was not always so.
About 20 million years ago, a predator appeared in the world, about which films are still made and books are written. Its name is megalodon (Otodus megalodon, formerly known as Carcharodon or Carcharocles megalodon). For 13 million years, the huge shark dominated other life in the oceans until it went extinct just 2.6 million years ago during global cooling.
Scientists suggest that the largest megalodon specimens grew up to 18 meters in length. For comparison: the length of the largest snake in the world reaches 14.8 meters.
Estimates of megalodon body size are based on the size of the animal's teeth, which can reach up to 18 cm in length. In fact, the word megalodon simply means “big tooth.” It is curious that megalodon teeth have been found on all continents except Antarctica.
This giant shark fed on whales and large fish, and possibly other sharks. The dimensions of its jaw - 2.7 by 3.4 meters - were large enough to swallow two adults side by side.
The bite force of a human is about 1,317 newtons (N), the bite force of a great white shark is 18,211N. Megalodon bite forces ranged from 108,514 to 182,201N.
Most reconstructions show megalodon to resemble a great white shark. But scientists say this is not true.
Megalodon likely had a much shorter nose compared to the great white shark and a more flattened jaw. It had very long pectoral fins to support its gigantic weight and size.
And the ancestor of the modern great white shark lived next to the megalodon. Some shark researchers believe they might even compete with each other.
Could Megalodon exist today?
If an animal the size of a megalodon were still living in the oceans, scientists would know about it.
Sharks leave their telltale bite marks on other large marine animals, and their huge teeth continue to litter the ocean floors. Not to mention that, being a heat-loving creature, megalodon will not be able to survive in cold deep waters, where it has a greater chance of remaining undetected.