Megalodon Size Comparison
Megalodon in 3D next to a person, a great white shark and a blue whale.
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ft
in
The numbers
- Megalodon: commonly estimated at 50 to 60 ft (15 to 18 m), some estimates higher. That is about 10 times the height of a 5 ft 9 in person. Source: Natural History Museum, London; fossil-based estimates vary.
- Great white shark: about 15 to 20 ft long. That is about 3 times the height of a 5 ft 9 in person. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
- Blue whale: typically 75 to 90 ft long, up to about 100 ft. That is about 14 times the height of a 5 ft 9 in person. Source: NOAA Fisheries.
The 3D view draws each one at the size listed. Animals vary between individuals, and prehistoric sizes are estimates.
Megalodon is known mostly from fossil teeth, because shark skeletons are cartilage and rarely fossilize. Size estimates therefore come from scaling teeth and the few vertebrae found, and they vary. Common estimates put large adults at about 50 to 60 feet; some recent studies suggest more. The 3D view uses 55 feet.
At that size megalodon would be more than three times as long as a 16 ft great white, while a blue whale would still be longer. Line them up and judge for yourself.