10 Biggest Sharks in the World

The whale shark (Rhincodon typus) is the biggest shark in the sea. Whale sharks (they're definitely sharks which are fish, not whales which are marine mammals) aren't just the biggest sharks in the world, they're literally the biggest fish of any kind of fish on planet Earth, period. These leviathans have been measured at a record of 62 feet (19 meters) long. That's 22 feet (6.7 meters) longer than a Greyhound bus! They're massive, but they don't pose any danger to humans because they mainly filter feed on tiny plankton, ingesting vast amounts of water and filtering out the food. They migrate thousands of miles annually and are found in warm waters all over the world. Sadly, according to the IUCN Red List, whale sharks are an Endangered species.

The basking shark (Cetorhinus maximus) is a filter feeder like the whale shark and also poses no threat to humans. While not as large as the whale shark, they've been measured at up to 40 feet (12 meters) long and are huge enough to rank as the second-biggest shark in the world.

The third largest shark, the tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) aka the leopard shark, spotted shark or maneater shark, has been measured at over 24 feet (7.3 meters) long, but is typically 10 to 14 feet (3 to 4 meters) long and can weigh up to 1,500 pounds (680 kilograms). It can swim up to 20 mph (32 kph) and has teeth so sharp and strong they can bite through a sea turtle's shell. It lives in warm, tropical waters throughout the world and is considered a Near Threatened species.

Fourth on our list is the awesome and notorious great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) of both scary movie and scary-in-real-life fame. Great whites, which can live to be over 70 years old, are streamlined arch predators that can move at speeds up to 43 mph (69 kph). Measuring up to 23 feet (7 meters) long, with razor-sharp teeth, great whites would rather nosh on dolphins, seals, sea lions, sea turtles and birds, or even the decayed flesh of dead animals than people.

The megamouth shark (Megachasma pelagios) aka big mouth shark, is a filter feeder that swims with its humongous mouth wide open to capture its prey of plankton, jellyfish, shrimp and copepods. First discovered in 1976, this elusive deepwater shark is rarely spotted by humans. The largest on record is 23 feet (7 meters) long, but its average length is believed to be between 13 and 18 feet (4 and 5.4 meters). The heaviest weight on record for a megamouth is a whopping 2, 679 pounds (1,215 kilograms). A very slow swimmer with glowing pores around its mouth and 50 rows of teeth on both its upper and lower jaws, the megamouth shark moves along at a top speed of just 1.30 mph (2 kph). Their population is unknown and their conservation status is listed of Least Concern.

The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) aka the "Methuselah" of sharks, has the longest lifespan of any vertebrate animal in the world. Biologists believe that this huge, slow-moving fish can live to be up to 500 years old. Measuring up to 21 feet (6.4 meters) long, the slow-moving Greenland shark doesn't mate until it's around 150 years old, gestates from eight to 18 years and can give birth to up to 10 pups. A carnivore, this big lug of a fish creeps up on its prey unawares and attacks them in their sleep.

The thresher shark (Alopias), weighs in at between 500 and 1,000 pounds (226 and 553 kilograms) and grows to a length of up to 20 feet (6 meters) with a lifespan of 19 to 50 years. Found in temperate, tropical waters, the thresher shark has a vast range, preferring the open ocean anywhere outside of cold Arctic waters. An omnivore, this rather scary-looking fish has a long, distinctive, thresher-like tail that it uses to herd, stun and kill its prey. It can jump higher than pretty much any other animal in the sea. They're not very aggressive and pose little threat to humans. This family of sharks contains a single genus and only three current species, all of which are vulnerable to extinction.

The great hammerhead shark (Sphyrnidae) has been in Earth's oceans for nearly 20 million years. Best known for their long rectangular heads that allow for a 360-degree field of vision, hammerheads dwell in warm coastal waters and on the edges of continental plates. These gray-green to olive-green behemoths have bright white bellies and are on record as large as 20 feet (6 meters) long. Typically though, females average from 15 to 18 feet (4.5 to 5.4 meters) long while males average about 12 feet (3.6 meters). There are nine species of hammerheads and most are on the smaller side — the great hammerhead being large enough to pose a threat to humans. This ancient fish is listed as Critically Endangered.

Bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas) get their name from their short, blunt snouts and their behavior of butting their prey with their heads before attacking. Found in shallow (less than 100 feet, or 30 meters, deep) tropical waters, these unpredictable carnivores can swim far up freshwater rivers and live in freshwater lakes if they feel like it. They range in length from 7 to 11 feet (2 to 3.3 meters) long, weigh between 200 and 500 pounds (91 to 227 kilograms) and swim at a top speed of 25 mph (40 kph). They are the third most aggressive shark towards humans after the tiger shark and the great white.

The sand tiger shark (Carcharias taurus), aka ragged-toothed shark, is a relatively peaceable shark one usually sees swimming in circles in aquariums. Ranging from 6 to 10 feet (2 to 3 meters) long, this cold-eyed fish can live up to 35 years and prowls close to shore in shallow, temperate waters hunting bony fish, other sharks, crustaceans, squid, and rays. Due to overfishing, the sand tiger shark's conservation status is listed as Critically Endangered/Vulnerable.