Dimensions
| Measurement | Metric | Imperial | Notes | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maximum length (estimates) | 15–24.3 m | 49–80 ft | Estimated length of the largest individuals: 15-18 m from teeth, up to 24.3 m from vertebral columns (2025 study). Range: varies | [1] |
| Maximum length (2021 Florida Museum study) | up to 20 m | up to 65 ft | Estimated from tooth crown width; the authors give an error of about 10 ft for the largest individuals. Maximum | [2] |
| Maximum mass | up to 94 t | up to 100 US tons | Estimated weight of a 24.3 m megalodon (2025 study). Maximum | [1] |
| Length at birth | up to 3.9 m | up to 13 ft | Estimated length of newborn megalodons (2025 study). Maximum | [1] |
| Largest tooth | up to 18 cm | up to 7.1 in | The largest megalodon tooth found is almost 18 cm long. Maximum | [1] |
| Jaw opening | 2.7–3.4 m | 8.9–11 ft | Estimated jaw span, 2.7 m by 3.4 m. Range: varies | [1] |
About the megalodon
Megalodon was a giant shark whose earliest fossils date to about 23 million years ago. Because its skeleton was cartilage, almost nothing survives but teeth and a few vertebrae, so its size has to be estimated. Tooth-based estimates put the largest individuals at 15 to 18 metres, while a 2025 study of fossil backbones suggested it may have reached 24.3 metres and about 94 tonnes. Its teeth could be nearly 18 centimetres long.
- No complete megalodon skeleton has ever been found; the 24.3 m estimate came from nearly complete and partial vertebral columns found in Belgium and Denmark. [1]
- Great white shark teeth are usually about 5 cm long, compared with almost 18 cm for the largest megalodon tooth. [1]
- Megalodon is not a close relative of the great white shark and may have had a slimmer body than a scaled-up great white. [1]
- A 2021 method based on tooth width, published in Palaeontologia Electronica, estimated megalodon at up to 65 ft, compared with earlier estimates of about 50 to 60 ft. [2]
How many fit?
- ≈ 8.6–15 × Human · height lined up end to end match the Megalodon · maximum length (estimates)
- ≈ 1,100 × Human · body mass on the scales weigh as much as Megalodon · maximum mass
- ≈ 1.2–1.9 × City bus · length over bumpers lined up end to end match the Megalodon · maximum length (estimates)
- ≈ 6.1–7.5 × City bus · curb weight on the scales weigh as much as Megalodon · maximum mass
Counts divide one sourced figure by another. "End to end" uses each object's main measurement; weight and volume rows appear only when both figures are sourced.
How it compares
- 8.6–15× A megalodon is about 8.6–15 times as long as an average adult is tall. See side by side
- 1.2–1.9× A megalodon is about 1.2–1.9 times as long as a city bus. See side by side
- 1.3–2× A megalodon is about 1.3–2 times as long as a Brachiosaurus is tall. See side by side
- 1/1–1.6 A tennis court is about 1–1.6 times as long as a megalodon. See side by side
- 1/1.6–2.6 A Boeing 737 is about 1.6–2.6 times as long as a megalodon. See side by side
- 1/2.4–3.9 The Leaning Tower of Pisa is about 2.4–3.9 times as tall as a megalodon is long. See side by side
Factors compare the maximum length (estimates) of a megalodon with each object’s own main measurement (height for a human). Where a size varies, the factor is given as a range.
Notes on these figures
- All sizes are estimated. Almost no skeleton survives, and published maximum lengths differ by several metres depending on the method.
- The headline range covers maximum-size estimates for the biggest individuals, not the average adult.
Sources
- Natural History Museum, London, Megalodon: The truth about the largest shark that ever lived. Accessed 25 September 2026.
- Florida Museum of Natural History, School lesson gone wrong leads to new, bigger megalodon size estimate (7 June 2021). Accessed 25 September 2026.