Since Jaws was released 50 years ago, great white sharks have, arguably, become the most recognized fish in the ocean. But despite their fame, they’re not the biggest shark species.
The largest shark alive today, the plankton-eating whale shark, typically grows to about 14 meters long for females and 9 meters for males, with one specimen reaching nearly 19 meters. Even bigger was the now-extinct megalodon, the largest shark that ever existed. But since no intact skeleton has been found, scientists can’t agree on its exact size. The latest estimate is about 24 meters.
While many huge sharks cruise the seas, the stereotype that they are all large hunters isn’t