That’s the question we’re going to answer today. We are going to examine these creatures and show you which of them is most likely to survive a fight against the other!
Comparing a Megalodon and a Whale Shark
What Are Key Differences Between a Megalodon and a Whale Shark?
The greatest differences between a megalodon and a whale shark lie in their size and the form of their heads. Megalodons were massive sharks that could weigh 50 tons, measure 9 feet in diameter, and possess a triangle-shaped head containing 250 7-inch teeth. Whale sharks are very large, weighing 20 tons, and have a large, flat head that opens almost as wide as their entire body that contains 3,000 tiny teeth that they use to filter feed. The Megalodon and whale shark have great differences between them. We must examine these unique qualities and others to figure out how a fight between these animals would go!
What Are the Key Factors in a Fight Between a Megalodon and a Whale Shark?
The greatest factors in a fight between a megalodon and a whale shark are similar to other battles. We must account for size, fighting ability, and defenses. We’ll look at all these features and a few others to get a good idea of how these creatures would behave if their lives were on the line. Assigning advantages to each animal will help us keep track of which animal has the edge right up until the final analysis of their fight!
Megalodon vs Whale Shark: Size
A megalodon is much larger than a whale shark, weighing 50 tons and growing about 60 feet or more throughout its lifespan. The whale shark is a massive animal in its own right, weighing between 15 and 20 tons and growing up to 40 feet in length! Megalodon has a serious advantage in terms of size in this case.
Megalodon vs Whale Shark: Speed and Movement
The Megalodon could move at about 11 mph by using an undulating motion in the water that pushes its tail from side to side. The whale shark has the same form of locomotion, but it only moves at 10 mph. Megalodon has the speed advantage, but not by much.
Megalodon vs Whale Shark: Senses
Both the Megalodon and the whale shark have great senses. The Megalodon has a wonderful sense of smell, great vision, and hearing that helps it identify splashing prey. The whale shark has much of the same senses, except its vision is on the poor side. Moreover, both creatures can use specialty organs to help them identify the electrical fields surrounding other fish. Megalodon has slightly better senses since it has good vision.
Megalodon vs Whale Shark: Physical Defenses
Most of the time, Megalodon relied on its relatively high speed and large size to stay safe. Perhaps the only creature that could challenge it one-on-one would be the Livyatan. Whale sharks also use their size to frighten off predators, and that’s about the extent of their defensive capabilities. Megalodon has the advantage in physical defenses.
Megalodon vs Whale Shark: Combat Skills
When fighting, a megalodon was probably every bit as dangerous as a great white shark. Megalodons had massive jaws that could measure over 6.5 feet in diameter. They had 250 teeth to sink into foes, and many of them measured 7 inches long! Their bite power was incredibly high, and they were fast enough to catch their prey! Although the whale shark has 3,000 teeth, they’re very small and used in the process of filter-feeding. Whale sharks are not aggressive stealth predators. Their only true defense is smashing enemies with their tails, and that could kill them due to the sheer power of the blow.
Who Would Win in a Fight Between a Megalodon and a Whale Shark?
A megalodon would decisively win a fight against a whale shark. This massive fish has every reason to win and none to lose. Not only does it have a size and speed advantage, but it is also an actual killer, unlike the whale shark. Even if the whale shark knew it was coming, it would probably expend more energy trying to get away from its jaws than trying to land a tail smack. The Megalodon and many other sharks tend to hunt by attacking their enemy’s vital organs in their chest. The fight would begin with a stealth attack from below, with the Megalodon landing a massive, devastating bite to the whale’s thorax. With only a few bites, the whale shark is in serious trouble. Exsanguination, organ damage, loss of mass— these problems are too serious to overcome. The Megalodon would win a fight against the peaceful whale shark with ease.
