white shark: Quick Facts

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Last updated

Oct. 16, 2026

Facts

Also Known As	Carcharodon carcharias • man-eater • white death • white pointer • great white shark

Photos and Videos

white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Illustration of a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) with a faint scuba diver in the background for scale, and measurement bars showing 1 meter and 3 feet to indicate the shark's large size.

white shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

White shark (Carcharodon carcharias)

Illustration of an ocean food chain showing sunlight supporting one-celled life like dinoflagellates and diatoms, which are eaten by shrimplike copepods. These are consumed by small fish, which are then eaten by mackerel, followed by tuna, and finally a large shark at the top of the food web.

great white shark

tooth size comparison: megalodon and modern great white shark

Illustration comparing the sizes of a female, male, and infant megalodon (Carcharocles megalodon) with a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias), showing the megalodon as much larger. Human and elephant silhouettes provide additional scale. Measurement bars indicate 3 meters and 9 feet for reference.

Image thumbnail shows a illustration of a shark resting its head on a pillow.

Into the Wild: Studying the Behavior of Great White Sharks

The survival story of Guadalupe fur seals

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