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Lion's mane jellyfish vs Whale shark

Lion's mane jellyfish vs whale shark
Near enough equal on length
Lion's mane jellyfish and whale shark are near enough identical on length.

A lion's mane jellyfish and a whale shark can be compared on 2 measures. The figures below are typical adult or full-size values, with the larger of the two in bold.

Side by side

Larger value in bold. Ranges reflect genuine variation, not uncertainty.
Lion's mane jellyfish Whale shark
Length 3–37 m 5.5–18.8 m
Typical lifespan 1 yr 60–130 yr

What the numbers say

  • Lion's mane jellyfish and whale shark are near enough identical on length.
  • Whale shark is 70× lion's mane jellyfish on typical lifespan.

Length compared.

Lion's mane jellyfish 3–37 m
Whale shark 5.5–18.8 m

Lion's mane jellyfish

The largest known jellyfish; a specimen washed up in 1870 had tentacles 37 m long.

Whale shark

The largest fish alive, a filter feeder that strains plankton and poses no danger to swimmers.

This is a comparison of published measurements, nothing more. It describes how two things differ on measures that have been recorded; it does not predict how they would fare against each other in any situation.

Common questions

Which is bigger, lion's mane jellyfish or whale shark?
Lion's mane jellyfish and whale shark are near enough identical on length. Both figures are typical values; the full range for each is in the table above.
How do lion's mane jellyfish and whale sharks compare on typical lifespan?
Lion's mane jellyfish: 1 yr. Whale shark: 60–130 yr. Whale shark is 70× lion's mane jellyfish on typical lifespan.

Related pages

Sources

  1. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — NOAA (Public domain (US Government))

How these figures are compiled and checked