Great White Shark File: Anatomy, Behavior and Secrets of a Legendary Predator

The great white shark captivates as much as it intimidates, and the thirst for thrills of divers facing this giant of the seas does not wane. To uncover the mysteries of this fascinating predator, whose populations sadly seem to be in decline, we sought the expertise of Alessandro De Maddalena, a naturalist and globally recognized specialist of the species.

Anatomy of the lord of the oceans

If one believes they know the great white shark—its longevity, power, exceptional sense of smell—it actually holds many other secrets.

Record dimensions

The largest specimen recorded in museum collections worldwide is a female measuring 5.90 m, captured near Maguelone and brought to Sète on October 13, 1956. A cast of this shark is visible at the Cantonal Museum of Zoology in Lausanne, Switzerland. Other females of comparable size have been recorded:

• Marseille, October 15, 1925: 6.60-6.80 m (estimation)
• Filfla, Malta, April 17, 1987: 6.60-6.80 m (estimation)
• Ganzirri, Italy, June 19, 1961: 6.60 m (estimation)

As with most sharks, females are generally larger than males, a trend observed in the Mediterranean and in all seas globally where the species is present. Although the average size of a great white shark is about 3.50 m, some individuals could reach 8 m, that’s two-thirds the length of a bus!