What is the Largest Whale? A Cetacea Size Comparison Chart.

How do right whales size up? North Atlantic Right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are big, but they're not the biggest whales. That distinction goes to the Blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus), the largest animal on Earth. While the Orca, or Killer whale size of up to 31 feet make it the largest dolphin. The Sperm whale on the other hand may not be the biggest whale, but it has the biggest brain to have ever existed on Earth. Below is a comparison chart of whale sizes. To learn more whale facts follow the links below.

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Submitted by The Ocean Portal Team on

Thanks for the question! Sperm whales get their name from the organ that makes up most of their large head, the spermaceti. The spermaceti organ contains a liquid wax that that was very valuable for use as an oil when whaling occurred. You can learn more about sperm whales here: http://www.afsc.noaa.gov/nmml/education/cetaceans/sperm.php

-The Ocean Portal Team

Submitted by Hi (not verified) on

Why are sperm whales called sperm whales? Do they release a lot of sperm or something?

Submitted by Kimbo (not verified) on

How big is a blue whale compared to a great white shark?

Submitted by Shubham (not verified) on

Whales are my favorite mammal/animal. Thanks for the information. My favorite whale is the blue one. Blue whales!

Submitted by branddoni (not verified) on

Thanks a lot for answering the question
next time you can answer my question again.

Submitted by branddoni (not verified) on

im here to say that i need help on this web-site because i want to know how big is the cetacean whale

Submitted by Joe (not verified) on

of course they are. Sure the video of the whale missing half its body is debatable but its not like Megaldon can be in depths we can reach a different times of its life

Submitted by Gianna (not verified) on

I love whales

Submitted by The Ocean Portal Team on

Hi Shelby - Sharks are fish! You are right though, that unlike most fish, sharks do not produce large amounts of small eggs. Instead, they invest their resources in a smaller number of young which are more likely to grow into adults. Some sharks lay eggs, while others give live birth. They also are different from typical fish in that their skeletons are made of cartilage, not bone. You can read more here - http://eol.org/pages/1857/overview

Thanks for the comment! 

The Ocean Portal Team


Submitted by shelby (not verified) on

Sharks aren't fish.. Sharks are mammals. They give birth to live babies.

Submitted by Sandy. Timmons (not verified) on

Very nice.

Submitted by whale (not verified) on


Submitted by Elmo (not verified) on

No,this is not true , on sesame street the blue whales are always the biggest!!!!!!!!!!!!

Submitted by Joseph (not verified) on

I believe the biggest blue whale recorded was 98 ft or 100 ft long

Submitted by anil (not verified) on


Submitted by Pamela Mcallister (not verified) on

I'm watching a nature show on killer whales and a biologist just stayed that killer whales are these feat predictor in the ocean. I thought sperm whales, who eat squid and fish, were bigger. Which is true.

Submitted by sidney (not verified) on

why are blue whales the bigges whales on earth.

Submitted by gemsy (not verified) on


Submitted by Lindsey Viers (not verified) on

The Blue whale is big but what about the tiger shark.

Submitted by Gus (not verified) on

Thanks for the information. I really like whales and want to see them in real life one day.

Submitted by demetri (not verified) on

Beautiful creatures....I hope some day I get to c thm in their natural habitat

Submitted by gilbert (not verified) on

Sharks are fish; they're cold-blooded, thus having typical fish anatomy. Whales are mammals, and they're warm-blooded. They have typical mammalian anatomy just like you and me. Another visual difference is swimming fins; one being that a shark's fin, just like any other fish, is vertical. Thus they swim with their fin paddling from side-to-side, left to right. A whale's fin, unlike fish, is horizontal; they swim with their fin paddling from top-to-bottom, up and down.

Sharks are fish, so they think like any other fish. Whales think just like you and me. Both are intelligent and social creatures in their own right, however I think that Whale intelligence is far more superior than a shark's.

Do whales eat humans? So sorry, I have no idea. But I 'do' know we humans eat cows...! =)

Submitted by Orcas (not verified) on

Even Megaldons are still out there, they are sharks not whales.
Whales are mammals. Sharks are fished, they are oviparous animals.

Submitted by sophie (not verified) on

i never know that whales could be different sizes

Submitted by Callum (not verified) on

Actually the biggest Megaldon was 129ft long and the biggest blue whale is 111ft long we have only searched 5% of the ocean so Megaladon CAN STILL BE OUT THERE

Submitted by The Ocean Portal Team on

Blue whales live to be around 80 or 90 years old. I am not sure about the heart being as large as a VW Beetle, but the organ certainly is big, as the blue whale is the largest animal on Earth.

Submitted by troy (not verified) on

what is the different between the wales and the shark. and also do you agree that wales can eat human.

Submitted by Monte (not verified) on

Does anyone really know how long whales live? I was wondering how long Blue whales live. I would think as big as their heart is they would live a long life. I believe I read somewhere their heart is as big as a VW Beetle car. I could be wrong though.

Submitted by The Ocean Portal Team on

Hi Victoria,

Actually, Megalodon isn't the biggest animal on Earth. It's extinct, so it's not on Earth today, #1. But it also was only 67 feet long; that's nothing compared to the blue whale, which is up to 98 feet long!

Thanks for reading and commenting.

The Ocean Portal Team

Submitted by victoria (not verified) on

Megalodon is way bigger, biggest animal on earth!! !

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

I believe you're mistaken when you refer to an UNfertilized cell...to my knowledge (and I don't know much), I'm not quite sure that ANY creature can be developed from anything but a totally FERTIZED cell. -- Chestertown, MD

Submitted by shayna rose (not verified) on

but where is the weight of each whale?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

this will help so many people to see how big whales are.

Submitted by alex (not verified) on

i love your graph it really helped me

Submitted by Anonymouspys (not verified) on

...single cell destroy that same massive blue whale? aren't they alive? what are you trying to say,can you explain...??

Submitted by The Ocean Portal Team on

Thanks for the feedback! We will look into adding their weights.

Submitted by mark zuckerberg (not verified) on

when you compare the man and blue whale the man is the shortest?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

stupid chart