Prehistoric Life
How long was Livyatan melvillei?
An adult Livyatan melvillei had a total length of about 13.5 m (44 ft).
What is measured: adult, total body length
Compare
How big is that, really?
- About the same length as a city bus
- About 57% of the length of a tennis court
- As long as about 2 20-foot shipping containers end to end
- About 3 would fit end to end along an Olympic swimming pool
- About 7 would fit end to end along a football (soccer) pitch
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Facts about Livyatan melvillei
Livyatan was a giant predatory sperm whale with massive teeth that could exceed 30 centimeters in length.
Source: Nature, A giant sperm whale from the Miocene of Peru; Smithsonian Ocean, Livyatan
Prehistoric Life
Compared with other prehistoric animals and plants
| Name | Size | Compared with Livyatan melvillei |
|---|---|---|
| Kronosaurus queenslandicus | 10.5 m (34 ft) | 0.78× |
| Deinocheirus mirificus | 11 m (36 ft) | 0.81× |
| Suchomimus tenerensis | 11 m (36 ft) | 0.81× |
| Mosasaurus hoffmannii | 12 m (39 ft) | 0.89× |
| Saurolophus osborni | 12 m (39 ft) | 0.89× |
| Mapusaurus roseae | 12.2 m (40 ft) | 0.9× |
| Brachiosaurus altithorax | 13 m (43 ft) | 0.96× |
| Titanoboa cerrejonensis | 13 m (43 ft) | 0.96× |
| Livyatan melvillei | 13.5 m (44 ft) | this page |
| Giraffatitan brancai | 13.5 m (44 ft) | same size |
Test your sense of scale
Which is bigger: Livyatan melvillei or Deinocheirus mirificus?
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