Great Hammerhead vs Komodo Dragon

Sphyrna mokarran compared with Varanus komodoensis

Key Differences

Great Hammerhead is Critically Endangered while Komodo Dragon is Endangered.
Great Hammerhead is 6.4x heavier than Komodo Dragon.
Great Hammerhead lives longer (40 years vs 30 years).

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Great Hammerhead	Komodo Dragon
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum same	Chordata (Chordates)	Chordata (Chordates)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Reptilia (Reptiles)
Order	Carcharhiniformes (Ground Sharks)	Squamata (Lizards & Snakes)
Family	Sphyrnidae (Hammerhead Sharks)	Varanidae (Monitor Lizards)
Genus	Sphyrna (Hammerhead Sharks)	Varanus (Monitor Lizards)
Species	Sphyrna mokarran	Varanus komodoensis

Evolutionary Relationship

Great Hammerhead and Komodo Dragon share a common ancestor at the Phylum level: Chordata. (Chordates)

View Phylum: Chordata

Conservation Status

Great Hammerhead

CR — Critically Endangered

Trend: Decreasing ↓

Komodo Dragon

EN — Endangered

Population: ~3.5K

Trend: Stable →

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Great Hammerhead	Komodo Dragon
Diet	Carnivore	Carnivore
Average Lifespan	40 years	30 years
Average Length	5.0 m	2.6 m
Average Weight	450.0 kg	70.0 kg

Habitat & Geographic Range

Great Hammerhead

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and flooded grasslands and savannas, among 5 distinct biome types spanning the Indomalayan and Neotropic and Oceanian realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Distributed across Colombia, Taiwan, and Venezuela. Currently classified as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Komodo Dragon

Habitat

Found across multiple habitat types including tropical and subtropical moist broadleaf forests, tropical and subtropical dry broadleaf forests, and tropical and subtropical grasslands and savannas, among 4 distinct biome types spanning the Australasia and Indomalayan realms. Populations are also found in montane and highland environments at higher elevations.

Range

Found in Indonesia. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Great Hammerhead

The largest hammerhead shark species, great hammerheads reach up to 6 meters and are found in tropical and subtropical coastal waters worldwide. Their distinctive T-shaped head (cephalofoil) dramatically increases sensory surface area for electroreception, enabling them to detect buried stingrays through sand with exceptional precision — stingrays are a preferred prey. Critically Endangered, with populations declining dramatically due to highly valued fins and bycatch mortality.