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Sharks That Look Like Killer Whales

Some sharks resemble killer whales. Under the right conditions these sharks could be misidentified, but any resemblance is skin deep. Sharks are large fish; killer whales are mammals. Killer whales, members of the dolphin family, have distinctive black markings on top and white markings on bottom. Some sharks have similar markings. Both killer whales and many sharks have rows of sharp teeth. Killer whales grow from 20 to 26 feet long and can weigh up to 6 tons. Only a few shark species approach the mammoth size of a killer whale.

Great White Sharks
- Great white sharks, a member of the mackerel shark family, can reach lengths of 19 feet and are similar in size to the female killer whale. Great white sharks are dark on top and white on bottom. At some angles, their markings appear similar to the killer whale. The dorsal fin of a great white shark is also akin in shape and position to the female killer whale's. The pectoral fins of both are in comparative positions, too. Behaviorally, great whites breach water in the same way as killer whales, so, from a distance, they could be mistaken for the carnivorous mammal.
Whale Sharks
- Whale sharks can be 32 feet long, slightly longer than a school bus, while the killer whale is slightly smaller than one. Unlike most sharks, the eyes of the whale shark are behind its mouth, like killer whales. The top of a whale shark has a dark mottled appearance that contrasts sharply with its white underside. This shark also has a blunt snout and thick shape, similar to a killer whale. These similarities make it a candidate for mistaken identity.
Bull Sharks
- The bull shark has similar markings as the killer whale. There is a strong contrast between its dark gray top and snowy underside. This shark also has a short, blunt snout that resembles the shape of a killer whale's snout. It has a thick, stout body and a large dorsal fin; both characteristics of the killer whale. At 11 feet long, bull sharks are much smaller than the killer whale, so the bull shark could pass as a double only of a juvenile killer whale.
Basking Sharks
- Basking sharks reach lengths of 20 to 30 feet, so they are a similar size to killer whales. These sharks have no white marking on their undersides, but have a shiny black appearance topside, especially when breaching water. Their topside color is akin to a killer whale's. Basking sharks have large, black dorsal fins and pectoral fins in corresponding positions as killer whales. These sharks can leap powerfully out the water, a common behavior of killer whales. Basking sharks also can be found in groups similar in size to pods of killer whales.

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