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. 2015 Jan 13;3:e715. doi: 10.7717/peerj.715

Table 1. List of species included in this study with information on the largest known individuals.

Phylum/
Class/
Order
Species Common name Record Largest known confirmed individual
Porifera
Demospongiae
Haplosclerida
Xestospongia muta Caribbean Giant Barrel Sponge Largest poriferan Base diameter: 2.5 m;
Volume: 7.24 m3
Cnidaria
Scyphozoa
Semaeostomeae
Cyanea capillata Lion’s Mane Jellyfish Longest medusozoa Tentacle length: 36.6 m
(note this estimate may
not be accurate, see text
for discussion)
Cnidaria
Scyphozoa
Rhizostomae
Nemopilema nomurai Nomura’s Jellyfish Heaviest medusozoa Bell diameter: 2 m;
Mass: 200 kg
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Isopoda
Bathynomus giganteus Giant Isopod Largest isopod Total length: 50 cm
Arthropoda
Malacostraca
Decapoda
Macrocheira kaempferi Japanese Spider Crab Largest arthropod legspan Leg span: 3.7 m;
Mass: >13.6 kg
Annelida
Polychaeta
Canalipalpata
Riftia pachyptila Giant Tube Worm Largest annelid Tube length: 3 m;
Tube diameter: 5 cm;
Wet weight: 650 g
Mollusca
Bivalvia
Veneroida
Tridacna gigas Giant Clam Largest bivalve Shell length: 137 cm;
Soft tissue mass: 333 kg
Mollusca
Gastropoda
Caenogastropoda
Syrinx aruanus Australian Trumpet Largest extant gastropod Shell length: 72.2 cm
Mollusca
Cephalopoda
Octopoda
Enteroctopus dofleini Giant Pacific Octopus Largest octopod Radial spread: 9.8 m;
Mass: 198.2 kg
Mollusca
Cephalopoda
Teuthida
Mesonychoteuthis hamiltoni Colossal Squid Heaviest cephalopod
and invertebrate
Total length: 4.2 m;
Mantle length 2.5 m;
Mass: 495 kg
Mollusca
Cephalopoda
Teuthida
Architeuthis dux Giant Squid Longest cephalopod Total length: 12 m
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Orectolobiformes
Rhincodon typus Whale Shark Largest chondrichthyian Total length: 18.8 m
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Lamniformes
Cetorhinus maximus Basking Shark Largest temperate
selachimorphan, second
largest chondrichthyian
Total length: 12.27 m
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Lamniformes
Carcharodon carcharias Great White Shark Largest macropredatory selachimorphan Total length: 7 m
(but see text)
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Squaliformes
Somniosus microcephalus Greenland Shark Largest arctic selachimorphan Total length: 6.4 m
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Hexanchiformes
Hexanchus griseus Bluntnose Sixgill Shark Largest hexanchoid selachimorphan Total length: 5.5 m
Chordata
Chondrichthyes
Myliobatiformes
Manta birostris Giant Ocean Manta Ray Largest batoidean Disc width: 7 m
(but see text)
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Lampriformes
Regalecus glesne Oarfish Longest osteichthyan Total length: 8 m
Chordata
Actinopterygii
Tetraodontiformes
Mola mola Ocean Sunfish Heaviest osteichthyan Total length: 3.3 m;
Total height: 3.2 m;
Mass: 2,300 kg
Chordata
Reptilia
Testudines
Dermochelys coriacea Leatherback Turtle Largest testudines Curved carapace length: 2.13 m;
Mass: 650 kg
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Mirounga leonina Southern Elephant Seal Largest pinniped
and carnivoran
Total length: 6.85 m;
Mass: 5,000 kg
Chordata
Mammalia
Carnivora
Odobenus rosmarus Walrus Third largest pinniped Total length: 3.8 m;
Mass: 1,883 kg
Chordata
Mammalia
Cetacea
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm Whale Largest odontocete Total length: 24 m
Chordata
Mammalia
Cetacea
Balaenoptera musculus Blue Whale Largest mysticete,
largest cetacean,
largest mammal,
largest metazoan
Total length: 33 m