Does the pyjama shark exist?

Yes. Poroderma africanum, known as the pyjama shark, is a catshark that lives only off the coast of South Africa. It gets its name from the long dark stripes running along its body, like the stripes on a pair of pyjamas. It's harmless to humans.

What size adult shark onesie should I choose?

The Shark Kigurumi comes in S to XL: S for 150-160 cm, M for 155-165 cm, L for 160-170 cm and XL for 165-178 cm. If you're between two sizes, take the bigger one.

Is the shark onesie suitable for men?

Yes, the cut is unisex. The size is chosen by height: the XL fits up to 178 cm. Taller than that, the Monkey Kigurumi goes up to 189 cm.

Do slippers come with the Shark Kigurumi?

No. The product page states that the delivery includes the onesie only and that the slippers seen in the photos aren't included.

October 16, 2026 · 4 min read

Adult shark onesie: and does the real “pyjama shark” exist?

Adult shark onesie: Shark Kigurumi sizes, when to wear it and how to care for it. And yes, the pyjama shark really exists: let us introduce you.

adult shark onesie
shark kigurumi
shark onesie
pyjama shark

Photo: Peter Southwood / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)

An adult shark onesie is a one-piece whose hood is a shark's jaws. Before we get to size and fabric, one question keeps coming up in searches: does the "pyjama shark" really exist? Yes, and it lives in South Africa. This article introduces it, then goes through the shop's Shark Kigurumi: cut, sizes, when to wear it and how to care for it.

Does the pyjama shark really exist?

Yes: the pyjama shark (Poroderma africanum) is a real species of catshark, found only off the coast of South Africa. It owes its name to its long black horizontal stripes, which look like a pair of striped pyjamas (FishBase, Poroderma africanum species summary).

A few facts from the FishBase summary:

Size: up to 101 cm for males and 93 cm for females.
Habitat: rocky reefs, from the intertidal zone down to a depth of 100 m.
Lifestyle: nocturnal, it spends the day hidden in caves and crevices.
Diet: mostly crustaceans, but also fish and cephalopods.
Reproduction: oviparous, it lays eggs.
For humans: harmless. The IUCN classified it as "Least Concern" in its 2019 assessment.

The Poroderma africanum article on French Wikipedia adds one detail: when threatened, it curls up into a ring, with its tail over its head.

Pyjama shark resting on a sandy bottom, its parallel dark stripes clearly visible along its back

Photo: Wilhelm from Cape Town, South Africa / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 2.0)

The Shark Kigurumi: what do these pyjamas look like?

The shop's kigurumi doesn't copy the pyjama shark: it's plain blue, with no stripes, and takes its cue from the shark as everyone draws it. The Shark Kigurumi is a one-piece in blue flannel, with a padded dorsal fin sewn onto the back and a tail fin at the rear.

The hood forms a shark's jaws: a row of white fabric teeth frames the face, with round eyes on the sides and a pointed snout. Pulled up, it looks as though you're being swallowed whole. Pushed back, it makes a big cushion behind your neck.

The flannel is described as soft and medium-thick, pleasant against the skin. The cut is loose, with long sleeves, straight legs and pockets at the sides.

Adult shark onesie: what size should you choose?

Choose by your height, not by your usual clothes size. The cut is unisex: a men's shark onesie and a women's shark onesie are the same style. The product page gives a recommended height and weight for each size:

Size	Recommended height	Recommended weight
S	150 to 160 cm	40 to 55 kg
M	155 to 165 cm	50 to 65 kg
L	160 to 170 cm	60 to 75 kg
XL	165 to 178 cm	70 to 85 kg

The ranges overlap. If you're between two sizes, take the bigger one: a leg that's a little long can be rolled up, whereas a onesie that's too short pulls at the shoulders when you sit down.

Above 178 cm, the shark will be short on you. The Monkey Kigurumi goes up to 189 cm in XL. To measure your height properly, follow our guide to choosing an adult onesie size.

When should you wear a shark onesie?

The shark onesie works at home as well as at a fancy-dress party.

For a night on the sofa: soft flannel, pockets, a hood that doubles as a cushion.
For Halloween: a shark isn't exactly scary, but it's recognisable from a distance. Our article on adult Halloween onesies has more comfy ideas.
As a pair: a shark and a Crocodile Onesie make a duo of aquatic predators. More pairings are in our article on couples' Halloween costumes.
For a themed party: the shark holds its own at an animal-themed fancy-dress party.

Still torn between several animals? Our guide adult animal onesies: which animal should you choose? compares the shark with the other styles.

Care and safety tips

Wash the onesie before wearing it for the first time: the product page says machine wash at 30 °C, delicate cycle, then air dry. Our tips for keeping flannel soft are in how to wash and care for fleece pyjamas.

Two things to know before you order:

Slippers aren't included. The delivery includes the onesie only.
The style comes in adult sizes only, from S to XL.

A roomy hooded onesie can easily get too close to a flame. The London Fire Brigade recommends keeping candles away from anything that can catch fire, clothing included, and presents LED candles as a safer alternative (London Fire Brigade, Candles).

In short

The pyjama shark exists: it's a striped, harmless catshark from South Africa that sleeps among the rocks during the day. The shop's adult shark onesie, meanwhile, is a blue flannel kigurumi with jaws for a hood, in sizes S to XL for heights of 150 to 178 cm. You'll find it on the Shark Kigurumi page, or browse every style in the shop.

Cover photo: Peter Southwood / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)