Species: Lamna nasus, Porbeagle, Porbeagle Shark

Lamna nasus (Bonnaterre, 1788)

Porbeagle, Porbeagle Shark

Fusiform, very stout body; snout conical, moderately long, with nostrils on sides; eye large, round; spiracle tiny; mouth long, arched; teeth few, sharp, similar on both jaws, ~straight narrow triangles, smooth, with a small secondary point on base at each side; 5 long gill slits, all before pectoral fin; first dorsal fin large, rounded tip, origin over or just behind rear of base of pectoral fin; second dorsal fin very small; anal fin very small, origin under origin of second dorsal fin; pectoral moderately long, with rounded tip; tail base very flattened, with 2 keels, a large central one that extends onto tail fin and a small one below at end of tail base; tail fin asymmetrical, half-moon shaped, large lower lobe.

Dusky, lower body white; fins dark, except lower rear tip of 1st dorsal fin is abruptly white.

Reaches 355 cm & 65 y of age.

Inshore and offshore, pelagic.

Depth range: 0-1360 m.

A temperate shark, with an antitropical, worldwide distribution (except the N Pacific); both sides of the N and S Atlantic; occasionally reaches Bermuda.