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Species: Isurus oxyrinchus, Shortfin Mako, Shortfin Mako Shark

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snout pointed, white underneath
eye small
pectoral 16-17% TL, << head

Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810

Shortfin Mako, Shortfin Mako Shark

Body moderately slender; eye relatively small; snout relatively long and sharply pointed; nostrils on side of snout; teeth smooth-edged, long and slender at front of jaws, blade-like and triangular at rear; 5 long gill slits, all before pectoral; a large first dorsal fin, origin over pectoral border; very small second dorsal and anal fins positioned near base of tail fin, origin of anal under middle of 2nd dorsal base; pectoral fins relatively long and narrow, 16-17% TL, less than head length; tail almost symmetrical, semilunar; tail base flattened, with large keel that extends onto tail fin.

Dark blue shading to nearly white on ventral parts; white under snout.

Attains 396 cm; size at birth between 60-70 cm.

Habitat: oceanic, pelagic.

Depth: 0-740 m.

Circumglobal in tropical and warm-temperate seas; Maine to Brazil.


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Salinity
  • Marine
  • Marine Only
Inshore/Offshore
  • Offshore
  • Offshore Only
Water Column Position
  • Mid Water
  • Near Surface
  • Surface
  • Water column only
Habitat
  • Water column
FishBase Habitat
  • Pelagic
Feeding Group
  • Carnivore
  • Data
Diet
  • Data
  • Sharks/rays
  • Bony fishes
  • Octopus/squid/cuttlefish
  • Sea snakes/mammals/turtles/birds
Egg Type
  • Data
  • Live birth
  • No pelagic larva
Global Endemism
  • All species
  • Circumtropical ( Indian + Pacific + Atlantic Oceans)
  • Greater Caribbean non-endemic
Regional Endemism
  • Also in Brazil
  • Continent
  • Continent + Island (s)
  • Extends N + S of GC
  • Extends North of GC
  • Extends South of GC
  • GC non-endemic
  • Island (s)
  • All species
Residency
  • Resident
Climate Zone
  • Equatorial (0-10N, Costa Rica / Venezuela)
  • Subtropical (23-35N, Florida / Carolinas / Bermuda)
  • Temperate (>35N)
  • Tropical (10-23N, Nicaragua / Cuba)
IUCN Red List
  • Endangered
  • Listed
CITES
  • Appendix II
  • Listed
Length Max
  • 396
Depth Range Min
  • 0
Depth Range Max
  • 740