Mako Shark | Size, Diet, & Facts - Encyclopedia Britannica

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mako shark fish Ask Anything Homework Help Also known as: Isurus, blue pointer, sharp-nosed mackerel shark(Show More) Written and fact-checked by Britannica Editors Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Britannica Editors History Britannica AI Ask Anything Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask Anything

mako shark, (genus Isurus), either of two species of swift, active, potentially dangerous sharks of the mackerel shark family, Lamnidae. The shortfin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) is found in all tropical and temperate seas, and the longfin mako (I. paucus) is scattered worldwide in tropical seas.

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Mako sharks, also known as sharp-nosed mackerel sharks and (in Australia) blue pointers, range throughout tropical and temperate seas. They are streamlined and relatively slender and have pointed snouts, crescent-shaped tails, and long slender teeth. Body coloration ranges from blue gray to deep blue dorsally and is white ventrally. The largest adults may approach 4.5 metres (14.8 feet) in length and exceed 500 kg (about 1,100 pounds) in weight. Mako sharks prey on fishes such as herring, mackerel, and swordfish and on small cetaceans. They are outstanding food and game fish, prized for their fighting qualities and repeated leaps out of the water.

This article was most recently revised and updated by John P. Rafferty.