AY Honors/Species Account/Isurus oxyrinchus

The shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus "sharp nose") large shark of the Lamnidae family. Along with the closely related longfin mako, Isurus paucus, it is commonly called just mako shark.

Anatomy and appearance

With a full-grown length of 9 - 13 ft (2.75 - 4 m) it has been reported to weigh up to 1,750 pounds (800 kg) and has a bluish back and white underside. Although the sexes grow at about the same rate, females are thought to have a longer life span, and grow larger and weigh more than the males. Shortfin makos are renowned for their speed and their ability to leap out of the water. Shortfin mako sharks can swim so fast because their scales are designed to capture water which forms a shield over the shark's body - the water-on-water friction is less than water-on-scale. This fact is now being applied to swim suits and now even airplanes to reduce flight time and fuel cost. The appearance of the Mako Shark is very close to that of the Great White Shark.

Naming

The name 'mako' comes from the Māori language for blue lightning, reflecting its colour and speed.

Distribution

The shortfin mako is found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide.

Behavior

The shortfin mako's speed has been recorded at over 22 miles (35 kilometres) per hour. Shortfin makos can jump up to 20 feet in the air.

This high leaping fish is sought as game worldwide. Some of the largest makos in the world can be found in New England waters. The closely related longfin mako shark, Isurus paucus, is found in the Gulf Stream or warmer offshore waters. Shortfin makos were popularized in the movie Deep Blue Sea.

Reproduction

The shortfin mako shark is a yolk-sac ovoviviparous shark, meaning it gives birth to live young who feed from a sac full of yolk in the womb. The gestation period for a mako shark is 15 - 18 months. Shortfin mako embryos in the female's body actually consume each other to get nutrients. This is called intrauterine cannibalism.

References

• Template:IUCN2006 Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
• Template:ITIS
• Template:FishBase species

External links

• Template:Marinebio
• "Lamniformes." Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia E-Book. (requires license to view)