Shortfin mako shark
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| Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810 |
The shortfin mako shark, Isurus oxyrinchus, ("sharp nose") is a large shark of the Lamnidae family. Along with the closely related longfin mako, Isurus paucus, it is commonly called just mako shark.
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[edit] Anatomy and appearance
With a full-grown length of 2.75 – 4 m (9 – 13 ft) it has been reported to weigh up to 800 kg (1,750 lb) 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. Mako sharks have a better hydrodynamic shape than all other sharks, and this, combined with the lamnidae's typical high aerobic muscle mass, reflects in the spectacular speed and agility of both the longfin and shortfin makos[citation needed].
[edit] Naming
The name "mako" comes from the Māori language, but the etymology is unclear.[2] A typical gloss given for "mako" is "large blue shark". The term entered the English language in 1727. It can also mean "man-eater". [3]
[edit] Distribution
The shortfin mako is found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide. The closely related longfin mako shark, Isurus paucus, is found in the Gulf Stream or warmer offshore waters.
[edit] Behavior
The shortfin mako's speed has been recorded at 50 km/h (31 mph) and there are reports that it can achieve bursts of up to 74 km/h (46 mph).[4] Shortfin makos can jump up to 6 m (20 ft) in the air. Due to its speed and agility, this high-leaping fish is sought as game worldwide.
[edit] 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 to 18 months. Shortfin mako embryos in the female's body consume each other to get nutrients. This is called intrauterine cannibalism.
[edit] Notes
- ^ IUCN (2007-02-22). More oceanic sharks added to the IUCN Red List. Press release. Retrieved on 2007-02-25. “The global threat status was heightened for shortfin mako, a favorite shark among commercial and recreational fishermen, from Near Threatened in 2000 to Vulnerable today.”
- ^ Maori language - a glossary of useful words from the language of the Maori New Zealand. Retrieved on 2006-08-11.
- ^ Online Etymology Dictionary. Retrieved on 2006-08-11.
- ^ R. Aidan Martin. Biology of the Shortfin Mako. ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Retrieved on 2006-08-12.
[edit] References
- Stevens (2000). Isurus oxyrinchus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 06 May 2006. Database entry includes justification for why this species is near threatened
- Isurus oxyrinchus (TSN 159924). Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 23 January 2006.
- "Isurus oxyrinchus". FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. May 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
