Sealife guideThe blue sharkPrionace glauca

The blue shark (Prionace glauca)

Taxonomy

Common name: Blue shark
French name: Requin bleu, peau bleue
Scientific name: Prionace glauca (Linnaeus, 1758)
Family name: Carcharhinidae
Order name: Carcharhiniformes
Class name: Elasmobranchii

Description

The blue shark is a pelagic shark with a maximum size of about 12.5 feet in length and a weight of around 440 pounds.

The blue shark has a long pointed nose !

The blue shark is characterized by its bluish coloration on the top side of its very slender body. It also has a long, pointed nose and long pectoral fins.

Range

The blue shark is widely distributed in temperate and tropical waters across the world’s seas and oceans. It is likely the most widespread shark in the oceans, found almost everywhere except the cold waters of the polar oceans.

Blue shark migration is seasonal and depends on the distribution and abundance of their prey.

Habitat

Blue sharks can be found from the surface down to depths of over 1,150 feet. Since they prefer water temperatures around 54 to 68°F, their depth range varies accordingly. In tropical waters, where temperatures are higher, blue sharks are typically found at greater depths !

The blue shark is a pelagic and oceanic species that generally lives a solitary life offshore.

Diet

As a major predator, the blue shark plays a key role in maintaining the balance of the marine ecosystem. It primarily feeds on small pelagic fish, squids, pelagic crustaceans, and occasionally on seabirds or marine mammal carcasses. While it can feed during the day, it is more active in searching for food at night.

The blue shark has a very slender body !

The blue shark has long pectoral fins

Reproduction

The blue shark is viviparous. After a gestation period of 9 to 12 months, the female gives birth to an average of 30 pups, and occasionally more than 100 in exceptional cases, each measuring 14 to 20 inches in length. Young blue sharks reach sexual maturity at around 4 to 6 years of age with lengths ranging from 5.9 to 7.2 feet !

The growth rate of the blue shark is among the fastest of any shark species.

Did you know ?

The blue shark is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The blue shark appears in the IUCN Red List since 2019 within the category Near Threatened !

The blue shark (Prionace glauca) © Ethan Daniels | Dreamstime.com

Within the same family

Blacktip shark
(Carcharhinus limbatus)

Bull shark
(Carcharhinus leucas)

Whitetip reef shark
(Triaenodon obesus)

Caribbean reef shark
(Carcharhinus perezi)

Galapagos shark
(Carcharhinus galapagensis)

Sandbar shark
(Carcharhinus plumbeus)

Grey reef shark
(Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Tiger shark
(Galeocerdo cuvier)

Explore also

Blind shark
(Brachaelurus waddi)

Whale shark
(Rhincodon typus)

Zebra bullhead shark
(Heterodontus zebra)

bonnethead shark
(Sphyrna tiburo)

Pyjama shark
(Poroderma africanum)

Pelagic thresher shark
(Alopias pelagicus)

Banded houndshark
(Triakis scyllium)

Coral catshark
(Atelomycterus marmoratus)

Our latestUpdates

Samedi 15 Février 2025

La carangue crevalle

La carangue crevalle est une espèce de poisson largement répandue dans les eaux tropicales et subtropicales de l'océan Atlantique. La carangue crevalle présente un corps argenté fuselé avec une pointe de jaune et a la réputation d'être un redoutable prédateur à la fois rapide et agile.

Lundi 10 Février 2025

Le requin chabot bambou

Le requin chabot bambou est un requin benthique de taille moyenne qui fréquente les eaux chaudes peu profondes de la région Indo-Pacifique. Il se distingue par son corps allongé et ses larges bandes brun-noires sur fond clair et il se nourrit principalement de petits poissons et d'invertébrés en fouillant les fonds marins.

Lundi 3 Février 2025

Le poisson ballon à collier

Le poisson ballon à collier est un poisson de taille modeste avec une longueur moyenne d'une dizaine de centimètres environ. Son corps de forme trapue présente d'une part, une face ventrale blanchâtre et d'autre part, une face dorsale sombre de couleur verdâtre à brunâtre mouchetée de tâches plus sombres voire blanchâtres, le tout délimité par une ligne blanchâtre superposée à une ligne de gros pois sombres, toutes deux situées sur ses flancs.

Photo of the Day

Poisson ballon à collier
(Sphoeroides spengleri)