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)

Caribbean reef shark
(Carcharhinus perezi)

Galapagos shark
(Carcharhinus galapagensis)

Sandbar shark
(Carcharhinus plumbeus)

Blacknose shark
(Carcharhinus acronotus)

Silvertip shark
(Carcharhinus albimarginatus)

Blacktip reef shark
(Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Explore also

Great white shark
(Carcharodon carcharias)

Zebra bullhead shark
(Heterodontus zebra)

Leopard shark
(Triakis semifasciata)

Hammerhead shark
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Sand tiger shark
(Carcharias taurus)

Banded houndshark
(Triakis scyllium)

Coral catshark
(Atelomycterus marmoratus)

Puffadder shyshark
(Haploblepharus edwardsii)

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