Sealife guideThe short fin makoIsurus oxyrinchus
Last updated on 06/12/2024 at 11:35 PM
Taxonomy
- Common name: Short fin mako
- French name: Requin mako, requin taupe bleu
- Scientific name: Isurus oxyrinchus (Rafinesque, 1810)
- Family name: Lamnidae
- Order name: Lamniformes
- Class name: Elasmobranchii
Description
The short fin mako has a streamlined body from head to tail. Its silhouette is shaped to give it exceptional performance when moving through the water !

The short fin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) © Michael Valos | Dreamstime.com
On average, they measure around 4 meters long and weigh around 160 kg, but the largest specimens can easily reach 500 kg.
The short fin mako's body is midnight blue on the dorsal side and whitish on the ventral side, enabling it to blend into its deep-sea environment.
Geographic range
The short fin mako is found in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world's oceans and seas.
Habitat
The short fin mako evolves from the surface to depths of over 800 meters, which is quite a feat given the cold temperatures. The impressive depths reached by the mako shark were recorded by tracking several individuals over a given period, using tags worn by the sharks and transmitted by satellite.
At these great depths, the short fin mako has to cope with extreme temperatures close to 5 degrees Celsius.
Did you know ?
The short fin mako is a formidable predator, reaching speeds of 70 km/h or even 100 km/h to hunt its equally fast prey, such as yellowfin tuna and swordfish.

The short fin mako (Isurus oxyrinchus) © Michael Valos | Dreamstime.com
A true ocean sprinter, the mako shark has less endurance over long distances.
Thanks to its ability to regulate its body temperature several degrees above that of the surrounding water, the mako shark is faster than cold-blooded sharks and the great white shark, a warm-blooded shark, and remains fast at greater depths.
The short fin mako is listed as many other marine species within The IUCN Red List of threatened species. The short fin mako appears in the IUCN Red List since 2019 within the category Endangered !
Within the same genus

Longfin mako
(Isurus paucus)
(Isurus paucus)
Within the same family

Basking Shark
(Cetorhinus maximus)
(Cetorhinus maximus)

Great white shark
(Carcharodon carcharias)
(Carcharodon carcharias)
Discover also

Banded houndshark
(Triakis scyllium)
(Triakis scyllium)

Blacktip shark
(Carcharhinus limbatus)
(Carcharhinus limbatus)

Brownbanded bamboo shark
(Chiloscyllium punctatum)
(Chiloscyllium punctatum)

Caribbean reef shark
(Carcharhinus perezi)
(Carcharhinus perezi)

Common angelshark
(Squatina squatina)
(Squatina squatina)

Grey reef shark
(Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)
(Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos)

Lemon shark
(Negaprion brevirostris)
(Negaprion brevirostris)

Spotted wobbegong
(Orectolobus maculatus)
(Orectolobus maculatus)
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