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Mako Sharks
Isurus
Mako sharks are predatory mackerel sharks of the genus Isurus (meaning "equal tail"). They are largely pelagic, and are fast, predatory fish capable of swimming at speeds of up to 50 km/h (31 mph). The two species of mako sharks are sexually dimorphic, with females being larger than males, and are large sharks. Both species are classified as "Endangered" by the IUCN.
Two species of mako shark currently exist: The shortfin mako shark, and the longfin mako shark. The shortfin mako shark is the fastest shark in the world, capable of speeds of 74 km/h (46 mph) in bursts. The longfin mako shark is the larger and slower of the two, reaching upwards of 2.5 m (8.2 ft) in length and weighing over 70 kg (150 lb); it is the second largest shark in its family, Lamnidae, after the great white shark.
3 branches of this genus, most-observed first · about 2 known species

Shortfin Mako
speciesIsurus oxyrinchus

Longfin Mako
speciesIsurus paucus

Isurus planus
speciesIsurus planus
Where it lives
Recorded sightings
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geo-referenced records in GBIF, from museums, herbaria and field observers.
Drag the globe to turn it. Dots are where records exist, not a range map; darker means more records.
In the stacks
Searching the stacks…
Every page naming Isurus in the Biodiversity Heritage Library →
This page is assembled live from iNaturalist, GBIF, Wikipedia, the Source Library and the Internet Archive. It is not yet part of the hand-edited codex. iNaturalist taxon 69678.