Isurus Oxyrinchus

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Imogen S

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Isurus oxyrinchus 
Shortfin Mako
CONSERVATION STATUS: ENDANGERED
Taxonomic classification 
Genus: Isurus
Species: oxyrinchus
Family: Lamnidae
Suborder:
Order: Lamniformes
Subclass:
Class: Chondrichthyes
Subphylum: Gnathostomata
Phylum: Chordata
Kingdom: Animalia
Prey 
Primarily bony fishes (including large tunas)
Cephalopods
Other sharks
Small marine mammals
Sea turtles
Scavenge carcasses
Identification 
Lunate tail, with similar sized lobes
Single lateral keel at base of tail
Back is a deep blue colour which fades to a white underside
Underside of snout is white (Longfin Mako sharks area under snout is dusky or blue-black)
Snout is sharp and pointed
First dorsal fin starts behind free tip of pectoral fin
Teeth are long, narrow, and curved inwards
No interdorsal ridge
Snout is conical/pointed
Predators 
Adults have no known natural predators
Juveniles are likely predated on by other sharks and perhaps cannibalistic adults
Hunting Strategy
Attacks and bites off the tail of its prey to ensure it can't swim away
Preys on some of the fastest fish in the ocean
Body is streamlined and built for speed, with a missile shaped body to aid in propelling the shark through the water
Habitat 
Pelagic species, habitat ranges widely in the upper zones of the oceans
Juveniles are common in more coastal waters, around the low-tide line to the edge of continental shelf
Adults are primarily found offshore in more open oceanic environments
The shortfin mako lives in the open ocean, and are known to be extremely migratory
Reproduction
Mate through internal fertilization
Developing young are intra-uteral, cannibals consume lesser developed siblings (oophagy)
Mother will provide the unborn pups with unfertilized eggs to consume
Females usually become sexually mature at around 17-19 years
Developing embryos feed on unfertilized eggs in the uterus
Gestation period of 15-18 months
Average litter size is 12, but up to 30 have been reported
Litter size can be varied from 4 to 30 increased with maternal size
Reproductive cycle is three years
Threats to Conservation 
Overfishing - Lack of prey (Bluefin Tuna)
Bycatch - Caught as accidental bycatch by industrial fisheries
Migration 
1. Found in South Australian shelf and oceanic water during the year
2. Sometimes can be found in reefs in southern Spencer Gulf and migrate between: South Australia and Western Australian waters
3. Females theorised to migrate into San Diego's waters to birth pups
4. During spring to autumn, pups and young 1-2 year old sharks can be found a few miles out off the coast of San Diego
Sexual Dimorphism 
Females are larger than males
Claspers are used for reproduction and resemble a pair of extra rolled up fins
Size/Age 
Max length is 12 feet
Reach maturity around 18 years (9 feet) for females, 8 years (6 feet) for males
Estimated to live up to 30 years
Behaviour 
Reaches top speeds of 74 kilometre per hour
Regarded as the fastest shark, and one of the fastest fishes on the planet
Known for its ability to leap from the water and has been observed jumping to extreme heights out of the water during hunting
Mackerel shark, meaning they are warm-blooded
Have specialized blood vessels that allow them to keep their body temperatures higher than the surrounding water (counter-current heat exchange)
Distribution 
Found in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world's oceans
In North America, ranges from California to Chile in the Pacific, and from the Grand Banks, Canada to Argentina in the Atlantic, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea
In the Eastern Atlantic, ranges from Norway to South Africa, including the Mediterranean and is found throughout the Indian Ocean from South Africa to Australia
In the western Pacific, it ranges from Japan to New Zealand
In the Central Pacific it occurs from the Aleutian Islands to the Society Islands