Mako shark
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Isurus Temporal range: Cretaceous - recent |
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| Shortfin mako shark (I. oxyrinchus) | |
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| Longfin mako shark (I. paucus) | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
| Superorder: | Selachimorpha |
| Order: | Lamniformes |
| Family: | Lamnidae |
| Genus: |
Isurus Rafinesque, 1810 |
| Type species | |
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Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810 |
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| Synonyms | |
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Isurus is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks.
The two living species are the common shortfin mako shark (I. oxyrinchus) and the rare longfin mako shark (I. paucus). They range in length from 2.5 to 4.5 m (8.2 to 14.8 ft), and have an approximate maximum weight of 800 kg (1,800 lb).
Several extinct species are known from fossils found in sediments from Cretaceous to Quaternary (age range: 99.7 to 0.781 million years ago).
The family Lamnidae also includes the great white shark and the porbeagle. Mako sharks are capable of swimming at speeds up to 60 km/h (37 mph), and jumping up to 7 m (23 ft) into the air. The great white shark is also closely related to an ancient mako shark, Isurus hastalis. However, fossil evidence suggests I. hastalis belonged to the genus Carcharodon.
The genus contains these species:
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Wikipedia