Longfin Mako Shark

Quick Take

• The longfin mako has a biological trick that keeps it warmer than the water it swims in, and this trick is the key to understanding how the shark hunts. Warm-bodied physiology explained →
• There's a stark biological gap between male and female longfin makos that quietly explains why their population keeps shrinking. Male vs. female maturity gap →
• The scientist who named this shark in 1966 chose a single Latin word that perfectly describes why researchers still know so little about it today. Meaning behind the name →
• This apex predator completely reverses its depth preference between day and night, and the pattern hints at a survival strategy most people wouldn't expect from a top predator. Day and night depth shifts →

Longfin mako sharks are a type of predatory shark that researchers often mistake for their better-known, close relative, the shortfin mako shark. Because of this, there is far less documentation on this species. They received their name for their abnormally long pectoral fins, and are also commonly referred to as sharp-nosed mackerel sharks or blue pointers.

Classification and Scientific Name

The longfin mako shark (Isurus paucus) belongs to the family Lamnidae within the order Lamniformes. This is the family that also contains the great white, porbeagle, and salmon shark. It was formally described in 1966 by Cuban marine scientist Dario Guitart-Manday, who designated it the species name paucus, Latin for “few,” in reference to its rarity. Its genus name, Isurus, derives from the Greek for “equal tail,” a nod to the symmetrical, crescent-shaped caudal fin.

Appearance

The longfin mako shark is a very large shark species that can range in length from 8.2 feet to 13 feet when adults, with some reaching a massive 14 feet. They also weigh between 150 and 440 lbs, with females growing slightly larger than males. 

They have long, slender bodies and a greyish-blue coloration similar to that of many shark species. Some longfin mako sharks can be darker blue, but all have a white underside. They have pointed snouts with sharp, long teeth. The most distinct feature of longfin mako sharks is their long pectoral fins, which can be longer than their head. These fins allow them to maneuver quickly and swim at speeds that can reach up to 31 miles per hour in closely related mako sharks, with bursts even higher. 

Mako sharks, including the longfin, possess specialized blood vessels called “countercurrent exchangers” that regulate their body temperature, keeping them warmer than the water they swim in. This trait sets them apart as warm-bodied fish and is thought to help them swim faster and hunt more effectively.

Distribution and Habitat

These sharks are migratory, undertaking long annual migrations in search of waters with optimal temperatures and better food sources. Some coastal areas where you can find the longfin mako shark inhabiting coastal waters include:

• Florida
• New England
• Texas
• The Gulf of Mexico
• South Africa
• Europe
• South America
• Canada

The typical habitat of a longfin mako shark ranges between temperate, tropical, and subtropical oceans. In daylight hours, these sharks prefer deeper waters ranging between 300 and 700 feet below the surface. They swim in shallower waters at night, where temperatures range from 70 to 75°F.

Predators and Prey

Longfin mako sharks are natural apex predators, and the only natural predators they face are orcas, which hunt in pods, and some larger shark species. The bigger threat to longfin mako sharks is humans, who have caused the population to decline through sport fishing, commercial fishing, or accidental capture in nets. 

These sharks feed on bony fish like mackerel, swordfish, bonito, and tuna. Depending on their location during migration, they also occasionally prey on other sharks, seabirds, turtles, and porpoises. They have very fast metabolisms and eat around 4.5 pounds of fish per day, requiring 3% of their body weight in food to survive.

Reproduction and Lifespan

Longfin mako sharks are ovoviviparous, meaning the embryos develop inside eggs that remain within the mother’s body until hatching, after which she gives birth to live young. The gestation period for a female longfin mako shark is between 15 and 18 months, after which she gives birth to typically two live pups that are not connected to the mother via a placenta. Newborn pups typically measure between 97 and 120 cm (approximately 38 to 47 inches) in length. It is estimated that female longfin mako sharks only give birth every three years because females have a resting period of nearly two years before mating again.

Male longfin mako sharks mature at around 8 years of age and live to around 29 years, while females reach sexual maturity at age 20 and live to age 32 on average. These sharks can live as long as 35 years in some cases, but threats they face from humans and predators often shorten their natural lives. 

Population and Conservation Status

Longfin mako sharks are considered to be endangered according to the IUCN because they are often captured by commercial fisheries, leading to a steady decline in their population size. Previously, this shark species was listed as threatened in 2007 and vulnerable in 2019.

There is little information on the exact population size of longfin mako sharks, but their endangered status makes them less common than many other shark species. There are estimated to be fewer longfin mako sharks inhabiting our oceans than their close relatives, the shortfin mako sharks.