Longfin mako
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[Photo] Longfin mako, Isurus paucus. Copyright: Windsor Nature Discovery. Source: www.fishbase.org
The longfin mako, Isurus paucus, is a large shark of the Lamnidae family, found in temperate and tropical seas worldwide. It is commonly called just mako, although that name is shared with the closely related shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus.
The longfin mako's full-grown length is over 4 m, and it has a dark bluish back and white underside. The pectoral fins are about as long as the head or longer, relatively broad-tipped in young and adults. The snout is usually narrowly to bluntly pointed, usually not acute. The cusps of upper and lower anterior teeth are straight, with tips not reversed. The caudal fin is lunate, with a very long lower lobe.
The longfin mako's speed has been recorded at over 60mph in short bursts, and they can jump up to 6 m (20 ft)in the air.
The longfin mako shark is a yolk-sac ovoviviparous shark, meaning it gives birth to live young which feed from a sac full of yolk in the womb. The gestation period for a mako shark is 15???18 months. Embryos in the female's body consume each other to get nutrients, with only two pups usually produced in a litter. This intrauterine cannibalism is common in sharks.
The name "mako" comes from the M??ori language, but the etymology is unclear.
This species' often slimmer build and long, broad-tipped pectoral fins suggest that it is slower and less active than its better-known relative, the shortfin mako, Isurus oxyrinchus.
Mako sharks in popular culture
Three genetically engineered mako sharks are the chief antagonists of 1999 science fiction/horror film Deep Blue Sea.
A female mako shark also starred in Mathias Bradley's novel, Mako: Journey of Discovery as the human-friendly Sunyui. In the sequel, Mako: Journey of Discovery 2: Sunyui's Family, Sunyui becomes the main star at SeaWorld, Japan, along with her mate, Rio. In the end, Sunyui mates with Rio and she has two litters of three pups during her two pregnancies.
A Mako shark is also seen on Jackass 2:The Movie, one of the stars kicks one in the head while being used as human bait in a skit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Longfin_mako
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