Isurus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Isurus |
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| Shortfin mako shark (I. oxyrinchus) | |
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| Longfin mako shark (I. paucus) | |
Scientific classification  |
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| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Chondrichthyes |
| Order: | Lamniformes |
| Family: | Lamnidae |
| Genus: | Isurus Rafinesque, 1810 |
| Type species | |
| Isurus oxyrinchus Rafinesque, 1810
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| Synonyms | |
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Isurus is a group of sharks, better known as mako sharks. They are a type of mackerel shark and belong to the Lamnidae family. This family also includes the famous great white shark. Mako sharks are known for being super fast swimmers!
What Are Mako Sharks Like?
There are two main types of mako sharks alive today. These are the common shortfin mako shark (I. oxyrinchus) and the rarer longfin mako shark (I. paucus).
These sharks can grow quite large. They usually measure from 2.5 to 4.5 m (8.2 to 14.8 ft) long. That's about the length of a small car! They can also weigh up to 680 kg (1,500 lb), which is heavier than a polar bear. Both types of mako sharks have a cool blue-gray color. This color helps them blend in with the ocean water.
Mako sharks are amazing swimmers. They can reach speeds of up to 32 km/h (20 mph). This makes them one of the fastest sharks in the ocean!
Mako Sharks Through Time
Scientists have found fossils of many mako shark species that lived long ago. These fossils show that mako sharks have been around for a very long time. They date back to the Cretaceous period, which was about 99.7 million years ago.
The family that mako sharks belong to, Lamnidae, also includes the great white shark. The great white shark is actually closely related to an ancient mako shark species called Isurus hastalis. However, some fossil evidence suggests that I. hastalis might have been part of the Carcharodon genus, just like the great white shark.
See also
- List of prehistoric cartilaginous fish
- Shark meat
In Spanish: Tiburones mako para niños
Images for kids
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Fossil teeth of I. hastalis
