Isurus
Isurus is a genus of mackerel sharks in the family Lamnidae, commonly known as the mako sharks.Description
The two living species are the common shortfin mako shark and the rare longfin mako shark. They range in length from, and have an approximate maximum weight of. They both have a distinctive blue-gray color scheme common among mackerel sharks.
Several extinct species are known from fossils found in sediments from Cretaceous to Quaternary.
The family Lamnidae also includes the great white shark and the porbeagle. Mako sharks are capable of swimming at speeds up to 32 km/hr. 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.Species
The genus contains these species:
- Isurus oxyrinchus
- Isurus paucus
- †Isurus desori
- †Isurus escheri Agassiz 1843
- †Isurus flandricus
- †Isurus minutus
- †Isurus nakaminatoensis
- †Isurus planus
- †Isurus praecursor
- †Isurus rameshi
- †Isurus spallanzani Rafinesque 1810
