Shark, Porbeagle (Lamna nasus)

Latin name

Lamna nasus

Other names

Beaumaris shark, blue dog, bonito shark, herring shark, mackerel shark, porbeagle, salmon shark.

Identification

The porbeagle has a strong, cobalt blue body with a perfectly conical snout ending in a point. It is easily identified by its teeth, which are smooth and have small fangs on either side of the base. It often has a distinctive white area at the base of the first dorsal fin. This fin is further forward than mako or white sharks. On either side of the caudal fin is a large, particularly prominent flattened keel, and below it, but further back on the tail, a small secondary keel, which mako and white sharks do not have. The anal fin directly adjoins the second dorsal fin.

Distribution

A widespread species, it inhabits the western Atlantic from Newfoundland to New Jersey, although it rarely goes south of New England and probably lives from southern Brazil to Argentina.

Habitat

Excellent sport fish, porbeagles live in colder waters than mako or great white, which may explain why they are not implicated in attacks on humans.

Size

No information

Life history and Behavior

No information

Food and feeding habits

No information

Reproduction

No information