Head to head
Blue Shark vs Shortfin Mako Shark
Blue Shark
VS Shortfin Mako Shark
The blue shark and the shortfin mako are two blue-backed sharks of the open ocean that are often caught on the same longlines and sometimes confused by anglers.
| Blue Shark | Shortfin Mako Shark | |
|---|---|---|
| Scientific name | Prionace glauca | Isurus oxyrinchus |
| Family | A requiem shark, with a long, slim body | A mackerel shark, with a stout, torpedo-shaped body |
| Colour | A vivid indigo-blue back, bright blue sides, and a white belly, with a long, pointed snout | A blue-grey back and a white belly |
| Fins | Very long, narrow pectoral fins that help it glide across the open ocean | Shorter, stiffer pectoral fins on a body built for speed |
| Speed and leaps | A cruising glider that makes migrations across entire ocean basins | Can burst to about 70 km/h and jump up to 6 m out of the water, especially when hooked |
| Diet | Squid and small fish such as herring and mackerel, and occasionally larger prey and carrion | Tuna, mackerel, bonito, swordfish, other sharks, squid, and occasionally small dolphins |
| Litters | Gives birth to live young in large litters, often many dozens of pups | Around 4 to 25 pups after a 15 to 18 month pregnancy, only every three years |
| Conservation status | Near Threatened, caught in greater numbers than any other shark | Endangered, in warm and temperate waters of all oceans |
Blue Shark vs Shortfin Mako Shark: common questions
Which one is faster?
The shortfin mako, which can burst to about 70 km/h and is the fastest shark.
Which one has bigger litters?
The blue shark, which gives birth to live young in large litters, often many dozens of pups.
Which one is more threatened?
The shortfin mako, which is Endangered, whereas the blue shark is Near Threatened, though it is caught in far greater numbers.