Mako Sharks

Superbly illustrated and meticulously researched, this book is the first reference for both general readers and specialists of everything that is known about the most beautiful, agile, fast, fascinating, and mysterious of all sharks: the mako shark. The elegant shape, the curved prominent teeth and the tail shaped like a halfmoon make them unmistakable. Mako sharks, shortfin mako and longfin mako, belong to the family Lamnidae, which also includes the great white shark. Makos have very ancient origins, appearing in prehistoric oceans between 40 and 60 million years ago. The shortfin mako can be considered among the fastest of all sharks, since it can reach speeds of 35-56 km/h and can jump out of the water to more than 6 meters in height. Makos have the speed and agility to catch fast swimming prey, such as tunas, swordfishes and dolphins. Some makos have been found with a swordfish bill driven into their body after fighting with prey. Makos are considered dangerous animals: attacks on divers, swimmers and boats are known, but are rare because these predators prefer offshore waters.

Foreword; Preface; Acknowledgments; The Authors; A Fascinating Predator of the Abyss; Classification and Nomenclature; General Morphology of Mako Sharks; Characteristics of Species; Similar Species; Dimensions; An Outline of Anatomy and Physiology; Reproduction; Habitat and Geographical Distribution; Migration; Diet and Predatory Behavior; Mako Attacks on Humans; Meeting the Mako in its Habitat; Symbionts and Predators; Commercial Fisheries and Various Utilizations of Mako Parts; The Recreational Fisheries; Mako in Captivity; Bibliography.