Description: A large, robust shark, with a long, acutely pointed snout. Pectoral fins large, but less than the length of the head. A high first dorsal fin and tiny second dorsal fin opposite an equally small anal fin. The caudal fin is crescent-shaped. Bright blue on the dorsal surface, becoming lighter blue laterally and white on the ventral side, including the ventral surface of the snout.
Global Distribution: Cosmopolitan in temperate, subtropical and tropical seas. View Map
BIOLOGICAL FEATURES
Size: Maximum length 400 cm (total length); common length 270 cm (TL); maximum published weight 505.8 kg.
Reproduction: Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother. With 4-16 young of about 60-70 cm long. Gestation period lasts 15-18 months, spawning cycle is every 3 years.
Maturity: 277.5 cm, range 275 - 285 cm.
Behavioural ecology: Can leap out of the water when hooked. Potentially dangerous and responsible for unprovoked attacks on swimmers and boats.
Population structure & migrations: Undertakes seasonal migrations. Mitochondrial DNA analyses suggest dispersal may be male-biased, whereas females may have natal site-fidelity. Exhibits sexually segregated population structure.
ECOLOGICAL FEATURES
Depth range: FishBase: 0 - 740 m, usually 100 - 150 m.
Habitat: Pelagic-oceanic. Oceanic, but sometimes found close inshore (especially the young). Usually in surface waters, down to about 150 m, sometimes deeper.
Feeding habits: Feeds on bony fishes, other sharks, cephalopods; larger individuals may feed on larger prey such as billfish and small cetaceans.
Trophic level: FishBase: 4.5
FISHERIES
Commercial interest: Minor commercial species.
Conservation status: Global: Vulnerable.
Atlantic: Vulnerable.
Europe: Data deficient.
Nutritional information & food safety:
REFERENCES
Brito A., Pascual P.J., Falcón J.M., Sancho A., González G. (2002). Peces de las islas Canarias. Catálogo comentado e ilustrado. Francisco Lemos Editor, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, 418 pp.
Ebert D.A., Stehmann M.F.W. (2013). Sharks, batoids, and chimaeras of the North Atlantic. FAO Species Catalogue for Fishery Purposes, No. 7. FAO, Rome, 523 pp.
Gibson C., Valenti S.V., Fordham S.V., Fowler S.L. (2008). The Conservation of Northeast Atlantic Chondrichthyans: Repost of the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Northeast Atlantic Red List Workshop. IUCN Species Survival Commission Shark Specialist Groups, NatureBureau, Newbury, UK, 76 pp.
IUCN (2014). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.1. www.iucnredlist.org
Nieto A., Ralph G.M., Comeros-Raynal M.T., Kemp J., GarcÃa Criado M., Allen D.J., Dulvy N.K., Walls R.H.L., Russell B., Pollard D., GarcÃa S., Craig M., Collette B.B., Pollom R., Biscoito M., Labbish Chao N., Abella A., Afonso P., Ãlvarez H., Carpenter K.E., Clò S., Cook R., Costa M.J., Delgado J., Dureuil M., Ellis J.R., Farrell E.D., Fernandes P., Florin A-B., Fordham S., Fowle, S., Gil de Sola L., Gil Herrera J., Goodpaster A., Harvey M., Heessen H., Herler J., Jung A., Karmovskaya E., Keskin C., Knudsen S.W., Kobyliansky S., KovaÄić M., Lawson J.M., Lorance P., McCully Phillips S., Munroe T., Nedreaas K., Nielsen J., Papaconstantinou C., Polidoro B., Pollock C.M., Rijnsdorp A.D., Sayer C., Scott J., Serena F., Smith-Vaniz W.F., Soldo A., Stump E., Williams J.T. (2015). Europen Red List of Marine Fishes. IUCN and European Union, Publications Office of the European Union, Luxembourg, 90 pp.
