With sleek bodies and exceptionally long fins, longfin mako sharks are built for life in the open ocean. Often mistaken for their speedier shortfin cousins, these elusive sharks roam temperate and tropical waters worldwide.
Longfin makos can grow up to 4 meters (13 feet) long and are named for their unusually long pectoral fins, which can be as long or longer than their heads. These sharks have a dark blue or gray-black upper body and a white underside, helping them blend into the open ocean from above and below. Much about their lives remains a mystery, so scientists often rely on their close relative — the shortfin mako—to help estimate how they live beneath the waves.
Longfin makos are likely solitary and roam the open ocean in search of food. They are typically found at depths around 760 meters (2,493 feet), but can dive as deep as 1,752 meters (5,748 feet). While not as fast as their shortfin cousins10, they are still capable hunters, thought to prey on fish and cephalopods like squid.