Carcharodon carcharias

Carcharodon carcharias
White Shark – Carcharodon carcharias
Photo Credit: G.W. Link
FamilyScientific NameAuthorYearCommon Name
LamnidaeCarcharodon carcharias(Bonnaterre)1788White Shark

Carcharodon carcharias

Unique Characters: Teeth without side cusplets (except in specimens less than 2 to 3 m which always have serrations on some teeth). Upper teeth triangular with serrated edges. Origin of first dorsal fin opposite or slightly anterior to inner corners of pectoral fins when the latter are laid back. Origin of second dorsal fin in advance of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin without a secondary keel. Free rear tip of first dorsal fin not abruptly white. Anal-fin origin posterior to second dorsal-fin base.

Similar Species:

Porbeagle Lamna nasus

Shortfin Mako
Isurus oxyrinchus

Longfin Mako
Isurus paucus

Isurus oxyrinchus
Shortfin Mako – Isurus oxyrinchus Source: FAO 2002
Isurus paucus
Longfin Mako – Isurus paucus Source: FAO 2002

Porbeagle Lamna nasus. Teeth with small side cusplets (except in specimens less than 1 m). Origin of second dorsal fin above that of anal fin. Caudal fin with a small but strong secondary keel below the rear end of the primary keel. Free rear tip of first dorsal fin abruptly white.

Shortfin Mako Isurus oxyrinchus. Teeth without side cusplets. Upper teeth with smooth-edged cusps. Cusps of upper and lower anterior teeth recurved at bases but with tips reversed and curving outward. Origin of first dorsal fin posterior to inner corners of pectoral fins when the latter are laid back. Origin of second dorsal fin in advance of anal-fin origin. Free rear tip of first dorsal fin not abruptly white. Caudal fin without a secondary keel. Pectoral fins considerably shorter than head, relatively narrow-tipped in young, acutely pointed in adults. Origin of anal fin about under midbase of second dorsal fin. Snout usually acutely pointed. Underside of snout and mouth white in adults and subadults.

Longfin Mako Isurus paucus. Teeth without side cusplets. Upper teeth with smooth-edged cusps. Cusps of upper and lower anterior teeth straighter, with tips not reversed. Origin of second dorsal fin in advance of anal-fin origin. Caudal fin without a secondary keel. Free rear tip of first dorsal fin not abruptly white. Origin of first dorsal fin posterior to inner corners of pectoral fins when the latter are laid back. Pectoral fins about as long as head, relatively broad-tipped in young and adults. Origin of anal fin about under insertion of second dorsal fin. Snout narrowly to bluntly (usually not acutely) pointed.. Underside of snout and mouth dusky in adults and subadults.

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