The Macko Sharks
11 Facts About Mako Sharks The Fastest Shark in The World! 1. THERE ARE TWO SPECIES OF MAKO SHARK. For over 150 years, marine biologists thought there was only one type of mako shark: the shortfin mako ( Isurus oxyrhinchus ), which got its scientific name in 1810. A second mako— the longfin mako ( Isurus paucus )—wasn't recognized as its own separate species until 1966. Identifying the second species took so long both because the makos look similar—both are open ocean predators with conical snouts and bluish-grey skin with white underbellies. They’re also found in many of the same areas (they prefer warm waters, and typically hang out in tropical or subtropical portions of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans). One way to figure out which is which is by comparing the flanks: The longfin mako is so named because, as the name implies, it’s got much longer pectoral fins. It's also a longer shark overall. 2. THE LONGFIN MAKO IS THE SECOND-BIGGEST LA
