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Salmon shark
No image of Salmon shark found in the Shark Database
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| Range Map |
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| Systematics |
Phylum: Vertebates (Chordata)
Class: Carlilagenous Fishes (Chondrichthyes)
Order: Mackerel sharks (Lamniformes)
Family: Mackerel sharks (Lamnidae)
Genus: Lamna (Lamna)
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| Name |
| Scientific: | Lamna ditropis |
| German: | Lachshai |
| English: | Salmon shark, Pacific porbeagle |
| French: | Requin-taupe saumon |
| Spanish: | Marrajo salmon |
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| Appearance |
Heavy spindle-shaped body, with a conical snout. Large gill slits. First dorsal fin high and erect with origin over or just behind the pectoral insertions. Very small second dorsal fin with origin over anal fin"s origin. Strong keels on caudal peduncle, with a short secondary keel on the caudal base. Dorsal fin is crescentic shaped.
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| Coloration |
Dark grey on back, white ventral surface. Dark spots and blotches on underside of body. First dorsal fin dark, with a dark free rear tip.
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| Distribution |
Northern and Eastern Pacific: Japan, Korea, Bering Sea to southern California, possibly Baja California, Mexico.
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| Biology |
Common. Lives in coastal and oceanic waters from the surface fown to depth of approximately 150 m, with a preference for boreal to cool water. They are able to maintain a higher body temperature (rete mirabile). This species is solitary, or found in schools or feeding aggregations.
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| Feeding |
Feeds preferably on the Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus), and other bony fishes.
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| Size |
Maximum size about 300 cm, average size between 250 and 280 cm.
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| Reproduction |
Aplacental viviparous shark (ovoviviparous). Species exhibit intra-uterine cannibalism, where embryos feed on other egg capsules. Up to 4 pups per litter. Males reach maturity between 180 and 240 cm.
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| Similar Species |
Very similar to the Porbeagle . whose free rear tip of first dorsal fin however turns abruptly white.
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| Endangerment |
Status in the IUCN
Red List(1994):
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| Main criterion: |
 DD (Data Deficient) |
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| Trend: |
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| Danger to Humans |
May be potentially dangerous, due to its size and relationship to other potentially dangerous sharks of the same family.
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