Animal Species:Porbeagle, Lamna nasus (Bonnaterre, 1788)

The Porbeagle is a large, heavy-bodied species that occurs in most temperate marine waters worldwide with the exception of the North Pacific.

Alternative Name/s

Mackerel Shark

Identification

The species as a crescent-shaped tail, a very small second dorsal fin and a pale area at the rear of the large first dorsal fin.

Size range

It grows to at least 3.2 m in the North Atlantic but to only 1.65 m in Australian waters.

Distribution

The Porbeagle has an antitropical distribution.  It occurs widely in inshore and oceanic temperate marine waters.

The map below shows the Australian distribution of the species based on public sightings and specimens in Australian Museums.  Source: Atlas of Living Australia.

Lamna nasus

Distribution by collection data

Ozcam map of Porbeagle specimens in Australian Museums.

What does this mean?

Classification

Species:
nasus
Genus:
Lamna
Family:
Lamnidae
Order:
Lamniformes
Class:
Chondrichthyes
Subphylum:
Vertebrata
Phylum:
Chordata
Kingdom:
Animalia

What does this mean?

References

  1. Hoese, D.F., Bray, D.J., Paxton, J.R. & G.R. Allen. 2006. Fishes. In Beesley, P.L. & A. Wells. (eds) Zoological Catalogue of Australia. Volume 35. ABRS & CSIRO Publishing: Australia. parts 1-3, pages 1-2178.
  2. Last, P.R. & J.D. Stevens. 2009. Sharks and Rays of Australia. Edition 2. CSIRO. Pp. 644, Pl. 1-91.


Mark McGrouther , Collection Manager, Ichthyology
Last Updated:

Tags fishes, ichthyology, Porbeagle, Lamna nasus, Lamnidae,