Blue Shark

Blue Shark

Prionace glauca

Size:
to 11 ft,
reportedly to 21ft

Habitat:
open ocean

Notes:
dangerous

A fast-swimming oceanic shark, these are colored vivid blue in life, but quickly fade to gray in death. The Blue shark is described as a persistent and dangerous stalker and is often found in great numbers. This is the shark most likely seen in caged shark dives off Rhode Island and is probably the commonest shark in our offshore waters during the summer months. Other identifying features of the Blue shark are the extremely long pectoral fins and relatively slim body ( compared to those below ) with very unequal upper and lower tail lobes.

Blue Shark
Blue Shark
A large Blue Shark off Rhode Island
Blue Shark
Note the vivid blue coloration, with lighter undersides.
Blue Shark
The long lean lines of a Blue shark. This one has just been tagged.
A Blue Shark pesters a remote video camera ( NEFSC )
( You may notice that it has a fishing leader trailing from its mouth. )
Blue Shark feeding on herring ( NEFSC )
Herb Segars Photography

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