California Sea Grant College Program

The mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is the quintessential shark—an awesome swimming machine, spectacularly acrobatic, fast, sleek and muscular, with a mouthful of razor sharp teeth. As with tunas, makos maintain body temperatures in their locomotor muscles above ambient water temperatures. This regional endothermy, as it is known technically, is believed to enhance muscle power and efficiency while swimming.