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Porbeagle
Lamniformes

Porbeagle

Lamna nasus

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Max Length

3.7m

Litter Size

4 pups

Overview

A cold-water lamnid shark of the North Atlantic and Southern Ocean. Endothermic, like the great white. Heavily fished for its meat; vulnerable globally. Sometimes confused with the great white due to similar body plan.

Habitat

Inshore to continental offshore fishing banks. They are occasionally in the open ocean, from less than 3.3 to 2296.6 ft [1 to 700 m] deep.

Distribution

North Atlantic & Arctic

The sharks are found in the north Atlantic, and cool water areas 33.8 to 64.4ºF [1 to18ºC] in the southern hemisphere. They are not found in equatorial seas.

Behavior

This is a migratory species that moves inshore and to the surface in the summer months. It spends the winter offshore in deeper water. Populations are segregated by age (size) and sex. The shark is inquisitive, and may approach boats and divers.

Biology

Diet
Small fishes, dogfish, tope and squid.
Reproduction
Porbeagle sharks have long gestation periods, and generally bear litters of only 4 pups
Male Maturity
2m

Appearance

Porbeagle illustration
Dorsal
Dark grey or blackish on top, with the underside being white with dusky blotches. It has a very distinctive white tip on its first dorsal fin.
Sources:sharksorg

Recorded incidents involving the porbeagle

Recorded

7

Fatal

0

Fatality rate

0.0%

Years

1812–2017

Top countries

Years with most incidents

Counts are based on the species field of the Global Shark Attack File. Identifications by witnesses are often uncertain; treat figures as recorded incidents, not authoritative totals.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many shark attacks have been recorded involving the porbeagle?
7 incidents in the Global Shark Attack File mention the porbeagle, of which 0 were fatal (0.0%). Note that witness species identifications are often uncertain, so this is the count of recorded incidents.
Where do most porbeagle incidents occur?
The countries with the most recorded porbeagle incidents are Spain, Scotland, United States.
Is the porbeagle dangerous to humans?
The porbeagle is not considered dangerous to humans under normal conditions. There are few or no recorded incidents involving this species.
Where does this species data come from?
Species profiles are compiled from peer-reviewed taxonomy and published references. Incident data is sourced from the Global Shark Attack File and joined to species records by name match.
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