Mackerel sharks
White shark
Carcharodon carcharias
A large coastal and open-ocean predator with a conical snout, triangular dorsal fin, and sharply contrasting dark back and pale underside.
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Every figure uses the same scale. The shark image is shown at the species’ published maximum length; individual animals vary.
Nearshore and open-ocean water, including reefs, banks, shoals, and areas near marine-mammal colonies.
Temperate and subtropical waters worldwide, including both U.S. coasts.
Surface to recorded depths beyond 4,000 ft
Fish, rays, other sharks, seals, sea lions, and carrion, with diet changing as the shark grows.
Conical snout, large triangular first dorsal fin, crescent tail, and an abrupt dark-to-white color boundary.
Gives birth to live young after embryos develop inside the mother.
Species facts
Did you know?
A heat-conserving circulatory system keeps parts of its body warmer than the surrounding sea.
Tagged white sharks have made long journeys between coastal feeding areas and the open ocean.