# Porbeagle (*Lamna nasus*)

> The porbeagle (Lamna nasus) is a stocky mackerel shark of cool temperate seas, warm-blooded like its great white relatives. Adults reach 2.5 m and 135 kg, and are listed Vulnerable.

- **Category:** Fish
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Vulnerable
- **Range:** Cool temperate oceans of both hemispheres.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/porbeagle/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Chondrichthyes
- **Order:** Lamniformes
- **Family:** Lamnidae
- **Genus:** Lamna

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Lamna nasus |
| Diet | Carnivore |
| Habitat | Continental shelves and open ocean |
| Lifespan | 25–35 years |
| Weight | 60–135 kg |
| Top speed | up to 40 km/h |
| Conservation status | Vulnerable (IUCN) |

## Warm-blooded tuna hunter

Counter-current heat exchangers keep muscles warm for fast pursuit in cold water. A white flank patch and crescent tail distinguish porbeagles from similar sharks.

## Mackerel, squid, and cod

Schooling fish and squid dominate the diet. Pups are born live in nursery areas on continental shelves.

## North Atlantic and southern oceans

Northwest Atlantic, Northeast Atlantic, and South Pacific temperate waters. Seasonal migrations follow prey concentrations.

## Vulnerable to targeted fishing

IUCN lists porbeagle Vulnerable. Decades of sport and commercial harvest for meat and fins depleted stocks; recovery is slow due to late maturity.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is the porbeagle related to great white sharks?

Yes — both are lamnid sharks with partial warm-blooded physiology for fast swimming.

### What is the white patch on a porbeagle?

A pale mark on the rear flank helps separate porbeagles from mako sharks.

### Are porbeagles dangerous?

Bites to humans are extremely rare; they are offshore fish-eaters.

### Why is the porbeagle Vulnerable?

Slow reproduction and heavy fishing pressure collapsed populations in the Atlantic and elsewhere.

### Where are porbeagle nurseries?

Shallow continental shelf waters where females bear live young.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/porbeagle/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.