 There are five species in this family of sharks. They range in size from 6-12 feet. They are found in temperate and tropical regions of all the world's oceans.
Lamnids have five pairs of long gill slits; large, sharp teeth; torpedo shaped bodies; pointed snouts; two dorsal fins; and an anal fin. They are very fast swimmers and aggressive predators! Females give birth to live young. Sometimes baby sharks will eat their newly hatched siblings or their eggs while they are still in the female's womb.
Lamnids eat bony fish, sharks, rays, squid, and crustaceans. Some species are known to attack humans. Species include: the
great white shark, the
shortfin mako, the
longfin mako, the
salmon shark, and the
porbeagle shark.
World Status Key
 Least Concern  Near Threatened  Vulnerable  Endangered  Critically Endangered  Extinct Wild  Extinct
Status taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status, or there is no status data for the species.
US Status Key
 Threatened in US  Threatened in NH  Endangered in US  Endangered in NH  Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game
Additional Information Resource Key
 Profile  Photos  Video  Audio
Great White Shark - Carcharodon carcharias          
The great white shark has an excellent sense of smell.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Great White Shark - Carcharodon carcharias
Great white sharks are the largest predatory fish on Earth.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Great White Shark - Carcharodon carcharias
The great white shark has 3,000 teeth at any one time.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Great White Shark - Carcharodon carcharias
The great white shark can reach 22 feet in length and weigh more than two tons.
Source: Monterey Bay Aquarium Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Middle School
Longfin Mako - Isurus paucus
The longfin mako has a slender, torpedo-shaped body.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Longfin Mako - Isurus paucus
The longfin mako is found in tropical and warm waters worldwide.
Source: Florida Museum Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School
Porbeagle - Lamna nasus
The porbeagle shark is usually found in waters over continental shelves.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Porbeagle - Lamna nasus
In the northern hemisphere, the porbeagle shark is only found in the Atlantic Ocean.
Source: Florida Museum Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School
Salmon Shark - Lamna ditropis
The salmon shark is sometimes mistaken for the white shark.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Salmon Shark - Lamna ditropis
The salmon shark is only found in the coastal and oceanic waters of the North Pacific.
Source: Florida Museum Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School
Shortfin Mako - Isurus oxyrinchus
The shortfin mako is thought to be the fastest swimmer of all the sharks.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Shortfin Mako - Isurus oxyrinchus
The shortfin mako is found in tropical and temperate waters throughout the world's oceans.
Source: Florida Museum Natural History Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: High School |
NH Species 
Arctic Ocean