# Blue Shark (*Prionace glauca*) Blue Sharks are sleek and beautiful with a blue back and white belly! They love to swim in deep ocean waters. - **Category:** [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/fish) - **Rarity:** Rare - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Habitat:** Deep ocean waters - **Also known as:** Blue Dogfish, Prionace Shark ![Blue Shark](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771426587/objects/4716.jpg) ## Appearance The Blue Shark has a long, slender, torpedo-shaped body with a striking iridescent blue color on its back that fades to white underneath. Its very long, pointed pectoral fins distinguish it from other sharks, giving it a sleek appearance. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Elasmobranchii - **Order:** Carcharhiniformes - **Family:** Carcharhinidae - **Genus:** Prionace ## Interesting facts - Blue Sharks are born live, with pups called 'pups' inside their mothers for up to a year! - Their amazing blue color helps them camouflage perfectly in the open ocean water. - These sleek sharks can have over 100 babies at once, though usually around 25 to 50. - They are one of the most widespread sharks, found in almost every ocean on Earth! ## Special abilities - **Super Senses:** Blue Shark has a strong sense of smell and special pores (ampullae of Lorenzini) that help them detect tiny electric fields of prey. - **Deep Dive Master:** Blue Shark can dive hundreds of meters deep in the ocean to hunt in cold, dark waters. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 180-380 cm - **Weight:** 27-205 kg - **Lifespan:** 15-20 years - **Swim Speed:** 40 km/h - **Maximum Depth:** 600 m - **Water Type:** Saltwater ## Diet & Feeding Blue sharks are expert hunters, mostly eating squid and smaller fish found in the open ocean. - **Age differences:** Young sharks primarily eat small fish and crustaceans; adults focus more on squid and larger fish. - **Primary Foods:** squid, mackerel, herring, octopus, crustaceans - **Foraging Method:** Pursuit ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Japanese flying squid (*Todarodes pacificus*) — A major food source for blue sharks across their range. - **Hunts:** [Atlantic mackerel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/atlantic-mackerel) (*Scomber scombrus*) — Small schooling fish often preyed upon by blue sharks. - **Eaten by:** Killer whale (*Orcinus orca*) — Large marine predators that sometimes hunt blue sharks. - **Parasitizes:** Blue shark copepod (*Pandarus sinuatus*) — A small crustacean that lives on the skin of blue sharks. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Piscivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/piscivorous): Piscivorous organisms are animals that primarily subsist on a diet of fish. - [Deep Sea](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/deep-sea): Deep sea habitats are characterized by extreme pressure, darkness, and cold temperatures, supporting unique life forms below the sunlit zone. - [Carnivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/carnivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. - [Aquatic](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/aquatic): Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. - [Migratory](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/migratory): Migratory animals undertake seasonal movements from one region to another, typically in response to changes in climate or food availability. ## Collections - [Fish](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/fish) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Watch quietly from a distance and never try to feed or chase wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Blue Shark? Look at body shape, where the fins sit and their outline, mouth position, stripes and spots. Young fish and breeding adults can wear different patterns, and aquarium color varieties can look nothing like wild fish. Fish Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Blue Shark? 180-380 cm ### How much does Blue Shark weigh? 27-205 kg ### How long does Blue Shark live? 15-20 years ### What does Blue Shark eat? Blue sharks are expert hunters, mostly eating squid and smaller fish found in the open ocean. ### How fast can Blue Shark swim? 40 km/h ### Where is Blue Shark usually found? Deep ocean waters ### How does Blue Shark hunt? Pursuit ## More Fish - [Rainbow Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/rainbow-trout) (*Oncorhynchus mykiss*) - [Brown Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-trout) (*Salmo trutta*) - [Brook Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brook-trout) (*Salvelinus fontinalis*) - [Lake Trout](https://www.snappit.app/explore/lake-trout) (*Salvelinus namaycush*) --- Source: [Blue Shark: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/blue-shark)