Cosmopolitan in temperate and tropical seas. Western Atlantic: Gulf of Maine to southern Brazil and Argentina, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean. Eastern Atlantic: Norway to South Africa, including the Mediterranean. Indo-Pacific: East Africa to Hawaii, north to Primorskiy Kray (Russian Federation), south to Australia and New Zealand. Eastern Pacific: south of Aleutian Islands and from southern California, USA to Chile.

A large, spindle-shaped shark with large black eyes, a sharp snout, and large, narrow, hooked teeth with smooth edges. Caudal fin lunate, lower lobe strongly developed. Dark blue above, white below. Tiny second dorsal and anal fins.

Probably the fastest of all sharks and can leap out of the water when hooked. Potentially dangerous and responsible for unprovoked attacks on swimmers and boats. Utilized fresh, dried or salted, smoked and frozen; eaten broiled and baked. Valued for its fine quality meat as well as its fins and skin. Oil is extracted for vitamins and fins for shark-fin soup. Jaws and teeth are also sold as ornaments and trophies. Gives birth to 4-16 young, 60-70 cm long. 15-18 months gestation period; reproduces every 3 years. Diet consists primarily of small to very large fishes, as well as elasmobranchs, cephalopods and occasionally marine mammals.