rare trio of large shark jaws Taxidermy full body mount - Isurus oxyrinchus/carcharhinus brachyurus/carcharhinus obscurus - 29.5 cm - 40 cm - 10 cm - 3

The Mako Shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) is a shark belonging to the Lamnidae family. Its maximum measured length is about 4 meters; it lives in tropical and subtropical waters. In the Mediterranean Sea it is present but not common. The mako is perhaps the shark with the most interesting anatomy, it looks like a perfect machine. It has a hydrodynamic snout, small pectoral fins to reduce drag, a rigid dorsal fin to stabilize the pitch, a cylindrical body with grooves for a sleek gait, broad gill slits to retain more oxygen. Unpredictable in attacks, it uses its blazing acceleration to catch fast prey such as tuna and bluefish. It is one of the few shark species, like the great white or the blacktip reef shark, capable of breaching, i.e., leaping out of the water, well beyond its body length: in this case, the mako can rise, leaping, up to 6 meters above the surface. It can swim at speeds of up to 70 km/h. It feeds on bluefish and squid, but does not disdain hunting large fish (including marlin and swordfish). The mako shark has large, particularly sharp teeth that protrude outward from the mouth even when it is closed. Width 25 cm. Height 34.5 cm. Depth 10 cm.

The bronze shark is a large shark belonging to the genus Carcharhinus and the family Carcharhinidae, the only member of the genus found mainly at temperate latitudes. The species is distributed in the Atlantic Ocean, in South African waters, in the Pacific Ocean, near Australia and New Zealand, and with some sightings in equatorial regions. The species inhabits brackish rivers, shallow bays and ports, but also waters up to 100 meters deep and offshore. Females live separated from males for most of the year and undertake seasonal migrations. It is a large animal, reaching up to 3.3 meters in length and difficult to distinguish from other Carcharhinus species. The distinctive feature is the upper teeth, hooked and thin, the absence of a dorsal intercrest, and the uniform bronze coloration. A rapid predator, its diet mainly consists of cephalopods, bony fish, other cartilaginous fish, often gathering in large groups to take advantage of numbers. In South Africa, the species gathers in schools to pursue sardine migrations. Although not listed among species dangerous to humans, the bronze shark has been involved in some non-fatal attacks, mostly against fishermen using hook and line and bathers. Width 40 cm. Height 29.5 cm. Depth 10 cm.

The brown shark, Carcharhinus obscurus, is a shark species of the family Carcharhinidae and the genus Carcharhinus, that lives in warm tropical and temperate waters worldwide. A generalist superpredator, it inhabits from the coast to the outer continental shelf and the surrounding pelagic waters, and has been recorded down to depths of about 400 meters. The various populations of this species migrate seasonally toward the poles in summer and toward the equator in winter. They are able to swim hundreds or even thousands of kilometers during these migrations. Being one of the largest species in its genus, it reaches lengths of 4.2 meters and body masses of 347 kg. The body is slender and elongated and is recognizable by the short, rounded snout, long crescent-shaped pectoral fins, the interdorsal crest and the weakly marked fin tips. Adults have a very varied diet, consisting mainly of bony fish, cartilaginous fish and cephalopods, but also crustaceans, starfish, Bryozoa, sea turtles, marine mammals, carrion and waste. The species is viviparous and its reproductive cycle lasts three years. The female gives birth to 3 to 14 pups after a gestation of 22-24 months and takes another year to be ready to become pregnant again. It can also store sperm for a long time, since a suitable mating pair rarely meets due to the nomadic lifestyle of the species and the intrinsically small population size. Growth in these animals is slow, as they reach maturity at about 20 years. Given the low reproductive rate, the species is exposed and vulnerable to human activity. It is a valuable animal for commercial fishing for both its fins, used in shark fin soup production, and for its flesh, skin, and liver oil. It is also hunted for recreational reasons. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) has classified the species as globally endangered and vulnerable along the US coasts, where the population has declined by 15-20% over thirty years. In general, the species is potentially dangerous to humans due to its size, but verified cases of attacks on humans are rare. Width 36 cm. Height 31.5 cm. Depth 9.5 cm.

Well-executed taxidermy mounts, also of significant size, three splendid jaws to start a new collection or to enrich an existing one. Good auction.