Pelagic thresher
Pelagic thresher | |
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Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Chordata |
Class: | Chondrichthyes |
Subclass: | Elasmobranchii |
Subdivision: | Selachimorpha |
Order: | Lamniformes |
Family: | Alopiidae |
Genus: | Alopias |
Species: | A. pelagicus
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Binomial name | |
Alopias pelagicus H. Nakamura, 1935
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Geographic range (blue) |
The pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus) is a species of
The diet of the pelagic thresher consists mainly of small midwater fishes, which are stunned with whip-like strikes of its tail. Along with all other
Taxonomy and phylogeny
The pelagic thresher was originally described by Japanese
An
Distribution and habitat
Due to confusion with the common thresher, the distribution of the pelagic thresher may be wider than is currently known. It ranges extensively in the
The pelagic thresher primarily inhabits the
Description
The pelagic thresher is the smallest of the thresher sharks, typically 3 m (10 ft) in length and 69.5 kg (153.3 lb) in weight, and usually not exceeding 3.3 m (10.8 ft) and 88.4 kg (194.9 lb).
The head is narrow with a short, conical snout and a distinctive "pinched" profile when viewed from below. The eyes are very large in juveniles and decrease in relative size with age. No furrows occur at the corners of the mouth. The
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Pelagic threshers can be identified by the color above their pectoral fins
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Jaws
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Teeth
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Teeth
Biology and ecology
The pelagic thresher is an active, strong swimmer and has been known to leap clear of the water (five times in a row on one documented occasion).
Feeding
Little information is available on the feeding ecology of the pelagic thresher. Its very slender tail and fine dentition suggest an exclusive diet of small, pelagic prey.
Life history
Like the rest of the
The growth rate of pelagic threshers slows with age: 9 cm/year for ages 0–1, 8 cm/year for ages 2–3, 6 cm/year for ages 5–6, 4 cm/year for ages 7–10, 3 cm/year for ages 10–12, and 2 cm/year for ages 13 and greater.
Thermoregulation
Anatomical examination indicates that the pelagic thresher is unlikely to be
Human interactions
The pelagic thresher has never been implicated in an attack on humans; it has small jaws and teeth for its size and tends to flee from divers.
Though rarely caught, pelagic threshers are also valued by sport fishers and are listed as
References
- . Retrieved 19 November 2021.
- ^ "Appendices | CITES". cites.org. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
- ^ ISBN 92-5-104543-7.
- JSTOR 1446753.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Seitz, J.C. Pelagic Thresher. Florida Museum of Natural History. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
- ^ ISBN 0-520-23484-7.
- ^ Trejo, T. (2005). "Global phylogeography of thresher sharks (Alopias spp.) inferred from mitochondrial DNA control region sequences". M.Sc. thesis. Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University.
- ^ a b c Martin, R.A. Biology of the Pelagic Thresher (Alopias pelagicus). ReefQuest Centre for Shark Research. Retrieved on December 22, 2008.
- ^ Froese, Rainer; Pauly, Daniel (eds.) (2008). "Alopias pelagicus" in FishBase. December 2008 version.
- ^ Oiver, S. (2005). The behaviour of pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus) in relation to cleaning fish (Labroides dimidiatus & Thalasoma lunare) on Monad shoal, Malapascua Island, Cebu, Philippines. MSc Thesis, University of Wales, Bangor.
- .
- ^ Otake, T. & Mizue, K. (1981). "Direct Evidence for Oophagy in Thresher Shark, Alopias pelagicus". Japanese Journal of Ichthyology. 28 (2): 171–172.
- ^ JSTOR 1447386.
- PMID 16272248.
- ^ Weng, K.C. & Block, B.A. (2004). "Diel vertical migration of the bigeye thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus), a species possessing orbital retia mirabilia". Fishery Bulletin – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. 102 (1): 221–229.
External links
- Species Description of Alopias pelagicus at www.shark-references.com
- Photos of Pelagic thresher on Sealife Collection