Pelagic thresher

Common card · No. 453484

The pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus) is a species of thresher shark, family Alopiidae; this group of sharks is characterized by the greatly elongated upper lobes of their caudal fins. The pelagic thresher occurs in the tropical and subtropical waters of the Indian Ocean and Pacific Ocean, usually far from shore, although they do occasionally enter coastal habitats. Palagic thresher sharks are often confused with the common thresher (A. vulpinus), even in professional publications, but they can be taxonomically distinguished by the dark, rather than white, color over the bases of their pectoral fins. The smallest of the three thresher species, the pelagic thresher typically measures 3 m (9.8 ft) long. The diet of the pelagic thresher consists mainly of small midwater fishes, which are stunned with whip-like strikes of the palagic thresher's tail. Along with all other mackerel sharks, the pelagic thresher exhibits ovoviviparity and usually gives birth to litters of two. The developing...

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