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Other
names:
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toper, school
shark, soup fin, oil shark, vitamin shark
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Scientific
name:
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Galeorhinus galeus
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Genus:
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TRIAKIDAE
FAMILY
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Topes are moderately large, wide ranging, active, schooling sharks found
in coastal continental waters of the Eastern Pacific, Western South
Atlantic (not in North American waters), Eastern Atlantic, Southwestern
Indian Ocean and Western South Pacific.
They are characterized by a rather
long, pointed snout and oval eye and distinctive teeth, which have a sharp
oblique cusp and 3-5 coarse basal serrations. Tope are sometimes confused
with the spiny dogfish (Squalus acanduas) in some European waters, but
unlike the spiny dogfish, they have no spines in the dorsal fins.
Primarily an opportunistic predator on moderate-sized bony fishes (taken
alive), this shark readily feeds on some invertebrates and in some areas
crabs and squid may be important prey items. It has a strong preference
for very fresh fish or squid bait over slightly stale or even fresh-frozen
bait presented on hooks. It will fight actively when hooked, and may give
a far better fight on light tackle than its relative the blue shark (Prionace
glauca).
Tope are ovoviviparous, giving birth to 6 to 52 (average 35) young per
litter, the number increasing with the size of the female. While the average
weight of most tope is about 22-44 1bs (12-20 kg) the maximum weight is
about 100 Ib (45.36 kg).
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