Wikipedia:Today's featured article/October 28, 2012



The porbeagle is a species of mackerel shark in the family Lamnidae, distributed widely in the cold and temperate marine waters of the North Atlantic and Southern Hemisphere. The porbeagle typically reaches 2.5 m in length and a weight of 135 kg. Gray above and white below, the porbeagle has a very stout midsection that tapers towards the long, pointed snout and the narrow base of the tail. It has large pectoral and first dorsal fins, tiny pelvic, second dorsal, and anal fins, and a crescent-shaped caudal fin. The most distinctive features of this species are its three-cusped teeth, the white blotch on the back of its first dorsal fin, and the two pairs of lateral keels on its tail. Preying mainly on bony fishes and cephalopods, the porbeagle is an opportunistic hunter that regularly moves up and down in the water column, catching prey in midwater as well as off the bottom. It is well regarded as a game fish by recreational anglers. The porbeagle's meat and fins are highly valued, which has led to a long history of intense human exploitation. However, this species cannot sustain heavy fishing pressure because of its low reproductive capacity. (more...)

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