GRUBER and COMPAGNO: TAXONOMIC STATUS AND BIOLOGY OF BIGEYE THRESHER 



ica Bay area, 26 October 1966; jaws only, teeth 

 counted by Bruce Welton (footnote 5). 



15. Several other examples are listed in the 

 tables on tooth counts but were not otherwise 

 measured or seen. 



DISTINCTIVE CHARACTERS 



Alopias superciliosus (Figures 1-4) can be 

 immediately distinguished from other threshers 

 by its unique head shape, with lateral grooves 



Figure l. — Lateral view of a 356 cm TL. 140 kg female Alopias superciliosus (SHG-A2) taken off Miami Beach, Fla. Detailed 

 measurements of this shark are given in Table 1, column 1. The characteristic head grooves are not clearly shown because of the slightly 

 ventral angle of the photograph. Photo: S. Gruber. 



Figure 2.— Dorsal view of Alopias superciliosus (SHG-A2). The head grooves and upward-looking eyes are more easily seen in this 



photograph. Photo: S. Gruber. 



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