thresher shark - Distribution and habitat, Anatomy and appearance, Diet, Species

Large and very distinctive surface-living shark (Alopias vulpinus), widespread in tropical to temperate seas; easily recognized by the remarkably long upper lobe of tail fin which may exceed half its body length; tail lobe used to round up shoals of fish by thrashing the water surface; body length up to 6 m/20 ft. (Family: Alopiidae.)

iThresher sharks
Thintail thresher, Alopias vulpinus
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Chondrichthyes Subclass: Elasmobranchii Order: Lamniformes Family: Alopiidae Bonaparte, 1838 Genus: Alopias Rafinesque, 1810
Species
For species see text.

Sharks Portal

Thresher sharks are large lamniform sharks of the family Alopiidae.

Distribution and habitat

Although occasionally sighted in shallow, inshore waters, thresher sharks are primarily pelagic;

Anatomy and appearance

Named for and easily recognised by their exceptionally long, thresher-like tail or caudal fins (which account for 50 percent of their total body length), thresher sharks are active predators;

Diet

Pelagic schooling fish (such as bluefish, juvenile tuna, and mackerel), squid and cuttlefish are the primary food items of the thresher sharks.

Thresher sharks are one of the few shark species known to jump fully out of the water making turns like dolphins, this behaviour is called breaching.

Species

Genus Alopias Pelagic thresher, Alopias pelagicus Bigeye thresher, Alopias superciliosus Thintail thresher, Alopias vulpinus