Common thresher shark
Alopius vulpinus
- Not on exhibit
- Animal type
- Sharks & rays
- Ecosystem
- Coastal waters
- Relatives
- Sharks in Order Laniformes, also known as Mackerel sharks which includes white sharks, basking sharks, sand tiger sharks, megamouth, and goblin sharks.
- Diet
- Small pelagic animals like anchovies, sardines, hake, mackerel, red crab and squid.
- Range
- Temperate oceans worldwide; usually found over the continental shelf.
- Size
- Common thresher sharks can weigh up to 767 pounds (348 kg). They range from 1.6 feet at birth (1.1 m) to 19 feet (6.1 m) in length, average adult length is 14.8 feet (4.5 m).
Meet the thresher shark
With a tail almost as long as its body, the thresher shark is instantly recognizable. This solitary animal that is always on the move, snacking on small schooling fish. Its solitary nature has made it a challenge to study—only in the last few years have scientists learned how it uses that incredible tail.
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