Thresher (Alopias vulpinus) fish species and Thresher information

Scientific Name
Alopias vulpinus

Common Name
Thresher

Biology
Coastal over continental and insular shelves and epipelagic far from land. Oceanic although most abundant near land, pelagic at 1-366 m. Young often close inshore and in shallow bays. Feeds on schooling fishes , squid, octopi, pelagic crustaceans, and rarely seabirds. Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother. Uses its long caudal fin to bunch up and stun prey. Spatial and depth segregation by sex in northwestern Indian Ocean populations. A few attacks on boats are doubtfully attributed to this species, but it is otherwise apparently harmless to humans, though the size of adults of this species command respect. May

Classification

Classified By

Bonnaterre, 1788

Class

Sharks and Rays (Elasmobranchii)

Order

Mackerel sharks (Lamniformes)

Family

Thresher sharks (Alopiidae)

Distribution

Region

Cosmopolitan in temperate and tropical seas (Ref. 6871). Western Atlantic

Distribution

Cosmopolitan in temperate and tropical seas. Western Atlantic: Newfoundland, Canada to Cuba, Gulf of Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil to Argentina. Eastern Atlantic: Norway and British Isles to the Mediterranean, Morocco, Ghana and C?te d'Ivoire; also Cape Province, South Africa. Indo-Pacific: scattered localities from the Gulf of Aden and East Africa to the Hawaiian, Society and Fanning islands. Eastern Pacific: Canada to Chile. Population considered reduced in the US Atlantic waters; lower risk/conservation dependent in US Pacific waters; data deficient in the rest of Atlantic and rest of Pacific. Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Range

67°N - 58°S, 180°W - 180°E

Environment

Climate

Subtropical

Water Temperature From

Unknown °C

Water Temperature To

Unknown °C

Depth From - meters

0 m

Depth To - meters

550 m

Zone

pelagic-oceanic

Environment

Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 550 m , usually 0 - 200 m

Trophic Level

4.5 s.e. 0.79 Based on diet studies.

Occurs in Marine / Salt water

True

Occurs in Brackish water

False

Occurs in Fresh Water

False

Occurs on Reefs

False

Is kept in Aquariums

False

Physical Size and Genetics

Maximum Length

760 cm

Common Length

450 cm

Phylogenetic Diversity Index

PD50 = 0.7500 many relatives (e.g. carps) 0.5 - 2.0 few relatives (e.g. lungfishes)

Human Uses and Population

Human Uses

Fisheries: commercial; gamefish: yes

Vulnerability

High to very high vulnerability (65 of 100)

Resilience

Very Low, minimum population doubling time more than 14 years (K=0.1; tm=5-7; tmax=19; Fec=2-4)

Threat To Humans

Harmless (Ref. 247)

IUCN Red List Status

Vulnerable (VU)(A2bd+3bd+4bd)

Thresher (Alopias vulpinus) fish species and information / pictures of Thresher - Alopias vulpinus

Thresher (Alopias vulpinus) fish species information

Classification

Distribution

Environment

Physical Size and Genetics

Human Uses and Population