Thresher
📖 Overview
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 (including mackerels, bluefishes, clupeids, needlefishes, lancetfishes and lanternfishes), 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 cause damage to fishing gear . Valued for its meat, liver, hide, and fins; utilized fresh, dried-salted, smoked, and frozen .
🔬 Taxonomy
🐟 Physical Description
Dorsal spines (total): 0; Anal spines: 0. A large thresher with relatively small eyes, curved, narrow-tipped pectoral fins, a narrow-tipped caudal fin, and a conspicuous white patch over the pectoral fin bases . Second dorsal origin well behind the rear tip of the pelvic fin . Upper lobe of caudal fin very long and strap-like, about as long as or longer than length of rest of shark; lower lobe short but well developed . Brown, grey, blue-grey, or blackish on back and underside of snout, lighter on sides and abruptly white below; a white area extends from the abdomen over the pectoral-fin bases; pectoral-, pelvic-, and dorsal fins blackish, white dots sometimes present on pectoral-, pelvic-, and caudal- fin tips .: fusiform / normal; Cross section: circular.
🌀 Behaviour
Behavioural data for Thresher is currently being reviewed.
🦐 Diet
🥚 Reproduction
Ovoviviparous, embryos feed solely on the ova produced by the mother after the yolk sac is absorbed (oophagy) , 2 to 4 young in a litter (usually 2) . Size at birth 114-150 cm . Distinct pairing with embrace .
🌍 Habitat & Distribution
Marine; pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous ; depth range 0 - 650 m , usually 0 - 200 m . Subtropical; 74°N - 58°S, 180°W - 180°E
🌿 Ecology
schooling fishes (including mackerels, bluefishes, clupeids, needlefishes, lancetfishes and lanternf
📐 Morphometrics
🌡️ Water Parameters & Tolerance
🛡️ Conservation Assessment
📊 Population Risk & Fisheries
🎣 Angling Guide
- medium-heavy 7ft spinning rod
- 30-50 lb braid
- fluorocarbon leader
- grass flats
- oyster bars
- marsh drains
- deeper channel edges
Use barbless hooks, minimise air exposure, and revive fish head-first in current before release.
⚠️ Slot limits protect breeding-size fish. Verify daily bag limits.
🍽️ Edibility & Flavour
"Thresher is an edible species."
- Clear, bright eyes — cloudy eyes indicate age
- Firm flesh that springs back when pressed
- Fresh ocean smell, never strong or ammonia-like
- Bright red or pink gills, not grey or brown
- Shiny, moist skin with scales tightly attached
- Cloudy or sunken eyes
- Strong fishy or ammonia odour
- Soft, mushy flesh that doesn't spring back
- Discoloured or dry flesh
⚡ Nutrition
Per 100g cooked - Source: USDA FoodData Central
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Protein | 20.7 g |
| Omega-3 (total) | 379 mg |
🔬 Mercury Safety
Mercury data for Thresher has not yet been assigned. Please consult FDA/EPA guidance for general seafood safety advice.
🌿 Sustainability
🔬 Full Nutritional Profile
Per 100g - Raw, per 100g - Source: USDA FoodData Central templates (generic fish average)
📊 Population Dynamics
| Year | Region | Index | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| - | - | - |
🏆 World Records
| Record Type | Value | Angler | Location | Date | Line Class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight | 348 kg | D. L. Hannah | Bay of Islands, New Zealand | 26 Feb 1983 | ALL |
Source: IGFA All-Tackle World Records database
🌐 Names & Taxonomy
| Language | Common Names |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧English | Atlantic Thresher · Big-eye Thresher · Bigeye Thresher · Common Thresher · Common Thresher Shark · Fox Shark · Grayfish · Green Thresher · Pelagic Thresher · Sea Fox · Slasher · Swingletail · Swiveltail · Swivetail · Thintail Thresher · Thrasher · Thresher · Thresher Shark · Thresher shark or Bigeye thresher · Thresher, Thintail thresher, Thresher Shark · Tresher Shark · Tresher Shark, Tresher · Whip-tailed Shark · Zorro Thresher Shark · long-tailed shark · sea ape · thrasher shark · tresher · whiptail shark |
| 🌍AFR | fynstert-sambokhaai |
| 🇸🇦Arabic | Jarjur · Kalb · Qatwa al bahar · Watwa albahar · القرش الثّعلب |
| 🌍BRE | louarn-vôr |
| 🏳️Catalan | Guilla |
| 🌍CES | liškoun obecný · Žralok mlatec obecný |
| 🌍COS | Pesciu volpe |
| 🌍CYM | Lluynog mor · Llwynogod Môr · llwynog môr |
| 🇩🇰Danish | Almindelig rævehaj · Rævehaj · Tærsker · Raevehai · Raevehaj |
| 🇩🇪German | Drescher · Drescherhai · Fuchshai · Gemeiner Fuchshai · Gewöhnlicher Fuchshai · Langschweif · Seefuchs |
| 🌍ELL | Aleposkylos · Skylópsaro · Αλεπού · Αλεπού της θάλασσας · Αλεπούσκυλος · Αλεπόσκυλος · Κοινός αλωπίας · Σκυλόψαρο |
| 🌍EST | Harilik Rebashai |
| 🌍FAO | Revaháur · Revahávur |
| 🇫🇮Finnish | Kettuhai |
| 🇫🇷French | Faux · Loup de mer · Poisson-épée · Pèis rato · Renard · Renard de mer · Renard, Renard de mer · Requin renard · Requin renard commun · Requin-renard commun · Singe de mer · Thon blanc · la faux · poisson épée · péi aspasu ratou · renard marin · requin renard, renard de mer · touille à l'épée |
| 🌍HEB | כרישועל זנבתן |
| 🇭🇷Croatian | Pas macun · Pas sabljas · Sabljorep · Lisica · Morska Lisica · Pas lisica |
| 🇮🇹Italian | Pei ratu · Pesce spada · Pesce volpe · Pesce volpe comune · Pesciu rattu · Pisci bannera · Pisci cudutu · Pisci surci · Ratto · Sorcio · Squalo volpe · Squalo volpe comune · Surci 'mperiali · Topo · Volpe · allopia coda lunga · allopia volpe marina · pavone · pavone di mare · pesce bandiera · pesce bannera · pesce pavone · pesce sorcio · pescio ratto · pisce surci · pisci cuda longa · pisci cuduto · pisci sciabula turca · volpe di mare |
| 🇯🇵Japanese | Mao-naga · Maonaga · ma-onaga · nadebuka · nezumezame · onagazame · マオナガ |
| 🇰🇷Korean | 흰배환도상어 |
| 🌍LIT | paprastoji jūrų lapė |
| 🌍MLG | Santira |
| 🌍MLT | Budenb · Pixxivolpi |
| 🌍MRI | Mango-ripi · Mangō ripi |
| 🇳🇱Dutch | Voshaai |
| 🌍NNO | revehai |
| 🌍NOB | revehai |
| 🇳🇴Norwegian | Revehai · Raevehai |
| 🇵🇱Polish | Kosogon · lis morski |
| 🇵🇹Portuguese | Cação-pena · Cação-raposa · Peixe-rato · Rabilongo · Raposo · Romão · Tubarao-raposo · Tubarão-raposa · Tubarão-zorra · Tubarão-zorro · Zoro cauda longa · Zorra · Zorro · Zorro-cauda-longa · arequim · peixe alecrim · peixe cavallo · peixe raposo · peixe rato · peixe zorra · romano · tubarâo raposo · zorro cauda longa |
| 🌍RON | Rechin-vulpe |
| 🇷🇺Russian | lisitska morskayia · Лисица морская обыкновенная · Лисья акула · Морская лисица · Обыкновенная акула-лисица · Обыкновенная морская лисица · акула-лисица · акула-лисица обыкновенная · морская лисица обыкновенная |
| 🌍SLV | morska lisica |
| 🇪🇸Spanish | Azotador · Chichi espada · Coleto · Coludo · Coludo Pinto · Grillo · Guadaña · Peje sable · Peje zorra · Peje zorro · Pejerrabo · Pez espada · Pez palo · Pez zorro · Pichirata · Rabo de zorra · Raposa · Raposa marina · Tiburón pez zorro · Tiburón ratón · Tiburón zorro · Zorra de mar · Zorro · Zorro blanco · peix espasa · rabosa · tiburón zorro común · Pejezorro |
| 🌍SQI | Peshkdhelper · Peshkdhelpën · peshkaqeni bishtshpatë · peshkaqeni dhelpër · peshku dhelpër |
| 🌍SRP | Lisica · Pas lisica · Psina lisica |
| 🌍SWA | Karage · Papa Kinengo · Papa Kinengwe |
| 🇸🇪Swedish | Rävhaj · raefhajen |
| 🌍TAH | Ma'o Aero |
| 🌍THA | ปลาฉลามหางยาว |
| 🌍TUR | Sapan · Sapan baligi · Sapan köpekbaligi · sapan balığı · tilki baligi · tilki balığı |
| 🌍UKR | Акула лисяча · Акула-лисиця звичайна · Звичайна морська лисиця · Лисица морская |
| 🌍VIE | Cá Nhàm đuôi dài |
| 🇨🇳Chinese | 弧形長尾鯊 · 弧形长尾鲨 · 狐形长尾鲨 · 狐鮫 · 狐鯊 · 狐鲛 · 長尾沙 · 長尾鯊 · 长尾沙 · 长尾鲨 |
🗺️ Global Occurrence Map
Occurrence records from the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) - 27 records indexed .
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