Pelagic Thresher Shark
Alopias pelagicus · a-LOH-pee-as peh-LAJ-ih-kus
diurnalsolitaryEndangered
EdibleUnfriendly
Superpower
Snaps its enormously long tail like a whip to stun whole shoals of fish.
At a glance
- Size
- typically 300 cm, up to 365 cm
- Lifespan
- 16–29 years
- Depth
- 0–150 m
Habitat
Open ocean and deep reef drop-offs in tropical seas.
Diet
Small schooling fish, herded and stunned with its tail.
Can I eat it?
Yes — edible · tastiness 4/10.
How to cook: Eaten in some fisheries, but overfished — best left alone.
Fun facts
- Its tail can be as long as the rest of its body.
- Malapascua in the Philippines is the world's most reliable place to see them.
- It hunts by slapping the water so hard the shockwave stuns its prey.