common thresher shark
Common Thresher Shark
Sharks are one such aquatic life which we are afraid of. The name "shark" itself sends shivers down our spine. It has the image of the most dangerous aquatic life. There are around 440 species of sharks and not all species are aggressive. Common thresher shark is one such species. Find out more about them in this informative article.
General Characteristics | Thresher shark is dark-blue and gray colored on the upper side and has a white color beneath. They have small yet strong teeth. Their mouth is placed behind their eyes and they have 5 gill slits. |
Habitat | These are found in tropical as well as temperate waters. They are commonly found in the temperate region. They inhabit in the Atlantic ocean, central and eastern Pacific ocean, and Indo-Pacific region. They are found in the coastal areas as well as deep in the sea. They come near the coast in search of food and are found extensively in the region where abundant food is available for them. Young thresher sharks are usually found in the coastal areas whereas adults reside in deep waters of the ocean. |
Diet | This species feeds upon Herring and Mackerel which are varieties of schooling fish. They also feed upon seabirds and squids. Their most common meal is Bluefish and Butterfish. Bony fish is something they relish on, which is why it constitutes around 97% of their meal. Thresher sharks use their long tail to hit their prey and then feed upon them using their small yet strong teeth. |
Attacks | These are creatures who love to live alone. They are not socially active. They do not cause harm to divers unless provoked. They are sometimes known to harm boats owing to their large size. |
Reproduction | Thresher sharks reproduce annually. They do not have a placental attachment and show aplacental viviparity, i.e., the eggs hatch inside the female shark and grow inside her body without any physical attachment. The young ones are 1.1 to 1.6 m long and weigh around 6 kg. A pregnant thresher shark gives birth to around 4-6 young ones. It takes around 9 months to deliver the young pups. The reproducing capacity of sharks is less compared to other aquatic fish. |
Predators | They do not have any predators. Though small thresher sharks are sometimes attacked by larger sharks. |
Parasites | Respiratory impairment is caused due the attachment of copepods in the gill filaments. Tissue damage occurs due to the attachment and results in improper respiration through gills. |
Life Span and Maturity Age | There is a vast range in life span of thresher sharks. It ranges from 19-50 years. Females reach their reproductive maturity around 4 to 5 years of age, while males reach their reproductive maturity around 3 to 6 years. |
Human Consumption | These sharks are not fit for human consumption due to high mercury levels. Women and children below 12 years of age should avoid its consumption. Men should avoid eating more than one meal per month. |