Bigeye thresher

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The bigeye thresher (Alopias superciliosus) is a thresher shark of the genus Alopias, found in tropical oceans worldwide, at depths down to 500 metres. Its length is up to 5 metres (more typically 3–4 m), and weight up to 360 kg (more typically 160 kg).

The bigeye thresher is a large shark, with very large eyes indicating time spent at unlit depths. It has an indented forehead and large broad pectoral fins, and the first dorsal fin set further back than that of other thresher sharks. The upper caudal lobe is very long and strap-like, virtually the same length as the body.

The colour is purplish grey above, bream below, with posterior edges of pectoral and pelvic fins dusky.

Bigeye threshers are found in all types of water; coastal shallows, over the continental shelf, and at sea far from land, at all depths down to 500 metres.

References

[Alopias superciliosus (TSN 159921)]. Integrated Taxonomic Information System. Accessed on 18 April 2006.
"[Alopias superciliosus]." FishBase. Ed. Ranier Froese and Daniel Pauly. January 2006 version. N.p.: FishBase, 2006.
Tony Ayling & Geoffrey Cox, Collins Guide to the Sea Fishes of New Zealand, (William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1982) ISBN 0-00-216987-8
[Bigeye thresher shark in the Shark Database]

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