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Alopias vulpinus (Bonnaterre, 1788)
Mackerel Sharks; Thresher Shark
Family: Alopiidae
Introduction to the Fish

Photograph

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Map

Source: Distribution of Alopias vulpinus as compiled by Aquamaps

Introduction


The Mackerel Shark is a highly migratory circumglobal species that is cold water-tolerant. It shows a preference for pelagic waters but is also observed in coastal areas. It resembles the White Shark, but is also easily recognized because of its long tail fin, which it uses to stun prey. Mackerel sharks swim alone or in schools, and give birth to live pups. There is no evidence that they attack humans.

Report Shark Sightings to 1 877 50-SHARK (1-877-507-4275). Visit the BC Shark and Skates Reports blog.

Species Information

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 (Ref. 5578). Second dorsal origin well behind the rear tip of the pelvic fin (Ref. 559). 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 (Ref. 13570). 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 (Ref. 13570).

Source: FishBase. Compagno, L.J.V. 1984 . (Ref. 247)

Biology

Species Biology

Coastal over continental and insular shelves and epipelagic far from land (Ref. 30573,43278'> 43278,58302'> 58302). Oceanic although most abundant near land, pelagic at 1-366 m (Ref.58302'> 58302). Young often close inshore and in shallow bays (Ref. 5578). Feeds on schooling fishes (including mackerels, bluefishes, clupeids, needlefishes, lancetfishes and lanternfishes), squid, octopi, pelagic crustaceans, and rarely seabirds (Ref. 247). Ovoviviparous, embryos feeding on yolk sac and other ova produced by the mother (Ref.43278'> 43278, 50449). Uses its long caudal fin to bunch up and stun prey (Ref. 2850). Spatial and depth segregation by sex in northwestern Indian Ocean populations (Ref. 247). 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 (Ref. 247). pelagic-oceanic; oceanodromous (Ref. 51243); marine; depth range 0 - 550 m (Ref. 26346), usually 0 - 200 m (Ref. 55168) . Subtropical climate.

Source: FishBase. Compagno, L.J.V. 1984 . (Ref. 247)

Distribution

Distribution

Cosmopolitan in temperate and tropical seas (Ref. 6871). 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 Côte 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 (R) in the US Atlantic waters; lower risk/conservation dependent (LR/CD) in US Pacific waters; data deficient (DD) in the rest of Atlantic and rest of Pacific (Ref. 12451). Highly migratory species, Annex I of the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea (Ref. 26139).

Source: FishBase. Compagno, L.J.V. 1984 . (Ref. 247)

Status Information

Origin StatusProvincial StatusBC List
(Red Blue List)		COSEWIC
NativeSNRNo StatusNot Listed



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Additional Range and Status Information Links

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 University of Alaska Museum

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