Thresher sharks (Alopias), they are also thresher sharks, one of the most beautiful and graceful sharks that actively attract tourists to various diving sites, including our beautiful island of Fuvahmulah.
But few know that this is not one species, but a whole genus in which there are three species. On our island, two of them are found on a permanent basis. You will learn how to distinguish them without being a boring biologist from this article!
Representatives of the thresher shark family are easy to recognize by the very long upper lobe of the tail, it can sometimes be equal to the length of the body of the fish, because these creatures grow up to 6 m! But with such dimensions, they are not how much dangerous to people. On the contrary, they are very shy, and their mouth is such that nothing can fit in except for mackerel and mackerel. They use their tail to catch them, like a scorpion. They just do not sting with poison, and create turbulences by driving the fish into a tight ball, or they drown it with a blow of the tail, like a whip.
In total, 4 species of such sharks are known: Pelagic threshershark (Alopias pelagicus), Common thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus) and big-eyed thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus). Two out of three species are found on our island - Pelagic and ordinary, therefore we will not consider the big-eyed one in detail.
So, here you dived on our beautiful island, and met this beauty! Emotions of delight overwhelm, even take your breath away, do not forget to monitor the pressure on the pressure gauge. Take great photos, videos or just enjoy the company of this beautiful fish. But how to understand what kind of thresher is this?
Now let's figure it out! Here's a good diagram to get you started that might help!
But few know that this is not one species, but a whole genus in which there are three species. On our island, two of them are found on a permanent basis. You will learn how to distinguish them without being a boring biologist from this article!
Representatives of the thresher shark family are easy to recognize by the very long upper lobe of the tail, it can sometimes be equal to the length of the body of the fish, because these creatures grow up to 6 m! But with such dimensions, they are not how much dangerous to people. On the contrary, they are very shy, and their mouth is such that nothing can fit in except for mackerel and mackerel. They use their tail to catch them, like a scorpion. They just do not sting with poison, and create turbulences by driving the fish into a tight ball, or they drown it with a blow of the tail, like a whip.
In total, 4 species of such sharks are known: Pelagic threshershark (Alopias pelagicus), Common thresher shark (Alopias vulpinus) and big-eyed thresher shark (Alopias superciliosus). Two out of three species are found on our island - Pelagic and ordinary, therefore we will not consider the big-eyed one in detail.
So, here you dived on our beautiful island, and met this beauty! Emotions of delight overwhelm, even take your breath away, do not forget to monitor the pressure on the pressure gauge. Take great photos, videos or just enjoy the company of this beautiful fish. But how to understand what kind of thresher is this?
Now let's figure it out! Here's a good diagram to get you started that might help!
First, pay attention to the simplest - the size of the shark! It is ordinary thresher sharks that are the largest in the family and grow up to 6 m, but on average have a length of about 4.5-5 m. Pelagic chanterelles are noticeably smaller, only 3.3-3.5 m at most, and this is the limit for them.
Next, look at the head of a shark, in an ordinary shark it is quite massive and wide, has a very short snout, rather small eyes, but the key is the grooves at the corners of the mouth! This seems to be a small, but important and well distinguishing feature. But if the shark is too far away or you didn’t have time and can’t see its head, then the first thing you should pay attention to is the huge fins and the color next to them and on them. The pelagic fox has a much longer snout and narrower head, large eyes, and no grooves at the corners of the mouth! The common thresher shark has small white spots at the very tips of these fins, only she has this, it is easy to see against the background of the blue ocean! Well, and another distinctive feature of an ordinary lich shark, white areas of the body above the pectoral and ventral fins, the dark gray color of the shark's back is interrupted directly above them, while in the pelagic shark the upper coloration goes in a continuous even line, not interrupted above the fins, a kind of waterline, like a submarine.
You can also see slight differences in the dorsal fin, the same one that sharks usually show in horror films, approaching a person with vicious music. In the common thresher, this fin is much higher and closer to the pectoral fins, while in the pelagic fox it is short and closer to the pelvic fins and tail.
By the way, about the tail, it is also different in these fish sisters. The common thresher has a much thicker upper lobe of the tail, it is straight more massive and the tip is quite wide. The pelagic thresher, in this regard, is more elegant and slender, literally. Its upper lobe of the tail is thinner and more graceful straight, the tip is very thin, a real whip.
This is how you can distinguish our chanterelles. But you can talk about it endlessly and look at photos and videos for a difference. However, it is better to come to our island and see them for yourself!
