The long tail immediately distinguishes this shark.
These sharks are noted for the extraordinarily long length of their tail fin, the elongated upper lobe of their tail accounting for over half of their length or their body.
This shark is normally found offshore though it is not uncommon in our waters, normally found around the North Island and northern South Island. They are also widespread through almost all tropical to cool temperate seas.
They are very strong swimmers and are another type of shark that can leap completely out of the water.
Thresher sharks also have a countershaded body, they are a dark blue gray colour above (though sometimes brown to black), and white on the undersides.
They have small jaws. The first dorsal fin is much bigger than the second . The first of which is located almost squarely in the middle of their back.
The pectoral fins are long and curved. Like other mackerel sharks it has an anal fin, 5 gill slits. And as I mentioned earlier they have an extraordinarily long tail.
(The tail is used to corral and even kill fish).
The Common Thresher Shark is a very strong swimmer, and can even leap out of the water.
Their average size is 3 to 4 mts or 9 to 12' in length reaching up to 6 mts or 19'.
The average weight for these fish is about 113kg or 250lbs, with the heaviest weighing in at 317kg or 700lbs.
The Threshers main diet is other fish and squid, corraling them with its elongated tail, stunning them with slaps from it, and catching them with its very sharp (but small) teeth.
At about 3mts or 10' in length, the mature female threshers will have litters of between 4 to 6 pups, bearing the young live.
The eggs hatch inside the female. The developing embryos will eat their smaller weaker siblings while in the womb.
At birth these young pups are 1.1 to 1.5mts or 3.5 to5' long.
, It is mostly nocturnal (most active at night).