Thresher Sharks Use Long Tail to Slap Sardines

Posted on July 22, 2013

New research, published in Nature and PLoS One, reveals that Pelagic thresher sharks (Alopias pelagicus) can use their extra long tail to slap fish and stun them. Underwater footage off a thresher shark using its tail to hunt sardines was taken off an island in the Philippines.

Scientists from the Thresher Shark Research and Conservation Project determined that the thresher shark can swipe its tail through an arc of 180 degrees in one third of a second. This can create a shock wave in the water in addition to the tail directly hitting the fish. The scientists say the thresher shark can take out up to seven sardines with each tail strike. Take a look:

ANIMALS
SHARKS