alopias

noun

Meaning

A genus of mackerel sharks characterized by an elongated upper tail lobe that can be as long as the rest of the body.

Examples

  • The genus Alopias includes three distinct species of thresher sharks found in temperate and tropical oceans.
  • Researchers studying Alopias have observed the sharks using their long tails to stun schools of fish.

Synonyms: thresher shark, fox shark