Thresher shark

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Thresher shark Temporal range: 49–0 Ma[1] PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Lutetian to Recent
Pelagic thresher (A. pelagicus)
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Chondrichthyes
Subclass:	Elasmobranchii
Subdivision:	Selachimorpha
Order:	Lamniformes
Family:	Alopiidae Bonaparte, 1838
Genus:	Alopias Rafinesque, 1810
Type species
Alopias vulpinus Bonnaterre, 1788
Synonyms
Alopecias Müller and Henle, 1837 Alopius Swainson, 1838 Vulpecula Jarocki, 1822

Thresher sharks are large mackerel sharks of the family Alopiidae found in all temperate and tropical oceans of the world; the family contains three extant species, all within the genus Alopias.

All three thresher shark species have been listed as vulnerable by the World Conservation Union since 2007 (IUCN).^[2] All three are popular big-game sport fish,^{[citation needed]} and additionally they are hunted commercially for their meat, livers (for shark liver oil), skin (for shagreen) and fins (for use in delicacies such as shark-fin soup).

Despite being active predatory fish, thresher sharks do not appear to be of threat to humans.^{[citation needed]}