Bigeye thresher vs Clawed enope squid

Alopias pelagicus compared with Abraliopsis felis

Key Differences

• Bigeye thresher is Endangered while Clawed enope squid is Least Concern.

Taxonomic Classification

Rank	Bigeye thresher	Clawed enope squid
Kingdom same	Animalia (Animals)	Animalia (Animals)
Phylum	Chordata (Chordates)	Mollusca (Mollusks)
Class	Chondrichthyes (Cartilaginous Fish)	Cephalopoda (Cephalopods)
Order	Lamniformes (Mackerel Sharks)	Oegopsida (Oegopsida)
Family	Alopiidae	Enoploteuthidae
Genus	Alopias	Abraliopsis
Species	Alopias pelagicus	Abraliopsis felis

Evolutionary Relationship

Bigeye thresher and Clawed enope squid share a common ancestor at the Kingdom level: Animalia. (Animals)

Conservation Status

Bigeye thresher

EN — Endangered

Clawed enope squid

LC — Least Concern

Physical Characteristics

Attribute	Bigeye thresher	Clawed enope squid
Diet	—	—
Average Lifespan	—	—
Average Length	—	—
Average Weight	—	—

Habitat & Geographic Range

Bigeye thresher

Habitat

Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Range

Distributed across Colombia and Taiwan. Currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, this species faces significant conservation challenges across its range.

Clawed enope squid

Bigeye thresher

The Bigeye thresher (Alopias pelagicus) is a species in the genus Alopias. It is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Typically found in marine environments from coastal waters to deep ocean.

Clawed enope squid

The Clawed Enope Squid, Ancistrocheirus lesueurii, is a medium-sized oceanic squid in the family Ancistrocheiridae found in mesopelagic and bathypelagic zones of the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian Oceans. It is the sole species in its family, representing a phylogenetically isolated lineage of deep-sea squids. The species is characterized by powerful, hook-bearing tentacles used to capture prey, an adaptation reflected in its common name. The mantle is muscular and elongated, bearing lateral fins, and the arms bear suckers modified into sharp hooks in adults. Ancistrocheirus lesueurii performs diel vertical migrations, ascending toward the surface at night and retreating to deeper waters during daylight hours. It is a voracious predator of fish and other squids, and is in turn preyed upon by sperm whales, large pelagic fishes, and sharks. Bioluminescent photophores are present on the body and arms, likely functioning in counterillumination or signaling. As a mesopelagic species distributed throughout major ocean basins, the Clawed Enope Squid contributes significantly to vertical carbon transport in marine ecosystems, processing organic material from surface waters and redistributing it at depth. Population status is unknown; the species has not been assessed by IUCN. It is occasionally recovered in the stomach contents of top predators and from deep-sea trawl surveys.