顶级掠食者（或称超级掠食者）是指一掠食性物种在其生活范围的食物链中不存在比其营养级更高、甚至对其进行掠食的掠食物种。如大型猫科动物、熊、鳄鱼、虎鲸、老鹰等，其存在能维持生态系统中各物种数量的平衡及食物链的稳定做出贡献。然而，顶级掠食者并不限定是肉食性动物，也有部分杂食性动物亦能列入顶级掠食者的行列，例如棕熊及人类；顶级掠食者亦非均为巨型动物，如猎杀恐鸟的哈斯特鹰。地球上最早的顶级掠食者，不管海洋或陆地，都是无脊椎动物(如：奇虾、房角石、布龙度蝎子、广翅鲎、巨脉蜻蜓)，后来该角色皆被脊椎动物取代至今。

An apex predator, also known as an alpha predator, is a predator residing at the top of a food chain upon which no other creatures prey. Apex predators are usually defined in terms of trophic dynamics, meaning that apex-predator species occupy the highest trophic level or levels and play a crucial role in maintaining the health of their ecosystems. One study of marine food webs defined apex predators as greater than trophic level four. The apex predator concept is commonly applied in wildlife management, conservation and ecotourism.