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Life history parameters of the crocodile shark, Pseudocarcharias kamoharai, in the tropical Atlantic Ocean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2021

Daniela Rosa Open the ORCID record for Daniela Rosa [Opens in a new window] ,
Marco Gago ,
Joana Fernandez-Carvalho  and
Rui Coelho
Daniela Rosa*
Affiliation:
IPMA – Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Av. 5 de Outubro s/n, Olhão 8700-305, Portugal CCMAR – Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
Marco Gago
Affiliation:
CCMAR – Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
Joana Fernandez-Carvalho
Affiliation:
IPMA – Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Av. 5 de Outubro s/n, Olhão 8700-305, Portugal CCMAR – Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
Rui Coelho
Affiliation:
IPMA – Instituto Português do Mar e da Atmosfera, Av. 5 de Outubro s/n, Olhão 8700-305, Portugal CCMAR – Centro de Ciências do Mar, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, Faro 8005-139, Portugal
*
Author for correspondence: Daniela Rosa, E-mail: daniela.rosa@ipma.pt
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Abstract

The crocodile shark (Pseudocarcharias kamoharai) is a small lamniform shark that is occasionally by-caught in pelagic longline fisheries targeting tunas and swordfish. Due to its biological features, this species is highly vulnerable to overexploitation. However, at present, the crocodile shark is not evaluated for its stock status by any of the Regional Fisheries Management Organizations. In this study, the biology of 391 specimens (220 females and 171 males), ranging from 44.2 cm to 101.5 cm fork length (FL), collected from the tropical region of the Atlantic Ocean, was examined. Ages were assigned from growth band counts in vertebral sections, with the modified von Bertalanffy growth model, using a fixed size at birth (L0) at 32 cm FL, producing the best fit: Linf = 105.6 cm FL and k = 0.14 y−1 for females; Linf = 94.6 cm FL and k = 0.18 y−1 for males. Maturity ogives were fitted to both length- and age-based data. The size (L50) and age (A50) at 50% maturity was estimated at 67.2 cm FL (5 years) and 81.6 cm FL (8 years) for males and females, respectively. Mean uterine fecundity was 3.7 pups per litter with a 1:1 embryonic sex ratio. Further work is needed regarding crocodile shark life-history characteristics, especially because there are no age validation studies of the band pair deposition periodicity. However, the parameters now presented can contribute to future evaluations of this species, which is especially important given its potentially vulnerable life history.

Keywords

Bycatchelasmobranchsgrowth modellingmorphometricsreproduction
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 101 , Issue 4 , June 2021 , pp. 753 - 763
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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