Article
Environmental Sciences
Christian Vega-Barba, Federico Paez-Osuna, Felipe Galvan-Magana, Isis Baro-Camarasa, Bernabe Aguilar-Palomino, Victor Hugo Galvan-Pina, Ana J. Marmolejo-Rodriguez
Summary: In this study, concentrations of important heavy metals (mercury, cadmium, and copper) were examined in different tissues of silky shark caught in the Central Pacific Mexican Shelf. Liver tissue showed the highest concentrations of cadmium and copper. Maturation stages influenced the concentrations of elements in liver tissue, with immature organisms having lower levels. There were no significant differences between sexes, except for higher copper concentrations in the muscle of adult females. Some samples exceeded the Mexican Legislation limits, posing a potential risk to human health if consumed regularly.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Chia-Yun Joanne Li, Wen-Pei Tsai, R. R. M. K. P. Ranatunga, Munandar Samidon, Shang Yin Vanson Liu
Summary: This study investigated the genetic stock structure and effective population size of silky sharks in the Indo-Pacific region using microsatellite loci. A major genetic break was found between Aceh and other locations, and the Indian Ocean population displayed a slightly lower effective population size. The Aceh population may represent a small and endemic population.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Richard Kindong, Ousmane Sarr, Jiaqi Wang, Meng Xia, Feng Wu, Libin Dai, Siquan Tian, Xiaojie Dai
Summary: This study analyzed the relationship between the size distribution of silky sharks and environmental variables in the Pacific Ocean using data from the Chinese Observer Tuna Longline fishery. The results showed that sea surface temperature, primary production, and ocean surface winds were key factors shaping the size distribution patterns of silky sharks. The study also identified areas associated with productive upwelling systems as important locations for larger specimens.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Richard Kindong, Ousmane Sarr, Feng Wu, Siquan Tian
Summary: The silky shark is heavily exploited in tuna fisheries worldwide, but little is known about its life history and population status. This study used length-based data-limited methods to estimate the status of the tropical Pacific silky shark population, indicating a potential risk of further decline and overfishing. Immediate intensification of monitoring programs is necessary for the development of efficient management and conservation plans in the Pacific Ocean.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zezheng Li, Heidi R. Pethybridge, Yi Gong, Feng Wu, Xiaojie Dai, Yunkai Li
Summary: This study examines the mercury concentration in different tissues of silky sharks and finds that muscle and liver have the highest mercury levels. The concentration of total mercury is significantly correlated with fork length and accumulates faster after maturity. The study also observes maternal transfer of mercury to embryos, and suggests potential risks to the health of sharks and consumers. Furthermore, the research highlights the correlation between mercury concentrations and nitrogen isotope values, indicating variations in foraging habitats or regions for silky sharks with size or age.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Louw Claassens, Brennan Phillips, David A. Ebert, Denley Delaney, Brad Henning, Victor Nestor, Adrian Ililau, Jonatha Giddens
Summary: Technological advances have allowed for the exploration of the deep ocean, leading to the discovery of new species. This study presents two new observations of the sleeper shark Somniosus cf. pacificus captured by deep-sea cameras in the Solomon Islands and Palau. These observations mark the first sightings of S. cf. pacificus in the western Pacific tropics and expand its known range approximately 2000 nautical miles southward. The findings provide valuable information for the future management and conservation efforts of this species.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Kiat Hwa Chan, Jasmine Anya Putri Gowidjaja, Mariana Quesada Urera, Benjamin J. Wainwright
Summary: As human activities release more and more fossil fuel emissions into the atmosphere and ecosystems, the accumulation of toxic metals in seafood, especially in sharks, is becoming increasingly concerning. The consumption of shark fin, which is prevalent in Asia, can lead to human exposure to unsafe levels of toxic metals. In this study, dried and processed shark fins were DNA-barcoded to identify the species and analyze the concentrations of four toxic metals. The results showed significant variations in toxic metal concentrations between different species and habitats, with some samples exceeding safe consumption levels.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Joyce D. G. R. de Queiroz, Natalia P. A. Bezerra, Bruno C. L. Macena, Fabio H. Hazin
Summary: The study reveals that the Galapagos shark still exists in the Saint Peter and Saint Paul Archipelago and their numbers have been recovering. The ban on elasmobranch fishing has contributed to the resurgence of this species.
BIOLOGICAL CONSERVATION
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yukiya Ogata, Atsunobu Murase
Summary: A photograph of a juvenile bull shark captured in the Oyodo River estuary in Japan was identified as the northernmost record of this species in the western Pacific Ocean. While bull sharks are typically found in tropical estuarine habitats, there have been some reports of their occurrence in subtropical and warm-temperate latitude estuaries.
JOURNAL OF THE MARINE BIOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF THE UNITED KINGDOM
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xuemin Huang, Huachen Gao, Zezheng Li, Feng Wu, Yi Gong, Yunkai Li
Summary: This study quantified the abundance and characteristics of microplastics in blue sharks found in the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean and investigated the potential pollution risks. Most individuals had low levels of microplastic ingestion, but one male blue shark showed a high ecological risk due to high microplastic abundance and detection of a specific type of plastic.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Bruce J. MacVicar, Elli Papangelakis
Summary: Bedload particle tracking is a useful technique for studying sediment dynamics in rivers, but missing tracers in field surveys can lead to biased results. This study shows that including missing tracers can improve our understanding of sediment dispersion, with recommended strategies for incorporating this information. The results highlight the importance of considering all available data to enhance the accuracy of sediment displacement metrics in river studies.
EARTH SURFACE PROCESSES AND LANDFORMS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Gael Le Croizier, Anne Lorrain, Mauricio Hoyos-Padilla, James T. Ketchum, Felipe Amezcua-Martinez, Francois Le Loc'h, Jean-Marie Munaron, Gauthier Schaal, David Point
Summary: Overfishing leading to biomass depletion can affect food web structure and mercury transfer. The impact of marine protected areas (MPAs) on biota mercury levels is not well understood. This study investigated the foraging habitat and mercury exposure of a shark community in an offshore MPA using stable isotope compositions and mercury concentrations. The results showed that shark length was the main driver of mercury concentrations, while the effect of foraging habitat on mercury exposure was not clear.
ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Stefanie Agne, Gavin J. P. Naylor, Michaela Preick, Lei Yang, Ralf Thiel, Simon Weigmann, Johanna L. A. Paijmans, Axel Barlow, Michael Hofreiter, Nicolas Straube
Summary: The lantern shark family, Etmopteridae, is the most diverse shark family with over 50 species. Due to the remote sampling sites, many species are described based on a few individuals, and recollecting specimens is often difficult. Previous taxonomic studies relied mainly on morphological analysis, while DNA sequence information has rarely been used. Recent advances in ancient DNA techniques have allowed for the recovery of DNA sequences from wet-collection type specimens. In this study, mitochondrial DNA sequences obtained from two wet-collection lantern shark paratype specimens were analyzed to support species identification. The results suggest that E. benchleyi is synonymous with E. litvinovi, but E. pycnolepis is a distinct species. This study highlights the importance of wet-collection type specimens as genetic resources for taxonomic research.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Veryl Hasan, Dian Samitra, Maheno S. Widodo, Peter Gausmann
Summary: A bull shark specimen was caught and photographed in Sungai Mawai Lama, Peninsular Malaysia, representing the second record of this species in the region. The shark was identified by its unique characteristics and coloration. Further research and monitoring are necessary to determine the importance of Sungai Mawai Lama as a critical habitat for bull sharks.
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Amedee L. Roy, Sophie L. Lanco Bertrand, Ronan L. Fablet
Summary: This study uses deep learning methods to predict diving behavior of seabirds by training deep neural networks. The research finds that deep learning can predict diving behavior more accurately than traditional methods, and the trained networks have good generalization ability to infer diving distribution of seabirds from other colonies and ecosystems.
PLOS COMPUTATIONAL BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Lily C. Hughes, Guillermo Orti, Hadeel Saad, Chenhong Li, William T. White, Carole C. Baldwin, Keith A. Crandall, Dahiana Arcila, Ricardo Betancur-R
Summary: We present seven new probe sets that capture 1,104 exons specifically filtered for paralogues, which are valuable resources for advancing fish phylogenomics. These probe sets can be easily integrated with existing PCR-based exon and mitochondrial data for fish phylogenetic studies.
MOLECULAR ECOLOGY RESOURCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Brooke M. D'Alberto, William T. White, Andrew Chin, Dharmadi, Colin A. Simpfendorfer
Summary: Research found that in the Indonesian tangle net fishery, multiple species of rays and sharks were caught, with the bottlenose wedgefish being the main target species. The fishery demonstrated high selectivity for larger individuals, leading to variations in catch composition depending on species catchability.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Robin Leppitt, Luke Einoder, Peter M. Kyne, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen Garnett
Summary: A survey conducted in northern Australia on the Endangered Alligator Rivers Yellow Chat found that the bird's habitat selection is influenced by fire and feral animals. The study provides recommendations for future monitoring.
BIRD CONSERVATION INTERNATIONAL
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
Brendan S. Talwar, Brooke Anderson, Cristopher G. Avalos-Castillo, Maria del Pilar Blanco-Parra, Alejandra Briones, Diego Cardenosa, John K. Carlson, Patricia Charvet, Charles F. Cotton, Zoe Crysler, Danielle H. Derrick, Michael R. Heithaus, Katelyn B. Herman, Olga Koubrak, David W. Kulka, Peter M. Kyne, Oscar M. Lasso-Alcala, Paola A. Mejia-Falla, Jorge Manuel Morales-Saldana, Beatriz Naranjo-Elizondo, Andres F. Navia, Nathan Pacoureau, Juan C. Perez-Jimenez, Riley A. Pollom, Cassandra L. Rigby, Eric V. C. Schneider, Nikola Simpson, Nicholas K. Dulvy
Summary: Chondrichthyan fishes in the Western Central Atlantic Ocean are at risk of extinction due to intense fishing. Catches in the region peaked in 1992 and have since declined. The United States, Venezuela, and Mexico have the highest catches and host most of the threatened species.
FISH AND FISHERIES
(2022)
Article
Fisheries
William T. White, Helen L. O'Neill, Jaimie Cleeland, Tim D. Lamb
Summary: This study provides a more detailed anatomical description of the Kerguelen sandpaper skate, including the use of adult and juvenile specimens, egg cases and embryos. The results show a relatively high level of intraspecific variation in this species, mostly related to size. Additionally, the study describes the egg cases for the first time and reveals their variation in color and fouling based on the time spent in the marine environment.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Emily M. Troyer, Ricardo Betancur-R, Lily C. Hughes, Mark Westneat, Giorgio Carnevale, William T. White, John J. Pogonoski, James C. Tyler, Carole C. Baldwin, Guillermo Orti, Andrew Brinkworth, Julien Clavel, Dahiana Arcila
Summary: This study examines body size evolution in tetraodontiform fishes using Bergmann's rule and Cope's rule. By combining phylogenomic data with paleoclimate and body size data, the study finds strong support for a temperature-driven model, where increasing body size over time is correlated with decreasing oceanic temperatures. Extant tetraodontiforms are, on average, two to three times larger than their fossil counterparts, which evolved during periods of warmer ocean temperatures.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Zoology
William T. White, Javier Guallart, David A. Ebert, Gavin J. P. Naylor, Ana Verissimo, Charles F. Cotton, Mark Harris, Fabrizio Serena, Samuel P. Iglesias
Summary: Centrophorus uyato (Rafinesque, 1810) is a deep-sea shark species with a complicated nomenclatural history and multiple scientific names. This study redescribes the problematic species and provides a detailed synonymy. To maintain nomenclatural stability within the genus, the name Centrophorus uyato is retained.
Article
Ecology
Robin Leppitt, Alea Rose, Wayne A. Houston, Peter M. Kyne, Sam C. Banks, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen T. Garnett
Summary: The delineation of subspecies is important in biodiversity evaluation and protection, but inconsistent criteria and lack of agreement cause challenges. By using mitochondrial DNA, the study evaluated the genetic variation of the endemic Yellow Chat in Australia and found low levels of genetic variation, indicating vulnerability to environmental change.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Ciaran A. Hyde, Giuseppe Notarbartolo di Sciara, Lynn Sorrentino, Charlotte Boyd, Brittany Finucci, Sarah L. Fowler, Peter M. Kyne, Guido Leurs, Colin A. Simpfendorfer, Michael J. Tetley, Freya Womersley, Rima W. Jabado
Summary: Area-based conservation is crucial for safeguarding declining biodiversity. The Important Shark and Ray Area (ISRA) approach provides standardized criteria for identifying and managing discrete portions of habitat important for shark, ray, and chimaera species. This approach aims to address the global biodiversity crisis faced by these species and contribute to their recovery.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Toby A. Patterson, Richard M. Hillary, Peter M. Kyne, Richard D. Pillans, Rasanthi M. Gunasekera, James R. Marthick, Grant J. Johnson, Pierre Feutry
Summary: By using sibling pairs, the abundance and connectivity of adult sharks in two river systems in Australia were estimated. The results showed male philopatry in the Adelaide River and high connectivity of males in the Alligator Rivers with the Adelaide River. This method allows simultaneous assessment of abundance and connectivity in rare and threatened species.
Article
Fisheries
Kylie Maguire, Helen O'Neill, Franziska Althaus, William White, Alan Williams
Summary: Egg case nurseries of the boreal skate and Richardson's skate were identified and mapped in the bathyal seascape off the coast of Tasmania, Australia. The majority of egg cases were found on seamounts at depths of 1100-1400 m, associated with living stony coral. The coral zone provides a more favorable environment for embryonic development due to warmer water temperatures.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
William T. White, Helen L. O'Neill, Floriaan Devloo-Delva, Kazuhiro Nakaya, Samuel P. Iglesias
Summary: A new species of deepwater catshark, Apristurus ovicorrugatus, is discovered in northwestern Australia. The unique egg cases belonging to an unknown species prompted further investigation, and it was found that the previously identified A. sinensis specimen from Dampier Archipelago was gravid with a single egg case. The egg cases of this new species have distinct T-shaped ridges on the dorsal and ventral surfaces.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Floriaan Devloo-Delva, Christopher P. Burridge, Peter M. Kyne, Juerg M. Brunnschweiler, Demian D. Chapman, Patricia Charvet, Xiao Chen, Geremy Cliff, Ryan Daly, J. Marcus Drymon, Mario Espinoza, Daniel Fernando, Laura Garcia Barcia, Kerstin Glaus, Blanca I. Gonzalez-Garza, Michael I. Grant, Rasanthi M. Gunasekera, Sebastian Hernandez, Susumu Hyodo, Rima W. Jabado, Sebastien Jaquemet, Grant Johnson, James T. Ketchum, Helene Magalon, James R. Marthick, Frederik H. Mollen, Stefano Mona, Gavin J. P. Naylor, John E. G. Nevill, Nicole M. Phillips, Richard D. Pillans, Bautisse D. Postaire, Amy F. Smoothey, Katsunori Tachihara, Bree J. Tillet, Jorge A. Valerio-Vargas, Pierre Feutry
Summary: In this study, the population structure of the Bull Shark was assessed globally for the first time. The results revealed reproductive isolation between and across ocean basins, with distinct island populations in Japan and Fiji. The Bull Sharks maintain gene flow through shallow coastal waters as dispersal corridors, but large oceanic distances and historical land-bridges act as barriers. Protecting these insular populations of Bull Sharks is crucial for ecosystem stability and functioning.
ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Robin Leppitt, Jay Evans, Luke Einoder, Peter M. Kyne, John C. Z. Woinarski, Stephen T. Garnett
Summary: This study aimed to characterize the fire history of floodplains in coastal Northern Territory, Australia. It was found that floodplains in conservation reserves experienced more frequent fires compared to those on pastoral lands, and floodplain fire regimes differed from savanna fire regimes. Further research is needed to establish floodplain-specific fire management thresholds.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF WILDLAND FIRE
(2023)
Article
Fisheries
Michael I. Grant, Peter M. Kyne, Julie James, Yi Hu, Sushmita Mukherji, Yolarnie Amepou, Leontine Baje, Andrew Chin, Grant Johnson, Tegan Lee, Brandon Mahan, Christopher Wurster, William T. White, Colin A. Simpfendorfer
Summary: By analyzing the elemental ratios in vertebrae, it was found that barium (Ba) can indicate freshwater use, while lithium (Li) and strontium (Sr) can indicate marine water use. The results showed that the northern river shark and speartooth shark mainly inhabit upper-estuarine environments, while the narrow sawfish primarily uses freshwater environments. This study demonstrates the applicability of in situ LA-ICP-MS elemental characterization for understanding elasmobranch movements across salinity gradients.
JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY
(2023)
