NOTES ON THE OCCURRENCE OF SMALLTOOTH SANDTİGER SHARK, ODONTASPİS FEROX (LAMNİFORMES: ODONTASPİDİDAE) FROM ANTALYA BAY, EASTERN MEDİTERRANEAN, TURKEY

Notes on the occurrence of smalltooth sandtiger shark, Odontaspis ferox (Lamniformes: Odontaspididae) from Antalya Bay, eastern Mediterranean, Turkey

Hakan Kabasakal, Erdi Bayrı

Ichthyological Research Society, Tantavi mah., Menteşoğlu cad., İdil apt., No: 30, D: 4, 34764 Ümraniye, İstanbul, TURKEY

Abstract

On 11 March 2019, a female specimen of Odontaspis ferox, was incidentally caught by a commercial bottom trawler, towed at the depths between 100 to 120 m, in Antalya Bay. Total length of the specimen was 400 cm. Based on the recent Red List assessment of Mediterranean elasmobranchs, O. ferox is a rare and endangered shark species. Capture of the mature females creates a significant threat to the survival of the species. Therefore, promoting fishermen to release live specimens, appears to be an urgent, feasible first step in the protection of this rare shark in Turkish waters.

Keywords: Smalltooth sandtiger shark, endangered, incidental catch, Levantine Basin

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