THE FIRST RECORD OF BIGEYED SIXGILL SHARK, HEXANCHUS NAKAMURAI TENG, 1962 IN ALBANIAN WATERS    

The first record of bigeyed sixgill shark, Hexanchus nakamurai Teng, 1962 in Albanian waters    

Rigers Bakiu, Marko Cakalli, Ioannis Giovos

Department of Aquaculture and Fisheries, Faculty of Agriculture and Environment, Agricultural University of Tirana, Koder-Kamez, ALBANIA
iSea, Environmental Organisation for the Preservation of the Aquatic Ecosystems, Ochi Av. 11, 55438, Agios Paulos, Thessaloniki, GREECE

Abstract

Bigeyed sixgill shark (Hexanchus nakamurai) is a deepwater cow shark species, native but rare in the Mediterranean Sea. The species commonly is misidentified as its congeneric Hexanchus griseus, a much more abundant species in the basin, creating confusion on the actual distribution and abundance of H. nakamurai in the Mediterranean Sea. In this work, we present the first confirmed record of the bigeyed sixgill shark in the Albanian Sea. The individual was captured off the coast of Himara by a professional fisherman and identified in situ by two researchers.

Keywords: Bigeyed sixgill shark, Albanian coast, Ionian Sea, Mediterranean Sea

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