Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea
Elasmobranchs are among the marine species more threatened by overfishing. Their conservation is often impaired by the lack of knowledge of species’ life history traits. We filled knowledge gaps on age and growth of two threatened smooth-hound sharks (<i>Mustelus mustelus</i>, <i>M...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-11-01
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| Series: | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1647 |
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| author | Gabriele Boscolo Palo Manfredi Di Lorenzo Salvatore Gancitano Sergio Ragonese Carlotta Mazzoldi Francesco Colloca |
| author_facet | Gabriele Boscolo Palo Manfredi Di Lorenzo Salvatore Gancitano Sergio Ragonese Carlotta Mazzoldi Francesco Colloca |
| author_sort | Gabriele Boscolo Palo |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Elasmobranchs are among the marine species more threatened by overfishing. Their conservation is often impaired by the lack of knowledge of species’ life history traits. We filled knowledge gaps on age and growth of two threatened smooth-hound sharks (<i>Mustelus mustelus</i>, <i>Mm</i>; <i>Mustelus punctulatus</i>, <i>Mp</i>) in the central Mediterranean Sea, combining standard vertebrae analysis with growth increment data from a tagging survey. Our data revealed that the two species grow at a faster rate than previously estimated using vertebrae reading only. The maximum age/size found was higher for <i>Mm</i> (16 years, 170 cm TL) than <i>Mp</i> (8 years, 120 cm TL), the first species attaining larger size-at-age than the second one. <i>Mp</i> reaches maturity at earlier ages (A<sub>50</sub> 3 years for both females and males) than <i>Mm</i> (A<sub>50</sub> females: 4 years; males: 3 years). The use of the tag-recapture method to validate the growth rate, firstly derived by sectioned vertebrae readings, highlighted the presence of false check marks. The new estimates of growth and longevity have important implications for the assessment of natural mortality, productivity, and stock resilience to fishing pressure which, combined with the high site fidelity highlighted by tagging data, may have crucial implications for the conservation of these two threatened sharks in the Mediterranean Sea. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:56:20Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-04bc232c00894f92a54b5219bbae2d76 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1312 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T18:56:20Z |
| publishDate | 2022-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Marine Science and Engineering |
| spelling | doaj.art-04bc232c00894f92a54b5219bbae2d762023-11-24T05:22:18ZengMDPI AGJournal of Marine Science and Engineering2077-13122022-11-011011164710.3390/jmse10111647Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean SeaGabriele Boscolo Palo0Manfredi Di Lorenzo1Salvatore Gancitano2Sergio Ragonese3Carlotta Mazzoldi4Francesco Colloca5Institute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IRBIM-CNR), Largo Fiera della Pesca, 2, 60125 Ancona, ItalyInstitute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IRBIM-CNR), Via Luigi Vaccara, 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, ItalyInstitute for Biological Resources and Marine Biotechnologies, National Research Council (IRBIM-CNR), Via Luigi Vaccara, 61, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, ItalyIndependent Researcher, 91026 Mazara del Vallo, ItalyDepartment of Biology, University of Padova, Via Ugo Bassi 58/B, 35131 Padova, ItalyIntegrative Marine Ecology Department, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Via Po 25c, 00198 Rome, ItalyElasmobranchs are among the marine species more threatened by overfishing. Their conservation is often impaired by the lack of knowledge of species’ life history traits. We filled knowledge gaps on age and growth of two threatened smooth-hound sharks (<i>Mustelus mustelus</i>, <i>Mm</i>; <i>Mustelus punctulatus</i>, <i>Mp</i>) in the central Mediterranean Sea, combining standard vertebrae analysis with growth increment data from a tagging survey. Our data revealed that the two species grow at a faster rate than previously estimated using vertebrae reading only. The maximum age/size found was higher for <i>Mm</i> (16 years, 170 cm TL) than <i>Mp</i> (8 years, 120 cm TL), the first species attaining larger size-at-age than the second one. <i>Mp</i> reaches maturity at earlier ages (A<sub>50</sub> 3 years for both females and males) than <i>Mm</i> (A<sub>50</sub> females: 4 years; males: 3 years). The use of the tag-recapture method to validate the growth rate, firstly derived by sectioned vertebrae readings, highlighted the presence of false check marks. The new estimates of growth and longevity have important implications for the assessment of natural mortality, productivity, and stock resilience to fishing pressure which, combined with the high site fidelity highlighted by tagging data, may have crucial implications for the conservation of these two threatened sharks in the Mediterranean Sea.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1647smooth-houndsshark biologyshark conservationage and growthtag/recapturelife history traits |
| spellingShingle | Gabriele Boscolo Palo Manfredi Di Lorenzo Salvatore Gancitano Sergio Ragonese Carlotta Mazzoldi Francesco Colloca Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea Journal of Marine Science and Engineering smooth-hounds shark biology shark conservation age and growth tag/recapture life history traits |
| title | Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full | Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea |
| title_fullStr | Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea |
| title_full_unstemmed | Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea |
| title_short | Sharks Do Not Always Grow Slowly: Tagging Data Reveal a Different Pattern of Growth, Longevity and Maturity for Threatened Smooth-Hounds in the Central Mediterranean Sea |
| title_sort | sharks do not always grow slowly tagging data reveal a different pattern of growth longevity and maturity for threatened smooth hounds in the central mediterranean sea |
| topic | smooth-hounds shark biology shark conservation age and growth tag/recapture life history traits |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/10/11/1647 |
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