Age and Growth of the Bull Shark in the Western North Atlantic Ocean
Published online on 13. May 2014
Age and Growth of the Bull Shark in the Western North Atlantic Ocean
Lisa J. Natanson, Douglas H. Adams, Megan V. Winton, Jasmine R. Maurer
ABSTRACT:
Age and growth estimates for the Bull Shark Carcharhinus leucas were derived from 121 vertebral centra collected from Bull Sharks (59.1–223.5 cm FL) between 1966 and 2010 in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Size at birth was confirmed with an additional 20 embryos (44.2–54.4 cm FL). The maximum age based on vertebral band pair counts was 25 (184 cm FL) and 27 (196 cm FL) years for males and females, respectively. The logistic and Gompertz growth models fitted the size-at-age data best for males and females, respectively. Based on previously published estimates of length at maturity, males mature at 15–17 years (176–185 cm FL) and females at 15 years (189 cm FL). Bull Sharks in the western North Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico have similar growth rates and reach similar sizes at age.
Transactions of the American Fisheries Society, Volume 143, Issue 3, 2014
DOI: 10.1080/00028487.2014.892537