Movement Patterns of Bonnethead Sharks
Published in June 2017
Movement Patterns of Sphyrna tiburo (Bonnethead Shark) in a Shallow Tidal Creek System
Dontrece T. Smith and Mary Carla Curran
ABSTRACT:
The purpose of this study was to use acoustic telemetry to elucidate the small-scale habitat-utilization patterns of Sphyrna tiburo (Bonnethead Shark, hereafter, Bonnethead) in relation to diel and tidal cycles in a shallow tidal creek system along the coast of Georgia. We found that Bonnetheads utilized the main channel of a tidal creek at night, dawn, and during ebb and low tides. In addition, we found the first evidence of Bonnetheads utilizing smaller 3rd-order creeks. Bonnetheads used these tributaries at night and dawn, during flood and high tides when the water level facilitated access. The movement patterns of these Bonnetheads could be representative of those in other areas with semidiurnal tides.
Southeastern Naturalist 16(2):297-316. DOI: 10.1656/058.016.0213