Range extension of the Critically Endangered shorttail nurse shark
11. January 2021
Range extension of the Critically Endangered shorttail nurse shark Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum (Orectolobiformes: Ginglymostomatidae) to include Mozambique, with implications for management
Rhett H. Bennett, David A. Ebert, Jorge J. Sitoe, Stela Fernando, Mark Harris, David van Beuningen, Aseeqah Davids
ABSTRACT:
The Critically Endangered shorttail nurse shark Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum (Günther, 1866) is a small-bodied Orectolobiform shark found only in the Western Indian Ocean (WIO). We report here on a significant range extension for P. brevicaudatum based on four records of the species in southern Mozambique, recorded during research surveys, including a specimen collected in 1967 and video surveys in 2019, and opportunistic assessments of shore-angler photographic catch records. These are the first records of P. brevicaudatum in Mozambique. The potential factors for this range extension and its implications for the management of this species are discussed. We also present morphological descriptions of the first recorded P. brevicaudatum specimen from Mozambique and of the dentition of this species (based on samples from Madagascar), and comment on the current status of knowledge and knowledge gaps for this species. Owing to its poor conservation status, limited inshore distribution and potential and confirmed fishery threats, improved knowledge and conservation should be considered priorities for P. brevicaudatum.
Marine Biodiversity volume 51, Article number: 7 (2021), DOI: 10.1007/s12526-020-01137-w