Occurrence of great white shark, <I>Carcharodon carcharias</I> (Elasmobranchii: Lamniformes: Lamnidae), off Corsica (northern Mediterranean): historical and contemporary records

Abstract

Group (Corsica-MSRG), in order to assess the present status of its population around Corsica. The actions of the group have been supported by local fishermen actively helping the researchers in reporting relevant sightings and collection of the specimens. In the wake of this cooperation, on 30 August 2012, we were informed that a male specimen of Carcharodon carcharias was captured by trammel-nets, at a depths range of 190 and 200 m, by 42°29′09.02′′N and 8°34′79.20′′E (Fig. 1, record 11), together with decapod species and some anglerfish, Lophius piscatorius Linnaeus, 1758. The specimen was 200 cm long (total length) and weighed approximately 200 kg (Fig. 2). Additionally, it exhibited developed and partially calcified claspers, suggesting that the specimen was probably juvenile. Unfortunately, the great white shark could not be preserved as a whole specimen and it was discarded at sea.Additionally, of the four teeth that have been removed from the shark, two were preserved in the Ichthyological Collection of the Corsican Section of the Mediterranean Shark Research Group located in Appietto (Corsica); they received the following catalogue numbers: Corsica MSRG Car.-car. 01 and Corsica MSRG Car.-car. 02, respectively (Fig. 3).Basic data collected while browsing old literature, published documents, interviews with fisherman, and personal observations showed that Carcharodon carcharias has historically occurred in the Corsican marine waters (Fig. 1

Additional and unusual captures of elasmobranch species from the northern coast of Tunisia (central Mediterranean)

“…However, most of these records occurred in the central Mediter ranean, especially in the Strait of Sicily, where several juvenile and adult specimens were recorded (Fergus son 1996(Fergus son , 2002De Maddalena et al, 2002;De Mad dalena, 2006;Saïdi et al, 2005a). Similar patterns were confirmed by Maliet et al (2013) who pointed out the relative abundance of captures of C. carcharias throughout the Corsican coast and the adjacent areas.…”

“…4). This new capture of a great white in northern Tunisian waters shows that the central Mediterranean is probably a nursery area for the species in total accor dance with Maliet et al (2013) and Bradaï and Saïdi (2013).…”

On the occurrence of live sharksucker,Echeneis naucratesLinnaeus, 1758 (Perciformes: Echeneidae), in Turkish waters (Eastern Mediterranean)

“…Akyol et al (2011) Kabasakal et al (2011) and Kabasakal (2013). Additionally, Kabasakal and Gediko glu (2008) and Kabasakal et al (2009) found new-born and juvenile C. carcharias in Turkish waters, such observations suggesting that Turkish waters could be considered as a nursery area for the species, as appears to be the case in the central Mediterranean (Sa€ ıdi et al, 2005;Maliet et al, 2013). This suitable hypothesis needs further observation, but cannot be totally ruled out.…”