Unexpected Records of Newborn and Young Sharks in Ligurian and North Tyrrhenian Seas (North-Western Mediterranean Basin)

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

A nice baseline study. I have made some comments on your manuscript I hope you find useful. 

I suggest you review your final paragraph as 'recovery' was not well argued. I suggest you rewrite or remove the paragraph from the manuscript before final submission.

Comments for author File: Comments.pdf

Some minor grammatical issues. A final read is recommended. 

Author Response

I followed the suggestions added by the reviewer n. 1on the pdf file. Changes are now visible on the word file (using the track change).

Reviewer 2 Report

The authors presented interesting observations and suggestions derived from an important initiative (MEDLEM) involving a well-running and efficient regional network of active researchers and authorities that contribute to the collection of data belonging to a very sensitive group of animals as the large elasmobranchs. The effort spent for their conservation is tangible and must be spread and upscaled to other Regions of the Mediterranean Sea.

I have no peculiar concerns related to the publication of the proposed manuscript, except for one clarification that I ask the authors to be discussed. Some elasmobranch species are easy to recognise, although some body traits seem to be less prominent in juveniles and hinder the taxonomical assignment (especially in some genera as Carcharhinus). I would like this aspect to be added to the discussion section in order to spread this peculiarity to the readers that might not know this challenging aspect.

Here some minor comments and suggestions:

INTRODUCTION

Line 89: please, modify "porpoise" with "purpose" and check throughout the manuscript (e.g., line 147 in M&M)

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Line 119: please, modify "the whole fish" with "the whole specimen"

Line 123: delete the digit after "net"

RESULTS 

Line 200 (Caption of Figure 4): please, add a digit in all nominal species, between the genus and the species (e.g., P.glauca becomes P. glauca)

DISCUSSION

Line 292: please, modify "P. glauca" as "Prionace glauca" and be consistent with this style (beginning of sentences) across the section and manuscript (i.e., modify also for Isurus, Carcharhinus and so on)

Line 346: please, modify "environmental condition" as "environmental conditions"

Lines 366-376: please, check the font size

The english form and grammar are fluid and sound scientific. I highlighted some issues with vocabulary (e.g., porpoise, although related to the marine realm, is a cetacean) and text formatting.

Author Response

INTRODUCTION

Line 89: please, modify "porpoise" with "purpose" and check throughout the manuscript (e.g., line 147 in M&M). Done

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Line 119: please, modify "the whole fish" with "the whole specimen". Done

Line 123: delete the digit after "net". Done

RESULTS

Line 200 (Caption of Figure 4): please, add a digit in all nominal species, between the genus and the species (e.g., P.glauca becomes P. glauca). OK, Done

DISCUSSION

Line 292: please, modify "P. glauca" as "Prionace glauca" and be consistent with this style (beginning of sentences) across the section and manuscript (i.e., modify also for Isurus, Carcharhinus and so on). OK, done

Line 346: please, modify "environmental condition" as "environmental conditions". Done

Lines 366-376: please, check the font size. Done