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Fishes
Special Issues
Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management
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Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management

A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 April 2024) | Viewed by 7622

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Fabrizio Serena

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology of the National Research Council (CNR-IRBIM), Via Vaccara, 61-91026 Mazara del Vallo, TP, Italy
Interests: chondrichthyans; fisheries science; stock assessment; taxonomy; marine ecology; biodiversity; conservation biology; scientific diving
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Fabio Fiorentino

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnology (IRBIM), National Research Council (CNR), Mazara del Vallo, Italy
Interests: fish biology; fishery ecology; stock assessment; fishery management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Elasmobranchs appeared more than 400 million years ago and developed a large variety of morphological and functional solutions that have allowed them to colonize all seas around the world. These morphological features proved to be optimal, and have remained almost unchanged. Currently, there are about 600 species of sharks and 800 species of skates and rays, with each species adapted to different aquatic environments. Many elasmobranchs are top predators and keep food webs in balance by controlling the abundance of marine organisms of lower levels of the trophic web. Overall, elasmobranchs are characterized by special life-history traits (low fecundity, delayed sexual maturity, long lifespan, low growth rates), making them vulnerable to the impact of fishing pressure. In fact, they have a low resilience to this kind of professional activity. However, due to growing fishing efforts and the additional impact of habitat degradation and climate change, populations of elasmobranchs are declining in many areas of the world. Thus, we have noticed a significant loss of biodiversity. Due to the relevance of their conservation issues, this Special Issue aims to deepen various aspects of biology and ecology, stock assessment and the fishery management of sharks, rays and skates in order to support more sustainable fishing strategies while considering the global change affecting oceans.

Dr. Fabrizio Serena
Dr. Fabio Fiorentino
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

9 pages, 1652 KiB  
Communication
An Examination of the Effects of Dorsal Fin-Mounted SPOT on Carcharodon carcharias, the Great White Shark
by Grace L. Hicks and Phillip S. Lobel
Fishes 2024, 9(6), 231; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9060231 - 17 Jun 2024
Viewed by 2809
Abstract
This opinion piece presents empirical evidence to examine possible negative consequences of the use of penetrative tagging as used on the great white shark (GWS). Tagging programs currently using this method attach SPOT (Spatial Positioning Only Tags) using corrodible bolts inserted through the [...] Read more.
This opinion piece presents empirical evidence to examine possible negative consequences of the use of penetrative tagging as used on the great white shark (GWS). Tagging programs currently using this method attach SPOT (Spatial Positioning Only Tags) using corrodible bolts inserted through the dorsal fin while the shark is taken out of water. Such methods can cause harm to the tagged individual. Possible adverse effects include impacts on growth, tag biofouling, wounds, heightened stress, and hemorrhaging. This method may adversely impact dorsal fin structure and the shark’s hydrodynamics. As a result, data collected may not be reflective of natural behavior. Bolted SPOT are semi-permanently affixed to the shark but can have a battery life of approximately 3.5 years. Most of these tags (69%) ceased transmitting in less than 2 years. Alternative tagging technologies exist as more humane options. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management)
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11 pages, 765 KiB  
Article
Genetic Population Structure and Diversity of the Whitetail Dogfish Squalus albicaudus (Chondrichthyes, Squaliformes) along the Brazilian Coast as Identified by SNP Markers
by Aisni M. C. L. Adachi, Pollyana C. G. Roque, Fabio H. V. Hazin, Marcelo Vianna, Matheus M. Rotundo, Claudio Oliveira, Fausto Foresti and Vanessa P. Cruz
Fishes 2023, 8(7), 373; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8070373 - 20 Jul 2023
Viewed by 1580
Abstract
The shark Squalus albicaudus, categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list as Data Deficient due to lack of minimal information for classification, is distributed throughout the Brazilian coast. High pressures such as overfishing and anthropic activities, as well [...] Read more.
The shark Squalus albicaudus, categorized by the International Union for Conservation of Nature red list as Data Deficient due to lack of minimal information for classification, is distributed throughout the Brazilian coast. High pressures such as overfishing and anthropic activities, as well as certain biological characteristics, including k strategists, comprise influential shark stocks reduction agents. However, genetic diversity, population structure, connectivity, and effective population size data are still limited for S. albicaudus, indicating the need for further studies. In this context, the genetic variability and population structure of S. albicaudus were investigated herein to test for panmixia. Samples were obtained from coasts of the Brazilian states of Pernambuco, Rio de Janeiro, and São Paulo along the species distribution range, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were assessed by the ddRADseq method. The findings revealed a panmitic S. albicaudus population, explained by certain life strategies, such as polyandry and migratory behavior. Based on the genomic findings reported herein, a single S. albicaudus population should be considered in the study area, indicating the need for specific management and conservation plans at the regional scale. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management)
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16 pages, 2293 KiB  
Article
Age and Growth of the Threatened Smalleye Round Ray, Urotrygon microphthalmum, Delsman, 1941, from Northeastern Brazil
by Jones Santander-Neto, Francisco Marcante Santana, Jonas Eloi Vasconcelos-Filho and Rosângela Lessa
Fishes 2023, 8(3), 160; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8030160 - 12 Mar 2023
Viewed by 2124
Abstract
The age and growth of Urotrygon microphthalmum were studied using specimens captured between March 2010 and March 2012 as by-catch in the shrimp trawl fishery off the coast of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. A total of 347 vertebrae were read, 161 from [...] Read more.
The age and growth of Urotrygon microphthalmum were studied using specimens captured between March 2010 and March 2012 as by-catch in the shrimp trawl fishery off the coast of the state of Pernambuco, Brazil. A total of 347 vertebrae were read, 161 from males (81.6–249.55 mm) and 186 from females (86.15–298.1 mm). The estimated average percentage index (IAPE) ranged from 0.71% to 4.33% (mean = 2.5%) in vertebrae from specimens with 1 and 6 band pairs, respectively. In the present study, the different approaches to validation produced variable results (partially valid growth zones). We then decided to discuss the growth of the species considering the formation of an annual ring. There were statistically significant differences in growth between the sexes. The best model to describe male growth was the von Bertalanffy growth model for two phases (VBGM TP) with growth parameters L∞ (maximum theoretical length) = 230.35 mm, k (growth constant) = 1.00, t0 (theoretical age of size zero) = −0.76 years and for females it was the von Bertalanffy with birth size (VBGM L0) model with parameters L∞ = 282.55 mm, k = 0.37. The age of maturity for males and females was 1.52 and 2.02 years, respectively, and the maximum age observed was 5.5 and 8.5 years, respectively. Despite being a fast-growing species, Urotrygon microphthalmum is threatened, probably due to the high mortality levels from shrimp trawling in a very narrow range of the shelf where all the life stages are captured. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Elasmobranch Biodiversity, Conservation and Management)
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