Historical and Contemporary Occurrence of Odontaspis ferox (Risso, 1810) (Lamniformes: Odontaspididae) in Turkish Seas, with New Records from the Region

Abstract

Objective: The aim of the present article is to review historical and recent records of the critically endangered Odontaspis ferox from Turkish seas, and to present previously unpublished sightings. Materials and Methods: Data of the present article was collated from the following sources: (a) observations during the visits to main fishing ports and fish markets located along Aegean and Mediterranean coasts of Türkiye; (b) screening of digital and published media reporting on the capture of large sharks in Turkish seas; (c) screening of old and contemporary ichthyological books and shark-specific publications, dealing with the fishes of Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean; and (d) citizen scientists’ observations. Results: Four previously unpublished records of O. ferox from the Turkish Mediterranean coasts are reported, and with the addition of recent sightings, the total number of documented records of the species from Türkiye has increased to eight. Conclusion: Despite previous suspicions of the existence of O. ferox in Turkish seas, the present study has verified the occurrence of the species in the region. The scarcity of evidence-based observations is compatible with research findings from other parts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Turkish population of the species is currently recognized as rare. Owing to the extinction risk of O. ferox, it should be rapidly included in the list of species banned for fishing through official fishery legislation published by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry.

Keywords

• Aegean Sea
• Mediterranean Sea
• occurrence
• smalltooth
• status

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