Capture of a rare shark,Oxynotus centrina(Chondrichthyes: Oxynotidae) in the eastern Adriatic Sea

Abstract

Summary A rare species, the angular rough shark Oxynotus centrina (Linnaeus, 1758) was incidentally captured on 7 July 2007 by long line in Croatian waters at the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. An adult female weighing 7883 g and reaching 800 mm in total length is the largest angular rough shark recorded to date not only in the Adriatic Sea but also in the Mediterranean. Morphometric measurements were taken which were in agreement with those of specimens previously measured from other Mediterranean areas. The female contained asymmetrically distributed (14 in the right ovary, four in the left) developing yellow yolk oocytes 24–35 mm in diameter, and the uteri were in resting phase. This confirms that vitellogenesis does not proceed in parallel with gestation and that the species reproduces in alternate years. Hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic indexes reached high values, 35.50 and 4.81, respectively. Examination of the stomach did not reveal traces of any recently eaten or even partly digested food, suggesting that the female was in a non-feeding period.