Diet of the seven gill sharkNotorynchus cepedianusin the temperate coastal waters of southern Africa

Abstract

The sevengill shark Notorynchus cepedianus is a large, common species of most coastal temperate waters that has often been overlooked as an important marine predator. It is a eurytrophic predator that optimizes the available resources. Analysis of sevengill shark stomachs from four different regions off southern Africa reveal that chondrichthyan, teleost and marine mammal species were the major prey categories and lead to the conclusion that the sevengill is an apex predator in that nearshore marine ecosystem. Other than the great white shark, the sevengill shark has no trophic equivalents in those areas where it occurs, particularly among carcharhinoids.