First documented presence of Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron &amp; Lesueur, 1822) (ELASMOBRANCHII, CARCHARHINIDAE) in the Mediterranean basin (Libyan waters)

Fabrizio Serena,Ibrahim M. Tobuni,Ben-Abdallah R. Benabdallah,Esmail A. Shakman

doi:10.1186/s41200-016-0089-3

Abstract

One male and one female specimen of tiger shark, Galeocerdo cuvier (Peron & Lesueur, 1822), were accidentally caught by a drifting longline for swordfish in the south Mediterranean (Libyan waters). This finding confirms beyond any doubt that the tiger shark may be encountered in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea. Although records of this species has previously been reported, the information is partial or dubious, due to the lack of a description of the individuals found or the uncertain provenance of preserved material. Our finding confirms the record of this species in the southern part of the Mediterranean basin. Images, as well as morphometrics and information on stomach contents are given. Based on the size of the individuals, it is considered that the two specimens were born recently, presumably inside the Mediterranean Sea and likely close to the area where the individuals were found.

Highlights

On 7th January 2015, two juvenile specimens, one male and one female of Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) were caught in the Libyan waters north east of Tripoli on the west part of the Gulf of Sidra (Fig. 1)
Our finding can be considered the first well-documented occurrence of G. cuvier in the southern Mediterranean. It confirms the sporadic occurrence of the species in the Mediterranean Sea
This record cannot be taken as a proof of the stable occurrence of the species in the region or of a geographic extension of the species in to the Mediterranean Sea, even if, recently, 5 nm north of the Gorgona Island (North West Mediterranean), one of us has personally observed another specimen of about 2 m long, during a sportfishing on 29th of September 2015, no photo was taken

Summary

Introduction

On 7th January 2015, two juvenile specimens, one male and one female of Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (tiger shark) were caught in the Libyan waters north east of Tripoli on the west part of the Gulf of Sidra (Fig. 1). Tiger sharks belong to the Family of CARCHARHINIDAE Jordan & Evermann, 1896 This species can be considered circumglobal, found at all latitudes excluding Polar Regions. Tiger shark normally resides further south; including the Azores, Morocco and Canary Islands as far as the Ghana coasts, but it is probable that the species has a wider distribution range in the area. It is present from the coast of the U.S.A. stretching to Uruguay, including the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean islands and in the Pacific and Indian oceans and Red Sea (Compagno, 1984; Randall, 1992; Bonfil & Abdallah, 2004; Ebert & Stehmann, 2013)

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