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Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Life history of Mustelus mustelus in the Langebaan Lagoon marine protected area

Charlene da Silva https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8336-180X A F , Colin G. Attwood B , Sabine P. Wintner C D , Chris G. Wilke A , Henning Winker A , Malcolm J. Smale E and Sven E. Kerwath A B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Fisheries Management, Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Private Bag X2, Vlaeberg 8018, South Africa.

B Department of Biological Sciences, University of Cape Town, Private Bag X3, Rondebosch 7701, South Africa.

C KwaZulu–Natal Sharks Board, Umhlanga Rocks, 4320, South Africa.

D University of KwaZulu–Natal, School of Life Sciences, Durban 4000, South Africa.

E Department of Zoology and Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University, PO Box 77000, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa.

F Corresponding author. Email: charlened@daff.gov.za

Marine and Freshwater Research 72(8) 1142-1159 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF20277
Submitted: 16 September 2020  Accepted: 23 January 2021   Published: 9 March 2021

Abstract

Mustelus mustelus from the Langebaan Marine Protected Area (LMPA) has been largely protected from fishing activities for the past 30 years; therefore, its biology represents those of an unfished stock. The reproductive biology, diet, growth and maturity of M. mustelus was studied in the Langebaan Lagoon region in the south-western Cape Coast of South Africa between 2007 and 2009. In total, 217 sharks (females: 381–1734 mm total length (TL); males: 467–1267 mm TL) were examined. Sharks in the Bay represented the largest specimens among six regions, globally. Female parturition, ovulating and mating occurred between November and December after a gestation period of 10–11 months. No ontogenetic shift in diet was evident, with the diet predominantly consisting of the following three species of crustaceans; Hymenosoma orbiculare, Upogebia africana and Callichirus kraussi. The von Bertalanffy growth parameters for combined sexes were L = 1594 mm TL, k = 0.15 year–1, t0 = –2.01 year (n = 95). Possible age over-estimation was investigated using micro-computed tomography, which highlighted the existence of false check marks. This study indicated that the LMPA represents a pupping, nursery and feeding ground as well as a refuge area for the largest and oldest recorded smoothhound sharks globally, emphasising its importance in spatial conservation of this species.

Keywords: age-and-growth, diet, maturity, MPA, ontogenetic, reproductive biology smoothhound sharks, shark conservation.


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