Age and growth of sharks: do vertebral band pairs record age?
Lisa J. Natanson A F , Gregory B. Skomal B , Sarah L. Hoffmann C , Marianne E. Porter C , Kenneth J. Goldman D and David Serra E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A National Marine Fisheries Service, Northeast Fisheries Science Center, NOAA, 28 Tarzwell Drive, Narragansett, RI 02882-1199, USA.
B Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries, 836 S. Rodney French Boulevard, New Bedford, MA 02744, USA.
C Florida Atlantic University, Biological Sciences, 777 Glades Road, Boca Raton, FL 33431, USA.
D Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Commercial Fisheries, 3298 Douglas Place, Homer, AK 99603, USA.
E Wood River Animal Hospital, 28 Kingstown Road, Wyoming, RI 02898, USA.
F Corresponding author. Email: lisa.natanson@noaa.gov
Marine and Freshwater Research 69(9) 1440-1452 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17279
Submitted: 8 July 2017 Accepted: 16 February 2018 Published: 4 June 2018
Abstract
Inaccurate age estimates can have severe consequences in the management of elasmobranchs. Numerous studies in shark age validation have demonstrated a disconnect between band pair counts and age, resulting in age underestimation, particularly in older individuals. To investigate the relationship between band pairs, vertebral shape and growth, we quantified intracolumn differences in centrum morphology (size and structure) and band pair counts in seven shark species: Squatina dumeril, Carcharodon carcharias, Lamna nasus, Isurus oxyrinchus, Alopias vulpinus, Prionace glauca and Carcharhinus obscurus. In all species examined, band pair deposition was closely related to body girth and the structural properties of the cartilaginous skeleton, relative to maximum size, and body type. These results have strong implications for accurately assessing age for fisheries management of these species.
Additional keywords: ageing, biomechanics, bomb radiocarbon, centra, elasmobranch, validation.
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