New Occurrences of the Tiger Shark (<i>Galeocerdo cuvier)</i> (Carcharhinidae) off the Coast of Rio de Janeiro, Southeastern Brazil: Seasonality Indications
Izar Aximoff,
Rodrigo Cumplido,
Marcelo Tardelli Rodrigues,
Ubirajara Gonçalves de Melo,
Eduardo Barros Fagundes Netto,
Sérgio Ricardo Santos,
Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
Affiliations
Izar Aximoff
Laboratório de Radioecologia e Mudanças Globais, Núcleo de Fotografia Cientifica Ambiental, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, nº 524, PHLC Subsolo, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-900, RJ, Brazil
Rodrigo Cumplido
Programa de Pós-Graduação em Oceanografia (PPG-OCN), Centro de Tecnologia e Ciências, Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, nº 524, Maracanã, Rio de Janeiro 20550-000, RJ, Brazil
Marcelo Tardelli Rodrigues
Laboratório de Ecotoxicologia e Microbiologia Ambiental (LEMAM), Instituto Federal de Educação, Ciência e Tecnologia Fluminense (IFF), Campus Cabo Frio, Estrada Cabo Frio-Búzios, s/nº, Baía Formosa, Cabo Frio 28909-971, RJ, Brazil
Ubirajara Gonçalves de Melo
Programa Associado de Pós-Graduação em Biotecnologia Marinha (PPGBM), Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM), Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Rua Kioto, nº 253, Praia dos Anjos, Arraial do Cabo 28930-000, RJ, Brazil
Eduardo Barros Fagundes Netto
Divisão de Oceanografia Biológica, Departamento de Oceanografia, Instituto de Estudos do Mar Almirante Paulo Moreira (IEAPM), Rua Kioto, nº 253, Praia dos Anjos, Arraial do Cabo 28930-000, RJ, Brazil
Sérgio Ricardo Santos
Laboratório de Biologia e Tecnologia Pesqueira (BioTecPesca), Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Rio de Janeiro 21941-590, RJ, Brazil
Rachel Ann Hauser-Davis
Laboratório de Avaliação e Promoção da Saúde Ambiental, Instituto Oswaldo Cruz, Fiocruz, Avenida Brasil, nº 4.365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro 21040-360, RJ, Brazil
The tiger shark Galeocerdo cuvier (Péron & Lesueur, 1822) (Carcharhinidae) is classified as near-threatened along the Brazilian coast, in line with its global categorization. Although Rio de Janeiro, located in southeastern Brazil, is internationally identified as a priority shark conservation area, many shark species, including tiger sharks, are landed by both industrial and artisanal fisheries in this state. However, there is a lack of detailed information on the species capture pressures and records for the state of Rio de Janeiro. Therefore, the aims of this study were to expand the tiger shark record database and to improve upon future conservation and management strategies. Tiger shark records from four coastal Rio de Janeiro regions were obtained by direct observation. The information obtained from fishery colonies/associations, environmental guards, researchers, and scientific articles, totaling 23 records, resulted in an approximately 5-fold increase in the number of tiger shark records off the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. A possible seasonality pattern concerning the size of the captured/observed animals was noted, emphasizing the need to consider the coast of Rio de Janeiro as an especially relevant area for at least part of the life history of tiger sharks.
