family megachasmidae. 1 st specimen found in 1976 off oahu, hi castro book written 1982, taxonomy...
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Family Megachasmidae
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Family Megachasmidae1st specimen found in 1976 off Oahu, HI
Castro book written 1982, taxonomy not yet assigned
although little known about biology, still high profile species
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Family Megachasmidae37 total recorded sightings
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Family Megachasmidae#6 caught in drift net off Dana Point, CAonly one tracked and photographed alive
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Taxonomycurrent taxonomy: (has been debated since discovered)
Order Lamniformes (Mackerel sharks) Family Megachasmidae (Megamouth shark)
Megachasma pelagios
mega= great chasma= cavepelagios= of the sea
probably most ancestral lamniform
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MorphologyCharacteristics shared with order:
2 spineless dorsal fins, anal fin
cylindrical body with a short snout
lack nasoral groove and barbells (Order Orectolobiformes)
small spiracle behind eye
mouth extends behind eye
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MorphologyCharacteristics shared with order:
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MorphologyDistinguishing characteristics:large terminal mouth (not ventral)*
~ 50 rows of tiny, hooked teeth, 3 rows functional
large gill rakers
white “upper lip”- feeding? conspecific detection?
dark spots on lower jaw
no pigment cells on ventral side
soft body, poorly calcified skeleton, soft, loose skin,and soft fins
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MorphologyCharacteristics shared with order:
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Morphologywhite “upper lip”
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MorphologySize: TL > 500cm
smallest recorded:190cm (male), #9, Brazil
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MorphologySize: TL > 500cm
largest recorded:570cm (female), #37, Japan
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MorphologySize: TL > 500cm
largest recorded:570cm (female), #37, Japan
largest reported:~ 700cm!!
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Habitat and Distributiondetails unknown
oceanic, coastal and offshorecontinental shelf: 5-40moffshore: caught in very deep water, 8-166m
probably worldwide in tropics and subtropics, most specimens from w. Pacific
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Habitat and Distribution
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Behavioronly 2 observations to provide behavior information
#6 (CA), #13 (Indonesia)
probably low mobility due to soft body and fins
probably undergo vertical migrations following foodshark #6 tracked for 2 days
deep depths during day
midwater/shallow at night
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Reproductionsize at maturity unknown
males: #2 (449cm TL) and 6 (494cm TL)- mature females: #7 immature at 471cm TL
#12 mature at 544cm (only mature female)
right ovary had a large number of eggs
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Reproductionprobably viviparous and oophagous
ovary structure similar to other lamniforms
probably mate in fall off coast of SoCal (October/November)males #2,6- claspers suggested recent mating activity
male #6- wounds on jaw similar to other shark species’ mating wounds
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Prey/Feeding Habits1 of 3 of the largest, filter feeding sharks
stomach contents: primary prey euphasiid shrimp (krill) some also with copepods and jellyfish
details of feeding mechanism unknown
filter feeding probably evolved independently from others (morphological differences)
more likely evolved from ancestral Odontaspididae
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Prey/Feeding Habits
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Prey/Feeding Habits
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Predators and Parasitessperm whales- seen attacking shark #13 (Indonesia)
orcas also seen attacking white shark at Farallon Isl. (CA) within the same year
new info on shark/whale relationships?
cookie cutter shark- scars on almost every specimen
other parasites- similar to other sharks; copepods, cestodes
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Population statusHuman importance:
None
too rare to be harvested
Conservation:Data Deficient on IUCN Redlist
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Population statusHuman importance:
None
too rare to be harvested
Conservation:Data Deficient on IUCN Redlist
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Literature Cited and Selected WorksCastro, J. 1983. The sharks of North American waters. Texas A&M Univ. Press, College Station. 180p.
Compagno, L.J.V. 2000. Megachasma pelagios. In: IUCN 2007. 2007 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. <www.iucnredlist.org>. Downloaded on 14 October 2007. Compagno, L., M. Dando, and S. Fowler. 2005. Sharks of the world. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ. 368p. Ito, H., M. Yoshimoto, and H. Somiya. 1999. External brain form and cranial nerves of the
megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios. Copeia 1999(1): 210-213.
Martins, C. and C. Knickle. 2006. Megamouth shark. Florida Museum Natural History, Icthyology Department. University of Florida. < http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/fish/>. Downloaded on 14 October 2007.
Nelson, D.R., J.N. McKibben, W.R. Strong, Jr., C.G. Lowe, J.A. Sisneros, D.M. Schroeder, and R.J. Lavenberg. 1996. An acoustic tracking of a megamouth shark, Megachasma pelagios: a crepuscular vertical migratory. Env. Biol. Fishes 49: 389-399.
Shimada, K. 2007. Mesozoic origin for megamouth shark (Lamniformes: Megachasmidae). J.
Vert. Paleontology 27(2): 512-516.
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