First Record of a Sexually Mature Female Sharpnose Sevengill Shark, Heptranchias perlo, from the Eastern Mediterranean Sea

Ergüden D., Ayas D., ALAGÖZ ERGÜDEN S., Kabaklı F., Acar M. C., Kabasakal H.

Thalassas, cilt.42, sa.1, 2026 (SCI-Expanded, Scopus) identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 42 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2026
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1007/s41208-026-01046-y
  • Dergi Adı: Thalassas
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, BIOSIS
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: GSA24, Hexanchidae, Mersin bay, Reproduction, Türkiye
  • Çukurova Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

A sexually mature female specimen of Heptranchias perlo (Bonnaterre, 1788) was captured by a commercial trawl vessel at a depth of 410 m off the Aydıncık coast (Mersin Bay, Türkiye) in April 2025. This represents the first documented record of a sexually mature female sharpnose sevengill shark from the northeastern Mediterranean Sea and one of the very few records of mature females in the Mediterranean basin. The record contributes to current knowledge of the species’ regional distribution and provides additional information on its reproductive occurrence in the area. This finding may also be relevant for ongoing shark conservation efforts in the Mediterranean Sea.