Whitehead, Darren A., and Gayford, Joel H. (2024) First record of a neonate bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) from Baja California Sur, Mexico. Ecology and Evolution, 14 (7). e11664.

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Abstract

The bluntnose sixgill shark (Hexanchus griseus) is a wide-ranged deep-water shark species found off continental and insular shelves. Despite its global distribution, little is known about the reproductive ecology of the species, particularly with regard to the location and timing of important phenological events such as mating and pupping. In this study, we report the landing of a neonate H. griseus individual from an artisanal fishing camp in Baja California Sur, Mexico. This represents only the ninth confirmed record of the species from the Mexican Pacific and the first to report a neonate specimen in Mexican waters. We discuss this specimen in the context of the environmental conditions in which it was found, ultimately suggesting that these shallow coastal waters may be an important pupping ground for H. griseus in the region. Furthermore, the specimen was found during the winter months (whereas all previous reports have suggested H. griseus pups during the summer), implying regional variation in reproductive periodicity, or the presence of multiple reproductive events per year. This study provides novel insight into the reproductive biology of H. griseus and the ecological characteristics of the species in the Northern Mexican Pacific.

Item ID:	85710
Item Type:	Article (Short Note)
ISSN:	2045-7758
Keywords:	hexanchiformes, Mexican Pacific, nursery area, pupping ground, reproductive periodicity
Copyright Information:	© 2024 The Author(s). Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Date Deposited:	03 Jun 2025 05:06
FoR Codes:	31 BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES > 3103 Ecology > 310305 Marine and estuarine ecology (incl. marine ichthyology) @ 100%
SEO Codes:	18 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT > 1805 Marine systems and management > 180504 Marine biodiversity @ 100%
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