Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Commission des Thons de l’Océan Indien These identification cards are produced by the Indian Ocean Tuna Commission (IOTC), in collaboration with the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), to help improve catch data and statistics on sharks and rays that interact with tuna fisheries in the Indian Ocean. With a better understanding of shark stocks and with better statistics, regional fisheries managers can ensure that sharks and rays are fished in a sustainable manner in the Indian Ocean. The most likely users of the cards are fisheries observers, samplers, fishing masters and crew on board fishing vessels targeting tuna, tuna-like species and sharks in the Indian Ocean. Fisheries training institutions and fishing communities are other potential users. This publication was made possible through financial support provided by the <partner>. For further information contact: Indian Ocean Tuna Commission Le Chantier Mall PO Box 1011, Victoria, Seychelles Phone: +248 422 54 94 Fax: +248 422 43 64 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.iotc.org This publication is based on that developed by the Secretariat of the Pacific Community entitled «Shark identication in Pacific tropical offshore fisheries» (conception: M. Blanc / design: A.Desurmont and T. Luciani) Layout: Julien Million and Jipé Le-Bars. Scientific advice: Dr. Evgeny Romanov and Dr. Charles Anderson. Acknowledgements to Dr. Rui Coelho, Dr. Bernard Seret and Dr. David Wilson for their valuable inputs. Illustrations © R.Swainston/anima.net.au. One shark illustration - Odontaspis noronhai - by L. Hata reproduced courtesy of SPC. Four ray illustrations – Manta alfredi, Manta birostris, Mobula mobular, Mobula tarapacana – by J.F. Dejounannet are reproduced courtesy of the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD) and the National Museum of Natural History (MNHN). © Copyright: IOTC and SPC, 2012 How to use this card? Common English name FAO Scientific name Each card contains: J —Japanese name C —simplified Chinese / traditional Chinese names - the scientific name of the species as F —French name well as its common names in English, S —Spanish name First dorsal French, Spanish, Japanese, traditional fin Second Precaudal pit dorsal fin Eye and simplified Chinese, Upper lobe - its FAO code Caudal fin - its maximum total length in centimeters. - an illustration of the species and some Snout Lower lobe Mouth Anal fin Gill slit Pelvic fin distinctive features Pectoral fin Terminology Head - interdorsal ridge: ridge of skin between Total Length the first and second dorsal fins Pectoral fin with straight Pectoral fin with falcate posterior margin posterior margin - serrated: saw-like Insertion Insertion Free rear tip Free rear tip Common English name FAO Scientific name J —Japanese name C —simplified Chinese / traditional Chinese names F —French name S —Spanish name Head fin Ventral mouth Eye Spiracle Gill slits Pectoral fin Dorsal ridge Disc length Pelvic fin Dorsal fin Spine Tail Disc with Thresher sharks - Alopiidae Requiem sharks - Carcharhinidae Threshers sharks are easily identifiable with the One of the largest familly of sharks with 54 species. Many caracteristic shape of the caudal fin, its upper lobe of these species are similar and their identification can be length being equal to the rest of the body. These sharks difficult. The most important identification features are the are widely distributed in temperate and tropical seas tooth shapes, the position of dorsal fins and the presence Manta rays and devilrays - Mobulidae around the globe. or abscence of an interdorsal ridge. Manta rays and devilrays are the largest rays and are widely distributed in tropical and warm temperate seas. Their body is wider than long with one cephalic lobe on each side of the head. Hammerhead sharks - Sphyrnidae Whale sharks - Rhindodontidae Hammerheads are easily identifiable with the Only one species for this shark which is the largest caracteristic shape of their head which is similar to shark in the ocean. They are planktonic feeders and a hammer. These species are widely distributed in occur in all tropical waters around the globe. tropical and warm temperate waters. Stingrays - Dasyatidae Stingrays include around 80 species, which disc shape can vary from circular to rhomboidal. The tail is missing dorsal, anal or caudal fin Mackerel sharks - Lamnidae Kitefin sharks - Dalatiidae and has in general one or more stinging spines. Mackerel sharks are large sharks with a conical and Kitefin sharks are small ciyindrical shark, missing Sintgrays are widely distributed in tropical and pointed snout, small second dorsal and anal fins, the anal fin. They are widely distributed and mostly temperate seas, as well as in some freshwaters large lateral keels and prominent precaudal pits. they deepwater sharks. habitat. are widely distributed in tropical and temperate seas. Pelagic thresher PTH Alopias pelagicus J —ニタリ C —浅海长尾鲨 / 淺海狐鮫 F —renard pélagique S —zorro pelágico No groove on head Big eye Thresher Sharks No labial furrow Side silvery or bluish Round tip Max. length: 390cm PROHIBITION OF RETENTION Thresher ALV Alopias vulpinus J —マオナガ C —狐形长尾鲨 / 狐鮫 F —renard Thresher Sharks S —zorro No groove on head Pectoral, anal and dorsal fins often with white tip Small eye White colour of belly extending above pectoral and pelvic fins Pointed tip Labial furrows Max. length: 570cm PROHIBITION OF RETENTION Bigeye thresher BTH Alopias superciliosus J —ハチワレ C —大眼长尾鲨 / 深海狐鮫 F —renard à gros yeux Dorsal fin closer to pelvic fins S —zorro ojón than to pectoral fins Groove on head Thresher Sharks Huge eyes extending on the dorsal Light belly colour head surface only below pectoral fins No labial furrow Max. length: 585cm PROHIBITION OF RETENTION Great hammerhead SPK Sphyrna mokarran J —ヒラシュモクザメ Hammerhead Sharks C —无沟双髻鲨 / 八鰭丫髻鮫 First falcate dorsal fin very high F —grand requin-marteau S —cornuda gigante Origin of second dorsal fin over origina of anal fin Strongly falcate pelvic fin Anterior margin of head nearly straight with small indentation in the middle Max. length: 600cm Scalloped hammerhead SPL Sphyrna lewini J —アカシュモクザメ C —路氏双髻鲨 / 紅肉丫髻鮫 F —requin-marteau halicorne S —cornuda común Origin of second dorsal fin over middle of anal fin base Hammerhead Sharks Straight or slightly falcate pelvic fin Anterior margin of head curved with middle marked dent and a distinct lobe at each end Max. length: 350cm Smooth hammerhead SPZ Sphyrna zygaena J —シロシュモクザメ Hammerhead Sharks C —鎚头双髻鲨 / 丫髻鮫 F —requin-marteau commun S —cornuda cruz Origin of second dorsal fin over middle of anal fin base Anterior margin of head curved median indentation absent or not well marked Max. length: 350cm Winghead shark EUB Eusphyra blochii J —インドシュモクザメ C —丁字双髻鲨 / 丁字雙髻鯊 F —requin-marteau planeur S —cornuda planeadora Hammerhead Sharks Head width nearly half of body length Max. length: 190cm BSH Blue shark Sharks — with bluish colouring Prionace glauca J —ヨシキリザメ C —大青鲨 / 鋸峰齒鮫 F —peau bleue S —tiburón azul Long pectoral fins Upper teeth with jagged edges Head long and snout rounded Max. length: 380cm Porbeagle POR Lamna nasus J —ニシネズミザメ C —鼠鲨 / 鼠鯊 White rear tip F —requin-taupe commun S —marrajo sardinero Strong keel head Long gill slits Teeth with lateral cusplets Sharks — with bluish colouring Head and snout pointed Max. length: 325cm SMA Shortfin mako Sharks — with bluish colouring Isurus oxyrinchus J —バケアオザメ C —尖吻鲭鲨 / 長臂灰鯖鮫 F —taupe bleue S —marrajo dientuso head Pectoral fins shorter than head Upper and lower lobes of tail nearly the same length Upper teeth Head conical and with no jagged edges snout pointed Max. length: 395cm Longfin mako LMA Isurus paucus J —アオザメ C —长鳍鲭鲨 / 灰鯖鮫 F —petite taupe S —marrajo carite head Very long pectoral fins, as long as head Upper and lower lobes of tail nearly the same length Head pointed Upper teeth but snout rounded Sharks — with bluish colouring with no jagged edges Max. length: 420cm Silvertip shark ALS Carcharhinus albimarginatus Sharks — with white tips J —ツマジロ C —白边真鲨 / 白邊鰭白眼鮫 F —requin pointe blanche The back edge (not only the tips) of all fins is white S —tiburón de puntas blancas Max. length: 275cm Oceanic whitetip shark OCS Carcharhinus longimanus J —ヨゴレ C —长鳍真鲨 / 污斑白眼鮫 F —requin océanique S —tiburón oceánico First dorsal and pectoral fins clearly Sharks — with white tips broad and rounded, with spotted white tip Max. length: 300cm Whitetip reef shark TRB Triaenodon obesus Sharks — with white tips J —ネムリブカ C —灰三齿鲨 / 鱟鮫 F —requin corail Tips always white S —tiburón coralero ñato Tips sometimes white Max. length: 170cm Blacktip shark CCL Carcharhinus limbatus J —カマストガリザメ C —黑梢真鲨 / 黑邊鰭白眼鮫 F —requin bordé Dark-to-black tips S —tiburón macuira on most fins No interdorsal ridge Sharks — with grey colouring Narrow-cusped serrated teeth Max. length: 250cm CCE Bull shark Sharks — with grey colouring Carcharhinus leucas J —オオメジロザメ C —公牛鲨 / 公牛白眼鮫 Stocky to very heavybody F —requin-bouledogue S —tiburón sarda No interdorsal ridge Fins with dusky tips but Large angular not heavily marked pectoral fins broadly triangular Max. length: 340cm serrated upper teeth Grey reef shark AML Carcharhinus amblyrhynchos J —オグロメジロザメ C —黑尾真鲨 / 黑印白眼鮫 Sometimes white-edge F —requin dagsit, gris de récif S —tiburón de arrecifes No interdorsal ridge Broad black posterior margin of caudal fin Sharks — with grey colouring narrow-cusped serrated Max. length: 255cm teeth in both jaws FAL Silky shark Sharks — with grey colouring Carcharhinus falciformis J —クロトガリザメ C —镰状真鲨 / 平滑白眼鮫 Very low second dorsal fin F —requin soyeux with very long free rear tip S —tiburón jaquetón Interdorsal ridge Origin of first dorsal fin clearly behind the rear tip of pectoral fin Beware: pectoral, ventral, anal and caudal fins often with dark or dusky tips Max. length: 330cm Very common in offshore fisheries Blacktip reef shark BLR Carcharhinus melanopterus J —ツマグロ C —乌翅真鲨 / 污翅白眼鮫 Distinct black markings at the tip of the F —requin pointes noires first dorsal fin and bottom lobe of tail S —tiburón de puntas negras No interdorsal ridge Sharks — with grey colouring Max.