Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810a

Ebert, David A., Wintner, Sabine P. & Kyne, Peter M., 2021, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of South Africa, Zootaxa 4947 (1), pp. 1-127 : 39-40

publication ID	https://doi.org/ 10.11646/zootaxa.4947.1.1
publication LSID	lsid:zoobank.org:pub:7F3B4794-65CF-4691-A330-78A423F2606F
DOI	https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4693780
persistent identifier	https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039287A1-954F-FFA9-CFF7-5D03FDED23A6
treatment provided by	Plazi
scientific name	Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810a
status

Treatment

Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810a View in CoL View at ENA

Ragged-tooth Shark

Carcharias taurus Rafinesque, 1810a: 10 View in CoL , pl. 14 (fig. 1). Holotype unknown. Type locality: Sicily, Mediterranean Sea.

Local synonymy: Odontaspsis taurus : M̹ller & Henle, 1841: 73, pl. 30; Bleeker, 1860: 58. Odontapsis americanus: Bleeker, 1860b: 58 View in CoL ; G̹nther, 1870: 392; Gilchrist, 1902: 164; Thompson, 1914: 146. Carcharias taurus View in CoL : Barnard, 1925: 36, fig. 2, pl. 2; von Bonde, 1934: 15; Smith, 1949a: 48, fig. 25, pl. 1 [in part]; D’Aubrey, 1964a: 12, pl. 1; Compagno et al., 1989: 40, pl.; Compagno, 1999: 118; Compagno, 2001: 58; Heemstra & Heemstra, 2004: 73; Compagno et al., 2005: 175, fig., pl. 27; Ebert et al., 2013 a: 217, fig., pl. 25; Mann, 2013: 134; NPOA, 2013: 50; Ebert & van Hees, 2015: 145; Compagno, 2016: 1223; Weigmann, 2016: 852. Carcharias tricuspidatus: Smith, 1949a: 48 , fig. 24 [in part]. Odontaspis taurus: Bass et al., 1975c: 12 , fig. 7. Eugomphodus taurus: Compagno, 1984a: 216 , fig.; Bass & Compagno, 1986: 104, fig. 19.1, pl. 2.

South Africa voucher material: SAIAB 6266 [former ORI 2858], SAIAB 6927 [former ORI 7], SAIAB 6928 [former ORI 9], SAIAB 6929 [former ORI 95], SAIAB 6930 [former ORI 98], SAIAB 6931 [former ORI 201], SAIAB 6932 [former ORI 224], SAIAB 6933 [former ORI 353], SAIAB 6934 [former ORI 388], SAIAB 6935 [former ORI 428], SAIAB 6936 [former ORI 463], SAIAB 6937 [former ORI 373], SAIAB 6938 [former ORI 1151], SAIAB 6939 [former ORI 2094], SAIAB 12823, SAIAB 27025, SAIAB 27435, SAIAB 46922, SAIAB 46925, SAIAB 49159, SAIAB 49160, SAIAB 51208, SAIAB 63806, SAIAB 75608, SAIAB 75609, SAIAB 75610, SAIAB 98914.

South African distribution: Occurs along the entire coast but appears to be more common along the EC and KZN coasts.

Remarks: Some literature accounts cite plate 44 in Rafinesque’s original description as an illustration of this species, however it is plate 14 that illustrates the species. Females migrate seasonally between mating (central KZN) and pupping grounds (northern KZN). Juvenile sharks display site fidelity to summer nursery areas and the species is possibly philopatric (Dicken et al., 2007). Three adults tagged by KZN Sharks Board and recaptured after more than 20 years at liberty suggest long lifespan (S.P. Wintner, unpubl. data). A popular shark frequently displayed in public aquaria as well as in diving ecotourism. Current South African legislation prohibits both commercial and recreational catch ( NPOA, 2013).

Conservation status: VU (2009).