First report on a pupping area of the tope shark Galeorhinus galeus (Carcharhiniformes, Triakidae) in the south-west Atlantic

Abstract

Neonates of the tope shark Galeorhinus galeus are captured in sport and recreational coastal fisheries from January to April each year in Engaño Bay (42° 58′–43° 41′ S), Chubut, Argentina. The presence of these neonates is the first evidence of a pupping area for this shark in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Knowledge of the pupping areas of chondrichthyans is important for establishing conservation measures and appropriate fishing regulations.