Mangona shark uses São Paulo coast as a breeding site

Records made during free diving by project collaborators also showed a group of up to ten individuals, including a female that had mating bites made by males during copulation, in the summer period. "With this we conclude that the archipelago is used in critical phases of the species' life cycle, that is, males in the reproductive stage, females with marks of recent mating and pregnant females. The recording of the pregnant female was possible by observing the abdominal region of the specimen being quite distended. In the case of the female with mating marks, it was possible to observe the scars on the back of the specimen filmed by the diver", details Fabio Motta. The data collected allows us to affirm that the species can be observed in the Alcatrazes Archipelago in the winter and summer months, including aggregations of up to ten individuals. Shark reproduction The female mangona shark has an estimated gestation period of between nine and 12 months and can reproduce every two years. The species has one of the lowest fertility rates recorded among sharks, producing only one pup per uterus, that is, two pups per pregnancy. The female has two uteruses. Bull Shark (Carcharias taurus) mattdowse / iNaturalist "The species presents something unique, adelphophagic viviparity, also called intrauterine cannibalism. During a phase of gestation, the older cubs, after nourishing themselves with the contents of their yolk sacs, a nutritive substance, begin to feed on ova and eggs produced by the mother (ovophagic nutrition). In some cases, these eggs arrive to be fertilized, giving rise to younger offspring that end up becoming food for their older brothers", explains the researcher. Mangona shark can reach 3 meters The mangona shark (Carcharias taurus) occurs in the Atlantic, Indian and Western Pacific oceans, preferably in subtropical and temperate waters. The species is coastal, but can make sporadic forays into oceanic regions. Although it prefers to live close to the substrate, it is also occasionally found in the water column. In Brazil, it occurs on the coast of the South and Southeast regions, between Rio de Janeiro and Rio Grande do Sul. It lives in waters from six to at least 200 meters deep. The animal feeds on a wide variety of bony fish, small elasmobranchs (sharks and rays), cephalopods (squid and octopus) and crustaceans. Bull Shark (Carcharias taurus) cuckoobrains / iNaturalist Among the factors that place the species in the category of critically endangered by the IUCN are habitat loss, marine pollution, climate change and incidental fishing. The biology of the mangona shark in Brazil is still little known. Therefore, the dissemination of this study is considered of fundamental importance. As an adult, the mangona shark can reach up to three meters in length and 150 kilos. Despite the pointed teeth exposed outside the mouth, a characteristic that gives it the appearance of an aggressive animal, the species presents slow and calm swimming behavior. In the dictionary, the word "mangona" means laziness and indolence. A nickname that does not match the importance of the species, which uses the Alcatrazes Archipelago Wildlife Refuge to guarantee its perpetuation. The Alcatrazes Refuge is a federal conservation unit (UC) managed by the Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation (ICMBio). VIDEOS: Highlights Terra da Gente See more content about nature on Terra da Gente