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The northern river shark Glyphis sp. C (Carcharhinidae) discovered in Western Australia

2004; Q15088586; Volume: 685; Issue: 1 Linguagem: Inglês

10.11646/zootaxa.685.1.1

1175-5334

Dean C. Thorburn, David L. Morgan,

Fish biology, ecology, and behavior

Seven specimens of Glyphis sp. C were collected from macrotidal mangrove systems near the town of Derby in the Kimberley region of Western Australia, which represents the first capture in this state. The five males and two females ranged in length from 906 to 1418 mm TL, weighed between 5150 and 18640 g and had a vertebral count range outside that previously reported for the species, i.e. 140 151 cf 147 148. The unusually high incidence of fused vertebrae and spinal deformation may suggest a small gene pool in this population. Previous occurrences of this species were restricted to rivers in the Northern Territory (Australia) and Papua New Guinea. The presence of a small eye (mean diameter 0.87% of total length), large dorsal and pectoral fins, and well defined sensory ampullae may be reflective of living in an environment subjected to extreme turbidity and flows.