Coastal Habitat Use and Residency of Juvenile Atlantic Sharpnose Sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae)

• Published in: Estuaries and coasts Vol. 31; no. 5; pp. 931 - 940
• Main Authors: Carlson, John K., Heupel, Michelle R., Bethea, Dana M., Hollensead, Lisa D.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Spring Science + Business Media 01.11.2008; Springer-Verlag; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acoustic data; Acoustics; Agnatha. Pisces; Animal and plant ecology; Animal, plant and microbial ecology; Aquatic habitats; Biological and medical sciences; Biotelemetry; Brackish water ecosystems; Coastal Sciences; Earth and Environmental Science; Ecology; Environment; Environmental Management; Estuaries; Fisheries science; Freshwater & Marine Ecology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gill nets; Gulfs; Habitat conservation; Habitats; Marine; Ocean fisheries; Rhizoprionodon terraenovae; Sharks; Synecology; Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution; Water and Health; Young animals; ASW, USA, Florida; A, Atlantic; Tag; Telemetry; Acoustic; Nursery; Shark; Brackish water environment; Vertebrata; Pisces; Estuaries; Habitat selection; Chondrichthyes; Young animal
• ISSN: 1559-2723; 1559-2731
• DOI: 10.1007/s12237-008-9075-2

Coastal habitat use and residency of a coastal bay by juvenile Atlantic sharpnose sharks, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, were examined by acoustic monitoring, gillnet sampling, and conventional tag-recapture. Acoustic monitoring data were used to define the residency and movement patterns of sharks within Crooked Island Sound, Florida. Over 3 years, sharks were monitored for periods of 1-37 days, with individuals regularly moving in and out of the study site. Individual sharks were continuously present within the study site for periods of 1-35 days. Patterns of movement could not be correlated with time of day. Home range sizes were typically small (average = 1.29 km²) and did not vary on a yearly basis. Gillnet sampling revealed that juvenile Atlantic sharpnose sharks were present in all habitat types found within Crooked Island Sound, and peaks in abundance varied depending on month within a year. Although telemetry data showed that most individuals remained within the study site for short periods of time before emigrating, conventional tag-recapture data indicates some individuals return to Crooked Island Sound after extended absences (maximum length= 1,352 days). Although conventional shark nursery theory suggests small sharks remain in shallow coastal waters to avoid prédation, juvenile Atlantic sharpnose sharks frequently exited from protected areas and appear to move through deeper waters to adjacent coastal bays and estuaries. Given the high productivity exhibited by this species, the benefit gained through a nursery that reduces prédation may be limited for this species.