Restricted to oceanic and coastal islands? The absence of lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) along the Brazilian coast

Abstract

The lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) is distributed throughout shallow coastal Atlantic Ocean waters, from the United States to southern Brazil, occurring in reefs, mangroves, bays and river mouths. Although the species distribution map provided by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) records the presence of lemon sharks along the entire Brazilian coast, its occurrence is not as common as the map assumes. Knowledge concerning the spatial distribution and abundance of a given species over time is essential to understand its ecology and life habits. In this sense, this study aimed to assess lemon shark occurrence in coastal Brazilian regions, by carrying out a scientometric analysis of Brazilian fisheries landing monitoring efforts, occurrence records and fisheries. New records for the Brazilian coastal region were also obtained. The results indicate the absence of lemon shark species in fisheries along the Brazilian coast, with no evidence to corroborate its given distribution pattern along the Brazilian coastal region, also noting that occurrence in areas other than the island environments of the northeast region is rare. This information is essential for the species assessment process within the scope of the IUCN, as well as for the establishment of management and recovery measures.

Keywords:
Bibliometric analysis; Elasmobranchs; Fishing; New records; Spatial distribution