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Concordance of genetic and fin photo identification in the great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, off Mossel Bay, South Africa

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Abstract

Visual identification of naturally acquired marks has been a popular if subjective method of animal identification and population estimation over the last 40 years. Molecular genetics has also independently developed objective individual marking techniques during the same period. Here, we assess the concordance of individual great white shark (Carcharodon carharias) dorsal fin recognition and identification, using seven microsatellite loci as the independent unbiased arbiter, over a period of 5 years. As a monitoring technique, fin photographs offer a very good individual identification key for white sharks over a relatively short period of time (5 years), matching with genetic data in about 85% of cases, whilst caution and a continuously updated database is required for animal recognition over a longer period.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Aberdeen University and the Marine Biological Association. We are grateful to two referees for valuable comments and Linda Sönderberg for her help in the laboratory. This work complies with the current laws of the United Kingdom.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Zoology Building, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, Scotland, UK

    Chrysoula Gubili, Catherine S. Jones & Leslie Robert Noble

  2. The Laboratory, Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, Devon, PL1 2PB, UK

    Chrysoula Gubili & David W. Sims

  3. Department of Zoology and Entomology, Mammal Research Institute, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, 0002, South Africa

    Ryan Johnson

  4. Oceans Research, 92 Montague St, Mossel Bay, 6500, South Africa

    Ryan Johnson & Enrico Gennari

  5. Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Branch Marine and Coastal Management, Private Bag 2, Roggebaai, South Africa

    W. Hermann Oosthuizen, Deon Kotze & Mike Meÿer

  6. Marine Biology and Ecology Research Group, School of Biological Sciences, University of Plymouth, Drake Circus, Plymouth, PL4 8AA, UK

    David W. Sims

Authors
  1. Chrysoula Gubili
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  2. Ryan Johnson
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  3. Enrico Gennari
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  4. W. Hermann Oosthuizen
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  5. Deon Kotze
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  9. Leslie Robert Noble
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Correspondence to Leslie Robert Noble.

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Communicated by T. Reusch.

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Gubili, C., Johnson, R., Gennari, E. et al. Concordance of genetic and fin photo identification in the great white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, off Mossel Bay, South Africa. Mar Biol 156, 2199–2207 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1233-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00227-009-1233-y

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