Genetic diversity and population structure of the blue shark Prionace glauca in the Atlantic Ocean

• Grant number: 15/06445-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2015
• End date: June 30, 2016
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Genetics - Animal Genetics
• Principal Investigator: Fernando Fernandes Mendonça
• Grantee: Ingrid Vasconcellos Bunholi
• Host Institution: Instituto de Saúde e Sociedade (ISS). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus Baixada Santista. Santos , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 11/23787-0 - Molecular biodiversity and conservation of sharks: gene bank, population structure and international scientific network of collaboration, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

The wide geographic distribution associated with migratory capacity of several species of pelagic sharks makes it even more complex evaluations and monitoring of their populations. Among these is the blue shark Prionace glauca, considered the most captured species for oceanic fishing industry worldwide. Based on historical records capture that showed drastic population declines in recent years, the species is currently categorized broadly in the IUCN Red List of threatened species as "Vulnerable". Considering the vital ecological role of the blue shark as chain top predator, its importance as a fishery resource and the need for information that will enable the sustainable exploitation, this project aims to characterize the molecular biodiversity of species P. glauca, the study their population structures and the identification of the distribution of genetic stocks and their historical and geographical relations in the Atlantic Ocean, using sequences of mitochondrial DNA.