A variety of elasmobranchs can be found in the waters of Upper Spencer Gulf in South Australia. In 2008, the Olympic Dam Expansion EIS was published. The document housed the following data in Appendix O2. Sighting records had been aggregated from a variety of sources. These records have been represented here, in anticipation of the first Whyalla Underwater Shootout in June 2014.
COMMON NAME | FAMILY | GENUS | SPECIES | SOURCE |
---|---|---|---|---|
Angelshark, Australian | Squatinidae | Squatina | australis | 2, 6 |
Catshark, Gulf | Scyliorhinidae | Asymbolus | vincenti | 2, 6 |
Hammerhead, Smooth | Sphrnidae | Sphyrna | vincentiana | 4, 5, 2, 6, 7 |
Numbfish | Hypnidae | Hypnos | monopterygium | 7 |
Spurdog, Piked | Squalidae | Squalus | megalops | 2 |
Ray, Eagle | Myliobatidae | Myliobatis | australis | 4, 5, 2, 3*, 6, 7 |
Ray, Southern Fiddler | Rhinobatidae | Trygonorrhina | fasciata | 5, 2, 3*, 6, 7, 8 |
Ray, Western Shovelnose | Rhinobatidae | Aptychotrema | vincentiana | 2, 6 |
Saw Shark, Common | Pristiophoridae | Pristiophorus | cirratus | 4 |
Shark, Broadnose Sevengill | Hexanchidae | Notorynchus | cepedianus | 2 |
Shark, Elephant | Callorinchidae | Callorhinchus | milii | 5, 2, 6 |
Shark, Great White | Lamnidae | Carcharodon | carcharias | 1*, 4, 5 |
Shark, Gummy | Triakidae | Mustelus | antarcticus | 4, 5, 2, 3, 6 |
Shark, Port Jackson | Heterodontidae | Heterodontus | portusjacksoni | 4, 2, 6, 7, 9 |
Shark, School | Triakidae | Galeorhinus | galeus | 4, 5, 3, 6 |
Shark, Thresher | Alopiidae | Alopias | vulpinus | 5 |
Shark, Whiskery | Triakidae | Furgaleus | macki | 4, 5 |
Skate, Melbourne | Rajidae | Dipturus | whitleyi | 2 |
Skate, Pygmy Thornback | Rajidae | Dipturus | sp. | 2* |
Skate, White-spotted | Rajidae | Dipturus | cerva | 2 |
Saw Shark, Southern | Pristiophoridae | Pristiophorus | nudipinnis | 2 |
Stingaree, Coastal | Urolophidae | Urolophus | orarius | 5*, 2 |
Stingaree, Sparsely-spotted | Urolophidae | Urolophus | paucimaculatus | 2 |
Stingray, Smooth | Dasyatidae | Dasyatis | brevicaudata | 4, 5, 2, 6, 9 |
Whaler, Bronze | Carcharhinidae | Carcharhinus | brachyurus | 5, 3, 6 |
Wobbegong, Cobbler | Orectolobidae | Sutorectus | tentaculatus | 2, 9 |
Wobbegong, Ornate/Banded | Orectolobidae | Orectolobus | halei | 6, 7, 8 |
Sources
Number | Author, Year | Area |
---|---|---|
1 | Protected Matters database (DEWHA 2008) | All of Upper Spencer Gulf |
2 | Dixon et al. 2005 and Svane et al. 2007 | South of Point Lowly |
3 | SARDI commercial fishing data | All of Upper Spencer Gulf |
4 | SEA 1981 | Point Lowly / Port Bonython |
5 | Baker 2004 | All of Upper Spencer Gulf |
6 | Shepherd 1973 | Douglas Bank to Blanche Harbor/Red Cliff Point |
7 | Healy and Reynolds 1992 | All of Upper Spencer Gulf |
8 | Shepherd 1983b | Douglas Bank to Blanche Harbor/Red Cliff Point |
9 | Brook, J, pers. observation, June 2008, during cuttlefish population surveys (described in Olympic Dam EIS Appendix O5.5) | Point Lowly, Backy Point |
Note: sources listed with a * represent uncertain records. You can view the source of this data here.
the species list was put together by James Brook and I in 2007. Of the 15 or so species I added to the draft, most were incidential records from SARDI’s prawn trawling bycatch surveys, found in very low numbers in areas further south in the central gulf, and were included in the NSG shark list due to their possible periodic presence in that area. Very few of these species are resident in the Whyalla area.
Thanks for the clarification, Janine and for your sterling work as always!