Reproductive biology in support of conservation: First description of some reproductive stages of the Chilean angelshark Squatina armata (Phillipi, 1987)

Abstract

In the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO), the Chilean angel shark Squatina armata, a species that is highly commercialized and consumed in Peru. However, there are limited studies on the reproductive biology of the species, currently listed as Critically Endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This study aimed to carry out a guide to the reproductive stages of S. armata.  We collected 78 (females = 45, males = 33) specimens landed in the port of San Jose, Lambayeque. The complete reproductive systems were extracted to subsequently determine the corresponding stage, according to those proposed by Osaer et al., (2015) for Squatina squatina. Likewise, a photographic record was taken, where three of five female and male reproductive stages were obtained. This research is one of the first studies of the reproductive biology of elasmobranchs in Peru and the first guide to the reproductive stages of S.armata in the Eastern Pacific Ocean (EPO). These results will contribute to the scientific knowledge of this important but vulnerable species for the region. It will also lay the groundwork for future research on the reproductive biology of sharks in Peru and contribute to their conservation.