Keywords
parturition
nursery area criteria
abiotic conditions
bycatch
northern Adriatic
How to Cite
Abstract
This study aimed to determine whether the Gulf of Trieste meets the criteria for a nursery area as defined by different sources, primarily Heupel et al. (2007). The analysis was based on elasmobranch specimens from the collection of the Marine Biology Station Piran (National Institute of Biology, Slovenia), comprising five species (Mustelus mustelus, M. punctulatus, Torpedo marmorata, Raja asterias, and Aetomylaeus bovinus) caught as bycatch over a 24-year period. Four of the five species (excluding A. bovinus) fulfilled all three criteria. According to the data analyzed, the Gulf of Trieste could be considered a communal juvenile nursery area for the assessed species. In addition, records of juveniles belonging to other elasmobranch species reported during the study period in the area suggest the potential importance of this area as a nursery ground for other species as well.
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