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When prey becomes killer: does a double lethal attack on a blue shark reveal a precise defensive strategy in young swordfish?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 August 2020

Teresa Romeo ,
Pietro Battaglia Open the ORCID record for Pietro Battaglia [Opens in a new window] ,
Domenico Macaluso ,
Giuseppe Tagliavia ,
Teresa Manuela Vicchio ,
Manuela Falautano Open the ORCID record for Manuela Falautano [Opens in a new window] ,
Fabrizio Serena Open the ORCID record for Fabrizio Serena [Opens in a new window]  and
Franco Andaloro
Teresa Romeo
Affiliation:
SZN, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Centro Interdipartimentale della Sicilia, Villa Pace, Contrada Porticatello 29, 98167Messina, Italy ISPRA, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149Palermo, Italy
Pietro Battaglia*
Affiliation:
SZN, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Centro Interdipartimentale della Sicilia, Villa Pace, Contrada Porticatello 29, 98167Messina, Italy
Domenico Macaluso
Affiliation:
Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale, Viale della Vittoria 321, 92100Agrigento, Italy
Giuseppe Tagliavia
Affiliation:
Centro Radiologia Diagnostica Tagliavia, Via Verona 7, 92019Sciacca (AG), Italy
Teresa Manuela Vicchio
Affiliation:
Independent researcher, Via N. Panoramica 1188, Messina, Italy
Manuela Falautano
Affiliation:
ISPRA, Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149Palermo, Italy
Fabrizio Serena
Affiliation:
Institute for Marine Biological Resources and Biotechnologies (IRBIM), National Research Council – (CNR), Via Vaccara, 61–91026, Mazara del Vallo (TP), Italy
Franco Andaloro
Affiliation:
SZN, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Centro Interdipartimentale della Sicilia, Lungomare Cristoforo Colombo 4521, 90149Palermo, Italy
*
Author for correspondence: Pietro Battaglia, E-mail: pietro.battaglia@szn.it
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Abstract

In this paper a rare case of a double swordfish mortal attack against an adult blue shark (Prionace glauca) is reported. A female blue shark, with a total length of 3 m, was found stranded along the southern Sicilian coast (Strait of Sicily, Mediterranean Sea) on 30 May 2018. The analysis of this carcass revealed the presence of two swordfish bill fragments, impaled in the shark head; the former on the snout, the latter near the eye. The results of anatomical and computed tomography scanning analysis on the head of the blue shark showed that the larger bill fragment (19.7 cm) probably determined the death of this animal, having been impaled in a vital point, just behind the right eye. The analysis of both these events and other similar swordfish-shark interactions reported in the literature makes possible the hypothesis that young swordfish specimens put in place a precise defensive strategy against their potential predators or competitors, aimed at hitting vulnerable and vital points and delivering a mortal blow.

Keywords

Behaviourcomputed tomography scanningimpalementMediterranean SeaPrionace glaucaXiphias gladius
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 100 , Issue 5 , August 2020 , pp. 831 - 836
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2020

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