A new report on the clasper movements of a captive Sand Tiger Shark Carcharias taurus (Lamniformes: Odontaspididae) and a possible reason for the behaviour

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Helen Colbachini
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9717-9403
Rafael Caprioli Gutierrez
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1558-2843
Cristiane Schilbach Pizzutto
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4357-5133
Otto Bismarck Fazzano Gadig
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8109-5085

Abstract

Elasmobranchs present four clasper movements, which can be seen in different contexts from mating to no obvious reason.  Three movements have been reported in Carcharias taurus and here the first occurrence of clasper flaring in this species is described.  Clasper flaring was observed while other species were in a reproductive state and their aggressive behaviour towards the subject of this study was also observed.

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