title: Conservation Genetics of the Scalloped Hammerhead Shark in the Pacific Coast of Colombia.
abstract: Previous investigations of the population genetics of the scalloped hammerhead sharks (Sphyrna lewini) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific have lacked information about nursery areas. Such areas are key to promoting conservation initiatives that can protect young sharks from threats such as overfishing. Here, we investigated the genetic diversity, phylogeography, and connectivity of S. lewini found in 3 areas of Colombia's Pacific coast: around Malpelo Island and in 2 National Natural Parks on the Colombian Pacific mainland (Sanquianga and Ensenada de Utría). We analyzed mtDNA control region (CR) sequences and genotyped 15 microsatellite loci in 137 samples of adults and juveniles. The mtDNA analyses showed haplotypes shared between the Colombian Pacific individuals sampled in this investigation and other areas in the Eastern Tropical Pacific, the Indo-Pacific, and with sequences previously reported in Colombia (Buenaventura Port), as well as 4 unique haplotypes. Population assignment and paternity analyses detected 3 parent-offspring pairs between Malpelo and Sanquianga and 1 between Malpelo and Utría. These results indicate high genetic connectivity between Malpelo Island and the Colombian Pacific coast, suggesting that these 2 areas are nurseries for S. lewini. This is, to our knowledge, the first evidence of nursery areas identified for the scalloped hammerhead shark anywhere in the world. Additional conservation planning may be required to protect these nursery habitats of this endangered shark species.
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Sonia
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Quintanilla
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gómez
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Camila
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mariño-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Carolina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sorzano
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Sandra
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bessudo
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: German
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Soler
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero).
authors.forename: Jaime E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Bernal
authors.affiliation: From the Instituto de Genética Humana, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Carrera 7 No 40-62, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Quintanilla, Gómez, and Bernal); the Fundación Malpelo y Otros Ecosistemas Marinos, Carrera 11 No 87-51/Local 4-Piso 2, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Mariño-Ramírez, Sorzano, and Bessudo); the Comisión Colombiana del Océano, Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Bessudo); the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of Tasmania, Tasmania, Australia (Soler); the Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos LEMVA, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18 A-10, Edificio J, Laboratorio 103 Bogotá D.C., Colombia (Caballero). sj.caballero26@uniandes.edu.co.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Caballero
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003105:Colombia; D003247:Conservation of Natural Resources; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics; D056727:Endangered Species; D005819:Genetic Markers; D014644:Genetic Variation; D005828:Genetics, Population; D005838:Genotype; D006239:Haplotypes; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats; D058974:Phylogeography; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D012754:Sharks / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial; D005819:Genetic Markers
keywords: Malpelo Island; Sphyrna lewini; genetic connectivity; shark nurseries