Rapid sequencing of the critically endangered Carcharias taurus as part of the ORG.one project https://org.one/oo
The Sand Tiger Shark (Carcharias taurus) is a large (to 325 cm total length) shark with a circumglobal distribution. It is demersal and pelagic in tropical and temperate seas on the continental shelf at depths of 0–232 m; however, it mainly occurs in shallow waters of 15–25 m depth. It has very low biological productivity, with litter sizes of just two pups, significantly reducing its ability to withstand fishing pressure. The species is captured as target and bycatch in artisanal, recreational, and industrial fisheries across its range with multiple fishing gears, including longline, gillnet, and trawl. It is mainly retained for its meat and fins unless regulations prohibit retention. Globally, it is suspected that the Sand Tiger Shark has undergone a population reduction of >80% over the past three generations (74 years) due to high levels of unmanaged fishing exploitation, and it is assessed as Critically Endangered in the IUCN Red List. Despite these facts, the species lacks genomic studies, making the generations of whole-genome data imperative to aid and improve conservation and management plans.