Updated taxonomic list and conservation status of chondrichthyans from the exclusive economic zone of Venezuela, with first generic and specific records

Abstract

Using the last taxonomic review of chondrichthyans of the world, we selected the species distributed in the north‐western Atlantic Ocean (NWA) and compared it with the available published literature related to the class Chondrichthyes in the Venezuelan exclusive economic zone. We also revised information from worldwide databases such as: FAO (NWA‐31 area), GBIF, iSpecies, IUCN and OBIS, as well as available museum collection databases. The taxonomic validity was checked using the Catalogue of Fishes of the California Academy of Sciences and recent references. The past published Venezuelan lists of chondrichthyans combined included nine orders, 30 families and 108 species. The updated list with 12 orders, 36 families and 122 species increased by three new orders, six families, three shark genera, nine shark species (one replacing another species), one chimaera genus, two chimaera species, three batoid genera and six batoid species (two replacing other species). Four holotype specimens (two sharks and two rays) are deposited in Venezuelan Museums. Most of the species have an IUCN conservation status, including four species catalogued as Critically Endangered, six as Endangered and 18 species as Vulnerable. Deep‐sea fisheries, scientific exploration and taxonomic/genetic revisions might add future increments to the Venezuelan chondrichthyan list.

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