Eating for 56? Heavily pregnant shark surprises scientists

[Janice]

BOCA GRANDE, Florida (AP) -- The likely world-record hammerhead shark caught in May weighed 1,280 pounds because it was pregnant with 55 pups -- the most scientists have ever seen.

Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory, where the shark was taken for a necropsy, said Thursday that 52 were nearly full-term and just a few days from birth. The shark was estimated to be between 40 and 50 years old.

Scientists previously believed that hammerhead sharks gave birth to 20 to 40 pups at a time.

"Although we are thankful that the fisherman gave this unique specimen to Mote, and we are learning a lot about this species from this large female shark, we were saddened to see so many unborn pups inside her so close to birth," said Dr. Robert Hueter, director of Mote's Center for Shark Research.

The shark was caught off Boca Grande on May 23.

Whether the 14.5-foot shark is a record catch on rod and reel is still being decided. The International Game Fish Association expects a decision in late July.

[SouthFloridawx]

Janice you got an article on that one?
Edit: I meant link.

[Janice]

http://www.cnn.com/2006/TECH/science/06 ... index.html


Yes, I get all my info off the CNN homepage.

[CentralFlGal]

Same story w/pics from the St Pete Times:

Image descriptions:

Fifty-five pups were found inside the 14-foot great hammerhead shark caught by Clyde Bucky Dennis. Fifty-two of them were nearly full-term. The shark’s stomach contained an entire southern stingray and the rear half of a 5-foot-long tarpon.

Clyde Bucky Dennis of Port Charlotte shows off the great hammerhead shark that he caught off Boca Grande on May 23.

Story:

A great hammerhead shark caught off Boca Grande last month was impressive, not only for its 3-foot-wide hammer, 14-foot length and 1,280 pounds. It also was carrying 55 shark pups. Scientists at Mote Marine Laboratory in Sarasota said this week that the litter was the largest ever found inside a hammerhead shark. Fifty-two of the pups were nearly full-term and three were undeveloped. Experts previously thought hammerheads gave birth to 20 to 40 pups at a time.

Mote officials said the unique shark specimen, given to institute by the fisherman who caught it, will be valuable in further study of the species. But they also expressed sadness that the shark carried so many unborn pups that were near birth. Game fishing officials are still trying to determine whether it was a record catch. The Florida Museum of Natural History Web site lists a great hammerhead caught off Sarasota as the largest ever, and it weighed 991 pounds. The status of great hammerheads in the wild is uncertain.

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/06/30/State/Catch_is_a_big_inside.shtml

She was huge. Can you imagine carrying 55 babies around?

[Scorpion]

Why is it still legal to fish for sharks?