How sharks and rays claspers evolved

30. April 2015

How did animals like sharks and skates evolve claspers—paired penislike organs found on male pelvic fins—like the ones seen on the male skate on the left? For years, their origin has remained an evolutionary mystery, but now, a new study suggests that regulation of the genetic circuit known as the Sonic hedgehog (Shh) pathway by sex hormones may be the answer.

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Trade in Shark Fins Takes a Plunge

26. Februar 2015

An analysis of trade statistics suggests that efforts to educate shark fin soup consumers is working

In 2013, the environmental group WildAid reported that demand for shark fin soup in China had dropped by 50 to 70 percent, offering some hope for the estimated 25% of species of sharks and their relatives, that are threatened with extinction. Many experts thought those numbers sounded too good to be true.

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iSharkFin-App der Welternährungsorganisation

05. Februar 2015

iSharkFin is an expert system that uses machine learning techniques to identify shark species from shark fin shapes. The software was developed by FAO in collaboration with the University of Vigo with financial support from the Government of Japan and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).

Aimed at port inspectors, custom agents, fish traders and other users without formal taxonomic training, iSharkFin allows the identification of shark species from a picture of the fin.

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