Into the stomach Pleuroncodes sp. where found.
It could be produced by a hook. Sometimes blue sharks swallow the hook to the stomach...
As the little holes are on each side of the stomach I would guess that it could be an injury from a gaff if caught by industry. When blue sharks are under stress they often evert their stomachs. The shark could have been gaffed in the stomach whilst being brought onboard.
It looks like a wound produced by a longline hook, but I'm not 100% certain. The hole is too clean.
Hi and thanks for your answers.
Let me tell you some facts. The individual was caught close to shore, like 7 miles from coast and was caught by gillnet, a common practice here in Perú.
When we caught it, the stomach wasn't regurgitated. I didn't see a hook or another wound in the stomach, what impressed me is the simetry of the wounds and the depth of the holes, moreover the swelling of the holes.
Lesions in stomach lining are generally from parasites. It could be also lesions from some preys like cephalopods. In California they eat a huge amount of squids...jumbo squids have beaks that are really sharp and can cause ulcers. What did you find inside of this stomach?
Oh I saw you say Pleuroncodes. Did you find any parasites? Did you analyze other blue shark stomachs, did they feed on cephalopods?
Yes, in 10 months of sampling, we have seen plenty of Cephalopods (mainly) into the diet of blue shark. I have seen lots of wounds in internal stomach lining of what seems to be by a prey fighting for its life, but neither as the one I'm attaching. Though, I'm going to rechecked for parasites.
Great! Please keep me posted with your developments. I am interested to see what you find.
I think that is one for the classic sharks skates rays textbook http://www.bookdepository.com/book/9780801860485?redirected=true&selectCurrency=GBP&w=AFC7AU9SB0JTK4A8ZRV6&gclid=CPC93qr788gCFQVuGwodaTsAXQ
Does not look like a natural feature... Were they all the way through the stomach wall?
Histology may shed some light.
- Badges
- Science method