First records of golden trevally ( Gnathodon speciosus, Carangidae), sharp-tail mola ( Masturus lanceolatus, Molidae) and evidence for white shark ( Carcharodon carcharias, Lamnidae) in the Galápagos Islands, Ecuador

• DOI: 10.1017/s1755267210000771
• Publication Date: 2010-10-27T12:52:14Z
• Authors: V.L.G. Todd; J.S. Grove
• Keywords: Carcharias; Archipelago

In 1995, a complete survey of the fish collection in the Charles Darwin Research Station (CDRS) Museum (Galapagos Islands, Ecuador) was undertaken. Five specimens represented possible new records to the archipelago, but insufficient material was available at CDRS to confirm identification. On 5 November 2007, the specimens were removed from the CDRS fish collection under licence from the Parque Nacional Galapagos (PNG) on loan to the Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History (LACM). Identification of all species was confirmed using comparative LACM voucher specimens, including X-rays, scientific keys and other resources, which were, at the time, unavailable to scientists at the CDRS. Four of the five specimens were incorrectly identified in 1995, the fifth, the golden trevally, Gnathodon speciosus, is the first confirmed record of this species for the Galapagos. One of the originally mis-identified specimens, the longnose anchovy (Anchoa nasus), proved to be A. ischana (sharpnose anchovy), and A. nasus can now be eliminated as a verified record from the islands. The first confirmed record of the sharp-tail mola, Masturus lanceolatus, for the archipelago is also presented based on photographic and video evidence. The first physical evidence of the white shark, Carcharodon carcharias, in the Galapagos Archipelago based on discovery of a tooth and C14 analysis, is presented.