Sharklab Bangladesh

Sharklab Bangladesh
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Friday 2 July 2021

A new species of giant guitarfish recorded from Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

Yang researcher Md Jayedul Islam recorded a new species of giant guitarfish, Glaucostegus younholeei sp. nov., with his teacher that is described from 13 specimens, 730933 mm total length, collected from fish landing center of Bangladesh Fisheries Development Corporation in Cox's Bazar district of Bangladesh. The new species is distinguished from congeners in having the following combination of characters: Body brownish or greyish in color with a narrowly wedge-shaped disc, and long narrow bluntly pointed snout (angle 3140°), and broad oblique nostrils with the narrow anterior opening. Nostrils about half of the mouth width, subequal (0.981.33) to internasal width; ~5557 nasal lamellae; anterior nasal flaps slightly penetrating into internasal space, their interspace 2.20 2.61 in length of the posterior nasal aperture. Orbit very small in adults, diameter 8.1911.62 in preorbital length, 2.252.69 in interorbital space. Rostral ridges almost joined along their entire length; margin of cranium sharply demarcated before eyes. Spiracular folds very short and widely separated. Skin rough, densely covered with small denticles, more coarsely granular on the dorsal surface than ventrally, enlarged between orbits and in a distinct band between nape and first dorsal fin. Tail relatively longer, length 1.151.48 in disc length; dorsal fins narrowly spaced, interspace 1.322.11 in base length of the first dorsal fin. Clasper length in adult male 4.375.70 in total length. Phylogenetic analysis of DNA barcode sequences also shows the clear divergence of Glaucostegus younholeei from other congeneric species obtained from GenBank. A key is provided to the 8 known members including new species of the genus Glaucostegus.

                                                Giant guitarfish (Glaucostegus younholeei sp.)

Citation : Habib KA, Islam MJ. Description of a new species of giant guitarfish, Glaucostegus younholeei sp. nov. (Rhinopristiformes: Glaucostegidae) from the northern Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. Zootaxa. 2021 Jun 29;4995(1):129-146. doi: 10.11646/zootaxa.4995.1.7. PMID: 34186813.

Friday 9 April 2021

A giant dead whale on the world’s longest beach Cox's Bazar area

A giant dead whale was found in the world’s longest beach Cox's Bazar  area of Bangladesh on Friday, (09.04.2021). Whale size was nearly 13.4 meters (44 feet) long and 7.9 meters (26 feet) wide.Local peoples said that the giant whale washed up on the beach at Darianagar Himchari Point.

                          The dead whale was floating on the beach at Darianagar Himchari Point