First confirmed records of the Tortonese’s stingray Dasyatis tortonesei (Elasmobranchii: Dasyatidae) in the Adriatic Sea, with notes on diagnostic characters and conservation implications

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Δημοσιευμένα: Apr 8, 2026
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/mms.42356
OLFA SEHLI
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania
https://orcid.org/0009-0001-1872-5136
CHRISTIAN CAPAPÉ
University of Montpellier, 34095 Cedex 5, France
ELIAS NEUMAN
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-3170-6900
EMINA KARALIĆ
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania
https://orcid.org/0009-0007-2939-804X
JOEL H. GAYFORD
Shark Measurements, London, United Kingdom & College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0839-3940
SUVAD LELO
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania
https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9646-2847
HAJRUDIN BEŠIROVIĆ
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5673-0753
ANDREJ A. GAJIĆ
Sharklab ADRIA: Center for marine and freshwater biology, Vlorë, Albania & Shark Measurements, London, United Kingdom
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5138-9368
Περίληψη

The Tortonese’s stingray (Dasyatis tortonesei Capapé, 1975) is a poorly understood species, likely endemic to the Mediterranean Sea, where its distribution remains inadequately delineated due to historical taxonomic uncertainty and misidentification with its closely related congeners. The present study reports the first well-documented records of D. tortonesei in the Adriatic Sea, based on six specimens collected during systematic field surveys off Vlorë, Albania. All specimens were identified through a comprehensive assessment of diagnostic morphological features, and detailed biometric data are provided. Notably, one individual exhibited a fully healed traumatic loss of both the tail and stinging apparatus, suggesting a degree of resilience to sub-lethal injury. The present findings extend the range of D. tortonesei and establish a valuable baseline for future biodiversity assessments. In addition, this paper underscores the urgent need for integrative taxonomic approaches and regional capacity-building to improve species-level identification and inform effective conservation of Mediterranean elasmobranchs (sharks and rays).

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