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Background: A variety of abnormalities have been described for sharks, rays and skates across different ecoregions. Morphological and functional anomalies in these species, however, were not yet documented in distributions from the Canary Islands, the spiny butterfly ray Gymnura altavela (Linnaeus, 1758) and from in situ observations. The aim of the present study is to fill these knowledge gaps. Results: A female spiny butterfly ray G. altavela with an unfused anterior part of the right pectoral fin to the neurocranium was observed in the port of Sardina del Norte (Gran Canaria Island) during a visual scuba diving census. Conclusion: The size and the observation of the activities swimming, burying and preying confirmed the adaption of the specimen for the anomaly and underdeveloped electrosensory system in its survival. The limited knowledge of teratogens and their triggering factors, and the striking similarity with an anomaly reported for G. poecilura (Shaw, 1804) from South India, suggest genetic expression aberrations or mechanical obstructions during gestation as origin for the disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study provides a check list of elasmobranchs from the Paraná State coast, southern Brazil. Information from fish collections, literature data, field surveys and personal communications were included. Results indicated that 83 species from seven orders and 28 families were recorded. According to the results 51 species belonging to six orders and 17 families of sharks; and 32 species belonging to one order and eleven families of rays occur in this region. The most species-rich families were Carcharhinidae (14 species) and Arhynchobatidae (eight species). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The presence of the Gorgona guitarfish, Rhinobatos prahli, in new zones of the Colombian Pacific coast is registered. The current unique Colombian record of the species corresponds to its description from Gorgona Island in 1995. This paper gives new information on the species on the tropical eastern Pacific coast; and contributes to the knowledge of the habitat used by this species in these zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]