Molecular identification of shark species commercialised in the ‘17 de Diciembre’ market, Santo Domingo de los Tsáchilas-Ecuador

ABSTRACT This is the first study to determine the main shark species being sold in the ‘17 de Diciembre’ market, in Santo Domingo de Los Tsáchilas, Ecuador. A total of 150 samples were collected and molecularly identified through a multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with species-specific primers based on the ribosomal region ITS2. As a result, we found that the shark sales are made up by five main species. The pelagic thresher (Alopias pelagicus) was the most common species, followed by the silky shark (Carcharhinus falciformis), the scalloped hammerhead shark (Sphyrna lewini), the blue shark (Prionace glauca) and the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus). Of the analyzed samples, 93.24% (n = 138) correspond with species that are in one of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threat categories and Appendix II of Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). The study highlights the need for this molecular tool to be implemented in strategic control points, as well as other measures that better ensure traceability. Key policy insights Four of the five identified species are in Appendix II of CITES. 93.24% of the identified individuals are found in one of the threat categories of IUCN. The shark meat in the ‘17 de Diciembre’ market is cheaper in comparison with most bony fishes that are commercialized.