Vertebral age rings
Definition
Paired light and dark bands deposited in shark vertebrae in a manner analogous to tree rings. Counting band pairs under transmitted or polarized light provides an age estimate for the individual shark.
Related terms
- Ceratotrichia
- Flexible, unsegmented cartilaginous rods that form the internal skeleton of elasmobranch fins. Their number, branching pattern, and cross-sectional morphology are species-informative and...
- CITES Appendix II
- A listing that allows commercial international trade in a species but requires export permits certifying legal and sustainable acquisition. Non-detriment findings (NDFs)...
- Elasmobranch
- The subclass containing sharks, skates, and rays, all characterized by a cartilaginous rather than bony skeleton. Forensic identification methods specific to this...
- Fin spine
- A stiff calcified spine present anterior to the dorsal fins in many shark species (notably spiny dogfish, Squalus acanthias). Spine presence, shape,...
- Mini-barcode
- A short DNA barcode amplicon (typically 100-250 bp) designed for use when template DNA is fragmented by drying, heat, or age. Standard...
Explained in
- Shark and Ray Product IdentificationPaired light and dark bands deposited in shark vertebrae in a manner analogous to tree rings. Counting band pairs under transmitted or polarized light provides...