A review of age and growth, reproductive biology, and demography of the
white shark, Carcharodon carcharias
Henry F. Mollet
Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, CA 95039-9647, USA.
Abstract.
The von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF) is given by L(t) = Loo – (Loo
– Lo) exp (-kt), where Lo is mean size at birth, Loo is mean maximum size,
and k is a rate constant with units of reciprocal time that is best interpreted
in terms of longevity or number of half-lives (ln2/k). The time (t) it takes to
reach the fraction x of Loo is given by t = 1/k ln[(Loo-Lo)/Loo(1-x)]. If we choose
x = 0.95 and Lo = 0.2Loo, then longevity is given by 2.77/k = 4.00 ln2/k. The
value of L(t) has reached 95% of Loo in four half-lives. Growth functions for
three population of white shark from California, South Africa, and Australia will
be reviewed and compared. A pregnant white shark was caught on 13 October 1997
in a set-net off Baisolane, Taiwan with 8 embryos of TL between 0.5 and 0. 6 m.
Time of capture and length of embryos fit an existing but tentative growth curve
that predicts a gestation time of around 15-18 months. Uterine width data of pregnant
white shark suggest that female maturity is around 5 m TL and 15 yr. Matrix population
models of white shark will be reviewed and an integrodifference equation model
is explored.