Contribution of the Russian SSG team to elasmobranch research during last decade

by Alexei M. Orlov | Former Regional Vice-Chair | Northwestern Pacific

In the Russian Federation, there is currently almost no targeted scientific research of cartilaginous fish, which is due to a number of reasons. First, the fauna of cartilaginous fish in the waters of Russia is quite poor, since most of its seas are located in temperate and cold waters, which are characterized by a low species diversity of the considered group of fish. Secondly, there is no specialized fishing of cartilaginous fish in Russia, which are caught as by-catch in trawl, net and longline fisheries. In the domestic market, products made from shark and ray meat are in very low demand, so most of them are sold in Asian fish markets.

However, studies of cartilaginous fish in Russia are carried out, as this is required to justify the volume of total allowable catches, with the help of which the regulation of fishing (by-catch) of sharks and rays is carried out. The collection, synthesis and analysis of the obtained commercial and biological information are carried out on a regular basis, but only a few enthusiasts are engaged in publishing the results in scientific journals as a hobby.

Dr. Alexei Orlov studying external morphology of Jensen’s Skate (Amblyraja jenseni) at the Marine Research Institute (Galway, Ireland) prior to the EEA annual conference in 2010.

Currently, Russia is represented in the SSG by three specialists (one permanent member and two who have been involved in the preparation of IUCN Red List assessments).

In general, over the past decade, the main research of the Russian team has focused on the following areas:

1. Studies of species diversity of cartilaginous fish in general in the waters of Russia and its particular regions (Grigorov & Orlov, 2013; Dyldin & Orlov, 2016, 2018, 2021; Orlov & Tokranov, 2019; Dyldin et al., 2018, 2020).
2. Studies of the morphology, distribution and biology of sharks and skates in the Pacific waters of Russia: mud skate Rhinoraja taranetzi (Orlov & Tokranov, 2010), Alaska skate Bathyraja parmifera (Orlov & Smirnov, 2011; Grigorov et al., 2015), Pacific spiny dogfish Squalus suckleyi (Orlov et al., 2011, 2012), Okhotsk skate Bathyraja violacea (Grigorov et al., 2017), Pacific sleeper shark Somniosus pacificus (Orlov & Baitaliuk, 2014), Simushir skate Bathyraja sexoculata (Misawa et al., 2020).
3. Studies of morphology, distribution, and biology of rare deep-water skates of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge based on the material obtained during international project MAR-ECO (Census of Marine Life) (Orlov & Cotton, 2011, 2013, 2015; Orlov et al., 2011; Orlov, 2011, 2014; Porteiro et al., 2017).
4. Preparation of IUCN Red List assessments (Dulvy et al., 2020a,b,c,d,e,f,g,h,i,j,k,l,m,n,o,p).
5. Other publications (Rusyaev & Orlov, 2013; Orlov et al., 2017).

List of publications of the Russian SSG team

2010-2021 Monographs:

• DYLDIN, Yu.V., ORLOV, A.M., VELIKANOV, A.Ya., MAKEEV, S.S., ROMANOV, V.I., MORUSI, I.V., & HANEL L. (2020) Ichthyofauna of the Aniva Bay (the Sakhalin Island, the Sea of Okhotsk). Novosibirsk, Zolotoi Kolos, 396 pp. doi.org/10.31677/isbn978_5_94477_271_8
• Porteiro, F.M., Sutton, T.T., Byrkjedal, I., Orlov, A., Heino, M.P., Menezes, G.M.M. & Bergstad, O.A. (2017) Fishes of the Northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge collected during the MAR-ECO Cruise in June-July 2004. An annotated checklist. Arquipelago. Life and Marine Sciences, Supplement 10. University of the Azores: Ponta Delgada. 125 pp. ISBN 978-989-99834-0-3.

Publications in peer-reviewed journals:

• DYLDIN Yu.V. & ORLOV A.M. (2021) Annotated list of ichthyofauna of inland and coastal waters of Sakhalin Island. 1. Families Petromyzontidae – Salmonidae. Journal of Ichthyology, 61 (1): 48–79. doi.org/10.1134/S0032945221010057
• DYLDIN, Y.V., ORLOV, A.M. & FORINA, Y.Y. (2020) Brief history of studies of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii, Holocephali) of Sakhalin Island and adjacent waters with taxonomic notes). Vestnik Sakhalinskogo Museya, 4: 172-192.
• MISAWA, R., ORLOV, A.M., ORLOVA, S.Y., GORDEEV, I.I., ISHIHARA, H., HAMATSU, T., UEDA, Y., FUJIWARA, K., ENDO, H. & KAI, Y. (2020) Bathyraja (Arctoraja) sexoculata sp. nov., a new softnose skate (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) from Simushir Island, Kuril Islands (western North Pacific), with special reference to geographic variations in Bathyraja (Arctoraja) smirnovi. Zootaxa, 4861 (4): 515–543
• ORLOV, A.M. & TOKRANOV, A.M. (2019) Checklist of deep-sea fishes of the Russian northwestern Pacific Ocean found at depths below 1000 m. Progress in Oceanography, 176: 102143 DOI: 10.1016/j.pocean.2019.102143
• DYLDIN, Yu.V., ORLOV, A.M., VELIKANOV, A.Ya., MAKEEV, S.S., ROMANOV V.I. & HANEL L. (2018) An Annotated List of the Marine and Brackish-Water Ichthyofauna of Aniva Bay (Sea of Okhotsk, Sakhalin Island): 1. Petromyzontidae−Agonidae Families. Journal of Ichthyology, 58 (4): 473–501.
• DYLDIN, Y.V. & ORLOV, A.M. (2018) An Annotated List of Cartilaginous Fishes (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii, Holocephali) of the Coastal Waters of Sakhalin Island and the Adjacent Southern Part of the Sea of Okhotsk. Journal of Ichthyology, 58 (2): 158-180
• ORLOV, A.M., AFANASIEV, P.K. & PELENEV, D.V. (2017) First record of the goblin shark, Mitsukurina owstoni, (Mitsukurinidae) with notes on its distribution. Journal of Ichthyology, 57 (2): 329–332 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945217020138
• GRIGOROV, I.V., BAITALYUK, A.A. & ORLOV, A.M. (2017) Spatial distribution, size composition, and dynamics of catches of the Okhotsk skate Bathyraja violacea in the North Pacific Ocean. Journal of Ichthyology, 57 (5): 706–720 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945217050071
• DYLDIN, Y.V. & ORLOV, A.M. (2016) Ichthyofauna of Fresh and Brackish Waters of Sakhalin Island: an Annotated List with Taxonomic Comments: 1. Petromyzontidae–Clupeidae Families. Journal of Ichthyology, 56 (4): 534–555 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945216040032
• ORLOV, A.M. & COTTON, C.F. (2015) New Data on the Rare DeepSea Skate Amblyraja jenseni (Rajidae) from the North Atlantic Ocean. Journal of Ichthyology, 55 (4): 478–496 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945215040086
• GRIGOROV, I.V., ORLOV, A.M. & BAITALYUK, A.A. (2015) Spatial Distribution, Size Composition, Feeding Habits, and Dynamics of Abundance of Alaska Skate Bathyraja parmifera in the North Pacific. Journal of Ichthyology, 55 (5): 644–663 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945215050069
• ORLOV, A.M. (2014) New data on rare deep-water Mid-Atlantic skate Rajella kukujevi (Rajidae). Journal of Ichthyology, 54 (5): 317–337 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945214030102
• ORLOV, A.M. & BAITALYUK, A.A. (2014) Spatial Distribution and Features of Biology of Pacific Sleeper Shark Somniosus pacificus in the North Pacific. Journal of Ichthyology, 54 (8): 526–546 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945214040080
• RUSYAEV, S.M. & ORLOV, A.M. (2013) Bycatches of the greenland shark Somniosus microcephalus (Squaliformes, Chondrichthyes) in the barents sea and the adjacent waters under bottom trawling data. Journal of Ichthyology, 53 (1): 111–115 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945213010128
• ORLOV, A.M. & COTTON, C.F. (2013) New data on rare deepwater North Atlantic skate Bathyraja pallida (Forster, 1967) (Arhynchobatidae, Rajiformes). Journal of Ichthyology, 53 (7): 465–477 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945213040048
• GRIGOROV, I.V. & ORLOV, A.M. (2013) Species diversity and conservation status of cartilaginous fishes (Chondrichthyes) of Russian waters. Journal of Ichthyology, 53 (11): 923–936 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945213110040
• ORLOV, A.M., SAVINYKH, V.F., KULISH, E.F. & PELENEV, D.V. (2012) New data on the distribution and size composition of the North Pacific spiny dogfish Squalus suckleyi (Girard, 1854). Scientia Marina, 76 (1): 111–122 DOI: 10.3989/scimar.03439.22C
• ORLOV, A.M., KULISH, E.F., MUKHAMETOV, I.N. & SHUBIN, O.A. (2011) Age and Size of spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias (Squalidae, Chondrichthyes) in Pacific waters off the Kuril Islands. Journal of Ichthyology, 51 (1): 42–55 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945210061049
• ORLOV, A.M. (2011) Record of a tailless Richardson’s ray Bathyraja richardsoni (Garrick, 1961) (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae) caught off the Mid-Atlantic ridge. Pan-American Journal of Aquatic Sciences, 6 (3): 232–236
• ORLOV, A.M. & SMIRNOV, A.A. (2011) New data on sexual dimorphism and reproductive biology of Alaska skate Bathyraja parmifera from the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Journal of Ichthyology, 51 (8): 590–603 DOI: 10.1134/S0032945211050109
• ORLOV, A.M., COTTON, C.F. & SHEVERNITSKY, D.A. (2011) Sexual dimorphism of external morphological characters in some deepwater skates (Rajidae, Rajiformes, Chondrichthyes) of the North Atlantic. Moscow University Biological Sciences Bulletin, 65 (1): 40–44 DOI: 10.3103/S0096392510010086
• ORLOV, A.M. & COTTON, C.F. (2011) Sexually Dimorphic Morphological Characters in Five North Atlantic Deepwater Skates (Chondrichthyes: Rajiformes). Journal of Marine Biology, 2011: 842821, 18 p. DOI: 10.1155/2011/842821
• ORLOV, A.M. & TOKRANOV, A.M. (2010) Reanalysis of long-term surveys on the ecology and biology of mud skate (Rhinoraja taranetzi Dolganov, 1985) in the northwestern Pacific (1993-2002). Journal of Applied Ichthyology, 26 (6): 861–871 DOI: 10.1111/j.1439-0426.2010.01512.x

IUCN Red List Assessments:

• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L., Yamaguchi, A. & Derrick, D. 2020a. Bathyraja bergi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161722A124533622. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. iucnredlist.org/species/161722/124533622 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161722A124533622.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L., Yamaguchi, A. & Derrick, D. 2020b. Bathyraja smirnovi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161612A124514790. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161612/124514790 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161612A124514790.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020c. Bathyraja trachouros. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161701A124530553. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. iucnredlist.org/species/161701/124530553 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161701A124530553.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Walls, R.H.L., Yamaguchi, A. & Derrick, D. 2020d. Bathyraja isotrachys. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161454A124488486. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. iucnredlist.org/species/161454/124488486 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161454A124488486.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020e. Bathyraja andriashevi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161372A124473576. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161372/124473576 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161372A124473576.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020f. Bathyraja violacea. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161594A80676330. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. iucnredlist.org/species/161594/80676330 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161594A80676330.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Orlov, A., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020g. Beringraja pulchra. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161669A124525206. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. iucnredlist.org/species/161669/124525206 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161669A124525206.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020h. Rhinoraja kujiensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161534A124501763. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161534/124501763 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161534A124501763.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020i. Rhinoraja odai. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161742A124536777. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161742/124536777 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161742A124536777.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020j. Hongeo koreana. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161483A124493295. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161483/124493295 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161483A124493295.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020k. Notoraja tobitukai. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161605A124513660. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161605/124513660 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161605A124513660.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020l. Rhinoraja longicauda. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161575A124509549. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161575/124509549 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161575A124509549.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020m. Bathyraja tzinovskii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161444A124486488. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161444/124486488 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161444A124486488.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020n. Bathyraja fedorovi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161623A124517037. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161623/124517037 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161623A124517037.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020o. Bathyraja matsubarai. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161424A124482422. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161424/124482422 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161424A124482422.en
• Dulvy, N.K., Dyldin, Y.V., Ebert, D.A., Herman, K., Ishihara, H., Jeong, C.-H., Semba, Y., Tanaka, S., Volvenko, I.V., Walls, R.H.L. & Yamaguchi, A. 2020p. Bathyraja diplotaenia. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T161462A124489862. Downloaded on 10 December 2020. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/161462/124489862 DOI: dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T161462A124489862.en

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First published in the Shark News magazine (Issue 01 | April 2021)