Annotated list of the fish of Cuba. Part I: Myxini, Elasmobranchii y Holocephali

Abstract

Myxinids and cartilaginous fishes have been poorly studied in Cuban waters. Sharks have historically been an important fishery resource and are currently subject to intense exploitation, even though many of these species are at risk of extinction. In the present work, the nomenclature and taxonomy of the species of myxinids and cartilaginous fishes reported for Cuba were updated; for each species, the common names in Spanish and English, most frequent habitats, as well as their updated threat category according to the IUCN criteria are included. Eighty-three species are reported: 57 sharks, 25 batoids and one species of chimaera. Forty-seven percent of the species are threatened according to the IUCN criteria; of the shark species that inhabit Cuba´s seas, 54.38% are under some category of threat and some have high rates of capture on the Cuban shelf. The list of doubtful records or records that require verification is included; the two species of agnaths, as well as six species of sharks and species of ray are considered doubtful records for Cuban waters.