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ANNALES · Ser. hist. nat. · 11 · 2001 · 2 (25)
Alessandro DE MADDALENA et al.: AN ANALYSIS OF THE PHOTOGRAPHIC EVIDENCES OF THE LARGEST CREAT WHITE SHARKS, ..., 193-206
fig. 7: Specimen caught off Isola la formica, Isole Egadi
(ltaly), in May 1974. (Photo: A. De Maddalena's ar-
chive)
SI. 7: Primerek, ujet v bli:iini otoka Isola la formica,
otoéje Egadi (ltalija), maja /eta 1974. (foto: Arhiv A. De
Maddalene)
fig. 6: Specimen caught off Piran (Siovenia) on October located. In Fergusson (1996), the specimen is cited three
22nd 1963. (Photo: L. Lipej's archive) times, but every time with some minor differences. In its
SI. 6: Primerek, ujet v blizini Pirana (S/ovenija) 22. ok- stomach were found a goat (Capra hircus), plastic bot-
tobra 1963. (foto: Arhiv L. Lipeja) tles and plastic bags. The length was reported by
Anonymous (1974) to be "almost 7 m", while Fergusson
apex of the upper lobe of its caudal fin. Considering that (1996) indicated it to be ca. 520-530 cm. The weight
the shark is even in a slightly curved position (its axis reported by Anonymous (1974) corresponds to 1500 kg,
being not perpendicular to the parallel lines of the pav- and this author also stated that the weight of the liver
ing), its length was estimated at 477-530 cm Tln, corre- exceeded 300 kg.
sponding to 492-547 cm TOT, 387-430 cm PRC. Due to
the 5 cm difference in the reference's size, no precise Nitto Minneo reported its total length at 620-640 cm
estimate could be made. We also noted that, according and specified that this measurement had been taken sev-
to Mollet & Cailliet (1996), our estimates agreed with era! times by the "rais", the fishermen and also by some
the approximate weight reported by the fisherman. tourists, when the shark was exposed to the curiosity of
the people, as always when a large shark was captured
Isola la Formica, Isole Egadi, ltaly, May 1974 with the tuna-trap. Mr. Minneo, too, reported that the
shark weighed 2400-2600 kg. In his opinion, this speci-
The capture of a female white shark took piace on a men was probably the largest ever caught by tuna-traps
May 1974 morning with the tu na trap (tonnara) off Isola off la Formica and Favignana. Moreover, even Gioac-
la Formica (ltaly). At that ti me, the chief of this tuna-trap chino Cataldo, the "rais" of the Favignana tuna-trap, re-
called "rais" in Sicilian, was Michele Grimaudo. Nitto called the length of "640 cm, about 6 metres".
Minneo, the diver who worked as inspector of the tuna-
trap nets, examined the shark underwater when already A good photo of the specimen is published in
dead with its head trapped in the net. The man extracted Anonymous (1974) (Fig. 7). For the estimate we chose,
ali the teeth form the large shark's mouth and eventually as reference, the man with a cap on his head and
distributed them among the men working on board the standing to the right of the man with his foot on the
tuna-trap (N. Minneo, pers. comm.). shark's head: since the two menare very close, even the
one chosen as reference has to be very close to the
This case has been reported by Anonymous (1974) shark. Presuming that the man was 175 cm tali, the PP2
and Fergusson (1996). Anonymous (1974) erroneously was estimated at 336 cm, corresponding to 594 cm
indicated the capture location to be the near the island TOT, 575 cm Tln, 466 cm PRC.
of Favignana, where another important tuna-trap was
Filfla, Malta, Aprii 17'h 1987
A large female white shark was caught in the morn-
ing of Aprii 17'h 1987 in the waters off Filfla, Malta, by
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