Shark and Ray Identity in Southern Gulf and Mexican Caribbean Cuisine

9 Jun 2025 Calderitas, Quintana Roo, Mexico, Central and Latin America Fishes

Nadia Sandoval Laurrabaquio Alvarado

This project will analyse shark and ray dishes, particularly those containing "cazón" (small shark), sold in the Gulf of Mexico and Mexican Caribbean.

Over the course of one year, we will collect cooked tissue samples from restaurants in Campeche and Quintana Roo, sequencing the mitochondrial COI gene. Comparing the results to genetic databases will help identify and track the shark and ray species sold in these restaurants across different seasons, and locations where dishes with small sharks may include endangered species.

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