Megachasma Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983

Ebert, David A., White, William T., Ho, Hsuan-Ching, Last, Peter R., Nakaya, Kazuhiro, Séret, Bernard, Straube, Nicolas, Naylor, Gavin J. P. & De Carvalho, Marcelo R., 2013, An annotated checklist of the chondrichthyans of Taiwan, Zootaxa 3752 (1), pp. 279-386 : 309-310

Genus Megachasma Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983

Megamouth Shark / RŊḛé

Megachasma Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983: 87 , 96, figs. 1–15. Type species: Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983 by original designation (also monotypic).

Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983

Megamouth Shark / RŊḛ

Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno & Struhsaker, 1983: 87 , 96, figs. 1–15. Holotype: BPBM 22730 , adult male 4460 mm TL, off Oahu , Hawaiian Islands, 21°51'N, 157°46'W, about 42 km northeast of Kahuku Point, at 165 m depth in about about 4600 m deep.

Local synonymy: Megachasma pelagios: Lee & Shao, 2009: 303 , fig. 1, 3–4, tabs. 1–2.

Taiwan voucher material: (2 spec.) ASIZP 71582 , female 4870 mm TL, Hualien, 4 May 2005 ; NMMB-P 8950 , female 4830 mm TL, Hualien, 5 May 2005 .

Remarks: This species was first reported from Taiwanese waters by Lee & Shao (2009) based on nine records from fish markets along the east coast. Most specimens (n = 8) were taken off Hualien. Two specimens were deposited in museum collections, while the remaining specimens were sold at market for human consumption. During preparation of this paper a specimen was landed (April 2013) at the fish market in Hualien. One additional specimen (ca. 3.5 m TL) collected from off Hualien in May 2013 was purchased and kept in NMMB-P.

Conservation status: Data Deficient.