How to identify shark products

Abstract

To provide a method for easily identifying whether a processed product of a shark is a processed product of a blue shark or a processed product of a shark other than the blue shark.SOLUTION: Provided is a method for identifying whether a processed product of a shark is a processed product of a blue shark or a processed product of a shark other than the blue shark, on the basis of a shape of a scale of the processed product of the shark.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for identifying whether a shark product is a product of a blue shark or a product of a shark other than the blue shark. [Background technology]

[0002] The blue shark, classified in the Carcharhinidae family of the Carcharhinidae order, accounts for approximately 80% of the shark catch in Japan. It is processed into shark fin, a luxury food ingredient, and is also exported overseas. On the other hand, sharks classified in the same order Carcharhinidae (Carcharhinidae) as the blue shark include endangered species such as the oceanic whitetip shark, dusky shark, and smooth hammerhead shark. Although the blue shark is not classified as an endangered species, there have been cases of endangered sharks being smuggled into foreign countries as blue sharks. Concerns over the smuggling of these endangered species could lead to excessive restrictions on the shark trade and potentially even a reduction in international trade in genuine blue shark products.

[0003] Currently, a system has been developed that uses machine learning technology to identify the type of shark from the shape of the shark fin (iSharkFin). However, this system cannot identify processed shark products because they are cut and do not retain the original shape of the fin. It is possible to identify the type of shark from DNA, but it is cumbersome. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] An object of the present invention is to provide a method for easily identifying whether a processed shark product is a processed blue shark product or a processed shark product other than the blue shark. [Means for solving the problem]

[0005] As a result of the inventor's research, it was discovered that the shape of the scales (shields) of sharks varies depending on the species, and that the blue shark has a unique shape of scales, and that by checking the shape, it is possible to distinguish whether a product is a processed product of a blue shark or a shark other than the blue shark. (1) A method for identifying shark products, comprising: The method includes identifying whether the shark product is a blue shark product or a shark product other than a blue shark based on the shape of the shark product's scales. (2) The method described in (1) above, which includes identifying the shark product as a blue shark product when it is confirmed that the scales of the shark product have three linear ridges extending from a pointed end to the other end. (3) The method according to (1) or (2) above, which includes identifying whether the shark product is a processed product of a blue shark or a processed product of a shark other than the blue shark based on the size of the gaps between the scales of the shark product. (4) The method according to (1) above, wherein the processed shark product other than the blue shark is a processed shark product from the blacktip reef shark, oceanic whitetip shark, dusky shark, silky shark, smooth hammerhead shark, thresher shark, shortfin mako shark, scalloped hammerhead shark, bigfin reef shark, great white shark, blacktip reef shark, or spine shark. Effect of the Invention

[0006] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for easily identifying whether a processed shark product is a processed blue shark product or a processed shark product other than the blue shark. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0007] [Figure 1] This is a diagram showing the shape of the scales of a blue shark. [Diagram 2] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a blue shark. [Diagram 3] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a black-tipped reef shark. [Figure 4] This is a microscopic photograph of dirt grub scales. [Diagram 5]This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a dusky shark. [Figure 6] A microscopic photograph of silky shark scales. [Figure 7] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a smooth hammerhead shark. [Figure 8] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a blue-and-white flycatcher. [Figure 9] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a mako shark. [Figure 10] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a scalloped hammerhead shark. [Figure 11] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a silverfish. [Figure 12] This is a microscopic photo of great white shark scales. [Figure 13] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a blacktip shark. [Figure 14] This is a microscopic photograph of the scales of a spiny shark. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0008] The method for identifying processed shark products of the present invention will be described below. The identification method of the present invention identifies whether a processed shark product is a blue shark product or a shark product other than a blue shark based on the shape of the scales (shield scales) of the processed shark product. The processed shark product may be a product that includes the fin part of a shark or a product that includes the body part. For example, the fin part is cut and dried and processed as a raw material for shark fin.

[0009] The blue shark is classified in the Carcharhinidae family of the order Carcharhinidae. Other sharks in the same family as the blue shark include the black-tipped reef shark, the whitetip shark, the dusky shark, the silky shark, the blacktip reef shark, and the spinner shark. Other sharks in the same family as the blue shark include the smooth hammerhead shark and scalloped hammerhead shark, which are in the Scallophinidae family of the order Carcharhinidae, the thresher shark and the bigfin reef shark, which are in the Thresher shark family of the order Lamniformes, and the shortfin mako and great white sharks, which are in the Lamniformes family of the order Lamniformes.

[0010] The following description will be given with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows the shape of the scales of a blue shark. The shape of a shark's scales can be seen under a microscope. As shown in Figure 1, a blue shark's scale 10 has a pointed portion 12 at one end, an end portion 14 at the other end, and arc-shaped side portions 16A, 16B that extend radially from the pointed portion 12 and connect to the end portion 14 at the other end.

[0011] The blue shark scale 10 has three linear ridges 18A, 18B, and 18C that extend from the pointed portion 12 at one end to the other end 14. Of the three linear ridges 18, the central linear ridge 18B extends further toward the other end 14 than the linear ridges 18A and 18C on the left and right (top and bottom in FIG. 1). The three linear ridges 18 are unique to the blue shark and are not found in the scales of sharks other than the blue shark, which will be described later. Therefore, by confirming that the scales of a processed shark product have the three linear ridges 18, it is possible to identify that the product is a blue shark product. Another characteristic of the blue shark is that the gap 22 between the scale 10 and the skin 20 is larger than that of other sharks.

[0012] Figure 2 is a magnified photograph of the body of a blue shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0013] As shown in Figure 2, the scales of the blue shark have three linear ridges extending from the pointed end to the other end, and there are large gaps between the scales and the skin.

[0014] Figure 3 is a magnified photograph of the body of a black tipped reef shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0015] As shown in Figure 3, the scales of the black-tipped whale shark have four or more linear ridges, and the outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0016] Figure 4 is an enlarged stereomicroscope photograph of the body of a stain grub.

[0017] As shown in Figure 4, four or more linear ridges can be seen on the scales of the whitetip shark. Furthermore, the scales of the whitetip shark are diamond-shaped and have a different outline shape from that of the blue shark. In addition, there are no gaps between the scales and the skin.

[0018] Figure 5 is an enlarged photograph of the body of a dusky shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0019] As shown in Figure 5, the scales of the dusky shark have four or more linear ridges. There is no space between the scales and the skin. The outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0020] Figure 6 is a magnified photograph of the body of a silky shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0021] As shown in Figure 6, the scales of the Silky Shark have four or more linear ridges. Furthermore, the scales of the Silky Shark are diamond-shaped, and the outline shape is also significantly different from that of the Blue Shark.

[0022] Figure 7 is a magnified photograph of the body of a white hammerhead shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0023] As shown in Figure 7, the surface of the scales of the Smoky Hammerhead shark is complexly raised, and no clear three linear ridges can be seen like those of the Blue Shark. The outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the Blue Shark.

[0024] Figure 8 is a magnified photograph of the body of a blue-and-white flycatcher taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0025] As shown in Figure 8, the surface of the thresher's scales is complexly raised, and the three distinct linear ridges seen in the scales of the blue shark cannot be seen. The outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0026] Figure 9 is a magnified photograph of the body of a mako shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0027] As shown in Figure 9, the surface of the mako shark is complexly raised, and the three distinct linear ridges seen in the scales of the blue shark cannot be seen. The outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0028] Figure 10 is a magnified photograph of the body of a scalloped hammerhead shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0029] As shown in Figure 10, the surface of the scalloped hammerhead shark's scales is complexly raised, and no clear three linear ridges can be seen on the scales of the blue shark.

[0030] Figure 11 is an enlarged stereomicroscope photograph of the body of a Japanese cricket.

[0031] As shown in Figure 11, the surface of the scales of the bigfin reef shark is complexly raised, and no clear three linear ridges can be seen like those of the blue shark's scales.

[0032] Figure 12 is a magnified photograph of the body of a great white shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0033] As shown in Figure 12, the great white shark's scales do not have the three clear linear ridges seen in the blue shark's scales.

[0034] Figure 13 is an enlarged photograph of the body of a blacktip shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0035] As shown in Figure 13, the blacktip shark's scales do not have the three distinct linear ridges seen in the blue shark's scales. There is also no gap between the scales and the skin. The outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0036] Figure 14 is an enlarged photograph of the body of a spiny shark taken with a stereomicroscope.

[0037] As shown in Figure 14, the three distinct linear ridges seen in the scales of the spinner shark cannot be seen, and the outline of the scales is also clearly different from that of the blue shark.

[0038] As described above, the scales of the blue shark have three linear ridges extending from a pointed portion at one end to the other end, whereas the scales of other sharks do not have these three linear ridges. These three linear ridges on the scales of the blue shark can also be found in processed products of the blue shark. Therefore, by confirming that the scales of a processed shark product have three linear ridges, it can be identified as a processed product of the blue shark. Explanation of symbols

[0039] 10: Blue shark scales 12: Pointed end 14:Other end 16A: Side 16B: Side 18A: Linear ridge 18B: Linear ridge 18C: Linear ridge 20 :Skin 22: Gap

Claims

[Claim 1] 1. A method for identifying shark products, comprising: Distinguishing whether a shark product is a blue shark product or a shark product other than a blue shark based on the shape of the shark's scales; The processed shark products other than the blue shark are processed products of the black-tipped reef shark, the whitetip shark, the dusky shark, the blacktip shark, the white hammerhead shark, the thresher shark, the shortfin mako shark, the scalloped hammerhead shark, the bigfin reef shark, the great white shark, the blacktip shark, and the spine shark, The method includes identifying the shark product as a blue shark product when it is confirmed that the scales of the shark product have three linear ridges extending from a pointed end to the other end.

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