Genetically verified catch data from fishers in eastern Indonesia provide new distribution records for the fossil shark Hemipristis elongata in the Halmahera, Seram and Arafura seas. Previously only recorded from the island of Java, this study reports a range extension for this species of >2000 km across the Indonesian archipelago, suggesting that fossil sharks are subjected to fishing pressure over a much larger geographic area than implied by previous species records. We recommend a review of the current species assessment to reflect the reported range extension and inform management of this fishery-targeted shark.
