Chateau O. auteur aut IRD Lanos N. auteur aut IRD Gossuin H. auteur aut IRD Maggioni F. auteur aut IRD Lassauce H. auteur aut IRD Vigliola Laurent auteur aut IRD Farman R. auteur aut IRD text journalArticle eng text/pdf born digital access Stegostoma tigrinum (Forster, 1781) undergoes an ontogenetic shift in color pattern, from striped (zebra) juveniles to spotted (leopard) adults. This shift in color pattern is potentially associated with a change in habitat. However, post-hatching juveniles and transitional stages are rarely observed, and their habitat preferences remain unclear. The objectives of our study. were to determine if transitional juveniles stay near their oviposition site, or, alternatively, to characterize their dispersal patterns. Fourteen large spotted juveniles (i.e., transitional stage) were studied (mean size +/- SD: 90 +/- 6 cm TL) using acoustic telemetry for 334 days. All individuals hatched from the eggs collected in the studied area and were reared in aquariums. They were tagged and released at the oviposition site after 397 to 453 days post-hatching in captivity. All sharks left the oviposition site immediately upon release and showed dispersive behavior, with detections recorded for 1 to 39 days. No evidence of site fidelity was observed at the release site or elsewhere in the study area, and individuals were detected at distances of up to 11.7 km from the oviposition site. It is hypothesized that after release, and following a brief exploration of the coastal lagoon around Noumea (i.e., acclimatization period), the studied sharks likely moved to deeper lagoon habitats (10-20 m), potentially located further offshore. specialized Acoustic telemetry Carpet shark Shark behavior Shark juvenile NOUVELLE CALEDONIE PACIFIQUE SUD 034 109 1 26 [12 p.] 2025 0378-1909 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095961 10.1007/s10641-025-01797-2 0378-1909 [F B010095961] https://www.documentation.ird.fr/hor/fdi:010095961 https://www.documentation.ird.fr/intranet/publi/2026-02/010095961.pdf Accès réservé (Intranet de l'IRD) IRD - Base Horizon / Pleins textes 2026-02-04 2026-02-04 fdi:010095961 fre