When Citizen Science Becomes Speculation: Evaluating the Reliability of Lamnid Shark Identification from Photographic Records in the Mediterranean

Reports of great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) in the Mediterranean Sea attract strong scientific and public attention but are frequently based on limited or unverified evidence. This study evaluates the reliability of citizen-science imagery for shark species identification using a comparative morphological framework. A recent Adriatic record was used as a representative case to demonstrate the application of diagnostic criteria for distinguishing lamnid sharks. Dentition and external morphological traits were compared with published reference material and field guides. The analysis indicates that the absence of lateral cusplets and overall dental morphology are inconsistent with C. carcharias, confirming the specimen as a porbeagle (Lamna nasus). Beyond this case, the findings emphasize the importance of expert validation, standardized morphological criteria, and proper reporting for protected species. Establishing clear validation protocols can ensure that citizen-science observations strengthen rather than distort the scientific understanding of Mediterranean shark populations.