BERKELEY, California, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Meghan Holst studies the broadnose sevengill shark, so she was naturally concerned when record-setting rain this year altered the shark's nursery grounds in San Francisco Bay.

But the species appears to have withstood the challenge, based on initial observations from a recent outing on the water by Holst, a 31-year-old doctoral student in conservation ecology at the University of California, Davis.

Next, perhaps, will come California Fish and Game Commission protections for the sharks in San Francisco Bay, which she considers a nursing and pupping ground for a species believed to be in decline. Research like hers can help support such a designation.

San Francisco Bay is one of the world's only known year-round nurseries for the species, Holst said, making the habitat critical to monitor. The sevengill, known for its thick body, broad head and blunt snout, measures up to 10 feet (3 meters) long and eats various fish including other shark species and rays, dolphins, seals and other prey. As its name indicates, it has seven gills, while most shark species possess five. Read the full story at Reuters >>