Applied, Theoretical, and Technological Advances in Elasmobranch Ecology

A special issue of Fishes (ISSN 2410-3888). This special issue belongs to the section "Biology and Ecology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 September 2023) | Viewed by 22358

Special Issue Editors

1. Institute of Marine Sciences, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
2. Fisheries Ecology Division, NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
Interests: fish ecology; fisheries science; elasmobranch biology; biogeography; spatial ecology; trophic ecology; comparative resource use; taxonomy and systematics of fishes
School of Marine Science and Policy, University of Delaware, Lewes, DE, USA
Interests: fish ecology; chondrichthyan biology; trophic ecology; spatial ecology; physiological ecology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Our understanding of elasmobranch ecology is changing rapidly with increased scientific attention and the incorporation of emerging techniques and technologies. Historically simplistic and static views of elasmobranchs (e.g., sharks as apex predators, skates as confined to soft bottom habitats) have been replaced by a greater understanding of the complexity and variability of their ecological interactions. As scientists move from general (e.g., biological observations) or descriptive studies (e.g., stomach content inventories, tracking studies) to integrated and applied ecological research, we are exposing misconceptions and moving towards elucidating the true ecological roles of elasmobranchs in marine communities and ecosystems.

This Special Issue seeks to advance our knowledge of resource use and niche space in elasmobranch fishes by compiling cutting-edge research from around the world. A primary goal is to transcend descriptive studies to present the findings of applied, multi-disciplinary, and hypothesis-driven work. General topics of interest include 1) physiological ecology, 2) spatial ecology, 3) trophic ecology, and 4) integrated studies.

We encourage manuscript submissions from a variety of areas of ecological research. Manuscript submissions that identify sources of individual variation and population dynamics within species across time and space and compare aspects of trophic, spatial, and physiological ecology among species are welcome. We also encourage the submission of research that combines elements of the niche (food, space) to investigate aspects of ecological (and evolutionary) theory or to address environmental or fisheries concerns. Studies that focus on field-derived empirical data are preferred, but meta-analyses and experimental studies are also welcome. Laboratory aspects of some studies (e.g., physiological ecology, sensory ecology, biomechanics) are acceptable but should optimally be combined with a field component. Integrated research may directly incorporate different aspects of the niche or can combine some aspect of the niche with another discipline (e.g., physiology, genetics, evolution, animal behavior, functional morphology) to investigate ecological theory (e.g., optimal foraging, competitive exclusion, direct vs. indirect ecological effects), to apply results to current applied issues in marine science (e.g., marine-protected areas, bycatch mitigation, ecosystem-based fisheries management), or to test hypotheses that relate to the impacts that elasmobranchs have on community or ecosystem structure and function.

Dr. Joseph J. Bizzarro
Dr. Aaron B. Carlisle
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Fishes is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

15 pages, 2113 KiB  
Article
Network Analysis Reveals Species-Specific Organization of Microbial Communities in Four Co-Occurring Elasmobranch Species along the Georgia Coast
by Kady Lyons, Christine N. Bedore, Aaron B. Carlisle, Lauren Moniz, Timothy L. Odom, Rokeya Ahmed, Stephen E. Greiman and Ryan M. Freedman
Fishes 2024, 9(1), 34; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes9010034 - 15 Jan 2024
Viewed by 1270
Abstract
Comparing co-occurring species may provide insights into how aspects of ecology may play a role in influencing their microbial communities. During the 2019 commercial shrimp trawl season off coastal Georgia, swabs of skin, gills, cloaca, and gut were taken for three species of [...] Read more.
Comparing co-occurring species may provide insights into how aspects of ecology may play a role in influencing their microbial communities. During the 2019 commercial shrimp trawl season off coastal Georgia, swabs of skin, gills, cloaca, and gut were taken for three species of batoids (Butterfly Ray, Bluntnose Stingray, and Atlantic Stingray) and one shark species (Atlantic Sharpnose) for high-throughput sequencing of the V4 region of the bacterial 16S rRNA gene. White muscle was analyzed for stable isotopes (δ13C and δ15N) to evaluate potential niche overlap in these four sympatric mesopredators. Significant differences were found in both δ13C and δ15N signatures across species, suggesting a degree of resource partitioning. When examined within tissue type, the host species had a weak effect on β-diversity for cloaca and skin, with no differences found for gill and gut samples. However, network analysis metrics demonstrated a stronger species-specific effect and distinct microbial community relationships were apparent between the shark and batoids, with the former having tighter networks for both internally- and externally-influenced tissues (gut/cloaca and skin/gills, respectively). Despite overlapping habitat use, species’ microbiomes differed in their organizational structuring that paralleled differences in stable isotope results, suggesting a mediating role of species-specific ecology on bacterial microbiomes. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

20 pages, 3252 KiB  
Article
Effects of Increased Temperature on Brain and Sensory Development in the Port Jackson Shark (Heterodontus portusjacksoni)
by Emily E. Peele, Charlie Huveneers, Culum Brown, Connor R. Gervais and Kara E. Yopak
Fishes 2023, 8(12), 611; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8120611 - 17 Dec 2023
Viewed by 1648
Abstract
Morphological differences in the peripheral (sensory) and central (brain) nervous system may confer sensory and/or behavioral variation in elasmobranchs, both across taxa and throughout ontogeny. Over the last century, sea surface temperatures have increased over 0.5 °C and are predicted to rise 1–4 [...] Read more.
Morphological differences in the peripheral (sensory) and central (brain) nervous system may confer sensory and/or behavioral variation in elasmobranchs, both across taxa and throughout ontogeny. Over the last century, sea surface temperatures have increased over 0.5 °C and are predicted to rise 1–4 °C by the year 2100, potentially affecting species’ physiological performance negatively. As the nervous system of fishes grows continually throughout their lives, it may be highly plastic in response to environmental changes. This study examined the effects of increased rearing temperature on nervous system development in Port Jackson sharks (Heterodontus portusjacksoni). Egg cases (n = 21) were collected from Gulf St. Vincent (Adelaide, SA) and placed into either ambient (17.6 °C) or 3 °C above ambient seawater conditions through hatching and reared for up to five months post-hatch. Relative volumes of the eyes and nose (olfactory rosette) were quantified using magnetic resonance imaging, and relative brain size and size of major brain regions were compared between the two treatment groups. The size of the olfactory bulbs and tegmentum varied significantly between the treatment groups, which suggest differences in primary, secondary, or tertiary sensory processing and/or motor functions at elevated temperatures. While studies on acute responses to environmental conditions cannot inform true adaptation across broad timescales, understanding the effects of increased temperature on the brain phenotype can aid in predicting how elasmobranchs may fare in response to changing ocean conditions. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 4001 KiB  
Article
Diet and Feeding Ecology of the Whitespotted Eagle Ray (Aetobatus narinari) from Florida Coastal Waters Revealed via DNA Barcoding
by Brianna V. Cahill, Ryan J. Eckert, Kim Bassos-Hull, Thomas J. Ostendorf, Joshua D. Voss, Breanna C. DeGroot and Matthew J. Ajemian
Fishes 2023, 8(8), 388; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8080388 - 26 Jul 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 15891
Abstract
The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelled prey, and due to effective [...] Read more.
The whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) is a highly mobile, predatory batoid distributed throughout shallow, warm–temperate to tropical Atlantic Basin waters from North Carolina to Brazil. The species’ strong, plate-like dentition facilitates the consumption of hard-shelled prey, and due to effective winnowing behavior, it is a significant challenge to identify prey based on soft tissues alone. Here, we report on the first analysis of whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida waters using visual-based gut content analysis complemented with DNA barcoding. Gut contents were obtained via gastric lavage from 50 individuals collected in the Indian River Lagoon and off Sarasota, Florida. Of the 211 unique prey samples collected, 167 were deemed suitable for sequencing. Approximately 56.3% of samples yielded positive species matches in genetic databases. Results from the sequenced data indicate that the whitespotted eagle ray diet in Florida is mainly comprised of bivalves and gastropods, with variable inclusion of crustaceans. Despite positive identification of venerid clams, there was no evidence for the consumption of hard clams (Mercenaria spp.), a major shellfish aquaculture and restoration species in Florida. Such wide-ranging prey species from various trophic guilds and locations highlight the whitespotted eagle ray’s diverse role in the top-down regulation of coastal benthic communities. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

12 pages, 1853 KiB  
Article
Allometric Growth of the Enigmatic Deep-Sea Megamouth Shark Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno, and Struhsaker, 1983 (Lamniformes, Megachasmidae)
by Chan-gyu Yun and Yuuki Y. Watanabe
Fishes 2023, 8(6), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes8060300 - 03 Jun 2023
Viewed by 2859
Abstract
Megamouth sharks Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno, and Struhsaker, 1983, are a large-bodied, planktivorous, deep-sea species with peculiar morphology. Since their initial description in the late 20th century, many individuals of different sizes have been reported, but few studies examined ontogenetic changes in body [...] Read more.
Megamouth sharks Megachasma pelagios Taylor, Compagno, and Struhsaker, 1983, are a large-bodied, planktivorous, deep-sea species with peculiar morphology. Since their initial description in the late 20th century, many individuals of different sizes have been reported, but few studies examined ontogenetic changes in body shapes. Here, we assess the growth changes in their heads and fins based on length measurements from nine different-sized individuals (177–544 cm in total length). Bivariate analyses showed that the head becomes larger relative to body length with increasing body size (i.e., positive allometry), whereas the relative size of the caudal fin remains constant (i.e., isometric growth). This trend differs from basking sharks and apparently resembles whale sharks and some baleen whales, although they are all large-bodied filter feeders. Given that relative mouth size is linked to feeding modes, our results suggest that megamouth sharks have different feeding modes from ram-feeding basking sharks and may have some similarity with suction-feeding whale sharks and engulfment-feeding baleen whales. Full article
Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Back to TopTop