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Reproductive biology and placentotrophic embryonic development of the smalleye smooth-hound shark, Mustelus higmani, from the south-eastern Caribbean

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2020

Marioxis Macías-Cuyare ,
Rafael Tavares Open the ORCID record for Rafael Tavares [Opens in a new window]  and
Maria Cristina Oddone
Marioxis Macías-Cuyare
Affiliation:
Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Carabobo, Naguanagua CP 2005, Estado Carabobo, Venezuela Programa de Pós-graduação em Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande, Avenida Itália, Km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil, CEP 96203-900 Centro para la Investigación de Tiburones, Av. Don Bosco, Qta. ABC, No. 10, La Florida, CP 1050, Distrito Capital, Caracas, Venezuela
Rafael Tavares*
Affiliation:
Centro para la Investigación de Tiburones, Av. Don Bosco, Qta. ABC, No. 10, La Florida, CP 1050, Distrito Capital, Caracas, Venezuela Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas (IVIC), Av. Panamericana km 11, San Antonio de los Altos CP 1204, Estado Miranda, Venezuela
Maria Cristina Oddone
Affiliation:
Instituto de Ciências Biológicas, Setor Morfologia, Universidade Federal de Rio Grande, Avenida Itália, Km 8, Campus Carreiros, Rio Grande, RS, Brasil, CEP 96203-900
*
Author for correspondence: Rafael Tavares, E-mail: rafaeltavares2569@gmail.com
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Abstract

The reproductive biology and embryonic development of Mustelus higmani were examined between January 2015 and December 2016 in the south-eastern Caribbean. Captures comprised 813 females (23.2–72.5 cm TL), and 960 males (22.6–62.5 cm TL). The total length at 50% maturity was estimated as 47.8 and 47.5 cm for females and males, respectively. Uterine fecundity ranged from 1 to 8 embryos and ovarian fecundity between 1 and 9 vitellogenic follicles. The time of parturition and mating season of M. higmani may occur throughout the year, peaking between November and February. The presence of pre-ovulatory ovarian follicles along with advanced embryos indicates an annual reproductive cycle for female M. higmani. The main embryonic development stages were recorded in the samples, from uterine eggs (1 to 6 per female) to term embryos (23.0–26.0 cm TL). The transition between placental pre-implantation and post-implantation occurs when embryos have attained a TL of 5.0–6.0 cm. The observation of abundant uterine histotrophic secretions in late pregnant and post-partum females demonstrates that histotrophy may intensify close to birth in this species. The local population of M. higmani appears to have relatively high productivity; nonetheless, this species is heavily harvested and lacks management measures in the study area.

Keywords

Central western Atlanticelasmobranchsembryologyfishinglife historyreproduction
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 100 , Issue 8 , December 2020 , pp. 1337 - 1347
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2020

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