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Womersley FC, Rohner CA, Abrantes K, Afonso P, Arunrugstichai S, Bach SS, Bar S, Barash A, Barnes P, Barnett A, Boldrocchi G, Buffat N, Canon T, Perez CC, Chuangcharoendee M, Cochran JEM, de la Parra R, Diamant S, Driggers W, Dudgeon CL, Erdmann MV, Fitzpatrick R, Flam A, Fontes J, Francis G, Galvan BE, Graham RT, Green SM, Green JR, Grosmark Y, Guzman HM, Hardenstine RS, Harvey M, Harvey-Carroll J, Hasan AW, Hearn AR, Hendon JM, Putra MIH, Himawan MR, Hoffmayer E, Holmberg J, Hsu HH, Jaidah MY, Jansen A, Judd C, Kuguru B, Lester E, Macena BCL, Magson K, Maguiño R, Manjaji-Matsumoto M, Marcoux SD, Marcoux T, McKinney J, Meekan M, Mendoza A, Moazzam M, Monacella E, Norman B, Perry C, Pierce S, Prebble C, Macías DR, Raudino H, Reynolds S, Robinson D, Rowat D, Santos MD, Schmidt J, Scott C, See ST, Sianipar A, Speed CW, Syakurachman I, Tyne JA, Waples K, Winn C, Yuneni RR, Zareer I, Araujo G. Identifying priority sites for whale shark ship collision management globally. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 934:172776. [PMID: 38697520 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.172776] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/13/2024] [Revised: 04/21/2024] [Accepted: 04/23/2024] [Indexed: 05/05/2024]
Abstract
The expansion of the world's merchant fleet poses a great threat to the ocean's biodiversity. Collisions between ships and marine megafauna can have population-level consequences for vulnerable species. The Endangered whale shark (Rhincodon typus) shares a circumglobal distribution with this expanding fleet and tracking of movement pathways has shown that large vessel collisions pose a major threat to the species. However, it is not yet known whether they are also at risk within aggregation sites, where up to 400 individuals can gather to feed on seasonal bursts of planktonic productivity. These "constellation" sites are of significant ecological, socio-economic and cultural value. Here, through expert elicitation, we gathered information from most known constellation sites for this species across the world (>50 constellations and >13,000 individual whale sharks). We defined the spatial boundaries of these sites and their overlap with shipping traffic. Sites were then ranked based on relative levels of potential collision danger posed to whale sharks in the area. Our results showed that researchers and resource managers may underestimate the threat posed by large ship collisions due to a lack of direct evidence, such as injuries or witness accounts, which are available for other, sub-lethal threat categories. We found that constellations in the Arabian Sea and adjacent waters, the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of California, and Southeast and East Asia, had the greatest level of collision threat. We also identified 39 sites where peaks in shipping activity coincided with peak seasonal occurrences of whale sharks, sometimes across several months. Simulated collision mitigation options estimated potentially minimal impact to industry, as most whale shark core habitat areas were small. Given the threat posed by vessel collisions, a coordinated, multi-national approach to mitigation is needed within priority whale shark habitats to ensure collision protection for the species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Freya C Womersley
- Marine Biological Association, The Laboratory, Citadel Hill, Plymouth, UK; Marine Research and Conservation Foundation, Somerset, UK; Ocean and Earth Science, National Oceanography Centre Southampton, University of Southampton, Southampton, UK.
| | | | | | - Pedro Afonso
- Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal; Institute of Marine Sciences, OKEANOS, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | - Peter Barnes
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, Australia
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Jesse E M Cochran
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | | | - William Driggers
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, USA
| | - Christine L Dudgeon
- Biopixel Oceans Foundation, Australia; University of Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, Petrie, QLD, Australia
| | | | | | - Anna Flam
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, FL 33411, USA
| | - Jorge Fontes
- Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal; Institute of Marine Sciences, OKEANOS, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal
| | - Gemma Francis
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, Australia
| | | | | | - Sofia M Green
- Galápagos Whale Shark Project, USA; Galápagos Science Center, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, USFQ, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Diego de Robles sn y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador
| | | | | | - Hector M Guzman
- Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Panama; MigraMar, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA
| | - Royale S Hardenstine
- Red Sea Research Center, Division of Biological and Environmental Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Saudi Arabia
| | | | - Jessica Harvey-Carroll
- Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, Maldives; Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Gothenburg, Medicinaregatan 18A, 413 90 Gothenburg, Sweden
| | | | - Alex R Hearn
- Galápagos Whale Shark Project, USA; Galápagos Science Center, Universidad San Francisco de Quito, USFQ, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Diego de Robles sn y Pampite, Quito, Ecuador; MigraMar, 2099 Westshore Rd, Bodega Bay, CA 94923, USA
| | - Jill M Hendon
- The University of Southern Mississippi, Center for Fisheries Research and Development, Ocean Springs, MS, USA
| | | | | | - Eric Hoffmayer
- National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, USA
| | | | - Hua Hsun Hsu
- Coastal and Offshore Resources Research Center, Fisheries Research Institute, Council of Agriculture, Taiwan
| | | | | | | | - Baraka Kuguru
- Tanzania Fisheries Research Institute, United Republic of Tanzania
| | | | - Bruno C L Macena
- Institute of Marine Research - IMAR, Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal; Institute of Marine Sciences, OKEANOS, University of the Azores, 9900-140 Horta, Portugal
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Mark Meekan
- Oceans Institute, University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | | | | | - Brad Norman
- ECOCEAN Inc., Australia; Murdoch University, Australia
| | - Cameron Perry
- Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, Maldives; Georgia Aquarium, USA; Georgia Institute of Technology, USA
| | - Simon Pierce
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, FL 33411, USA; University of Sunshine Coast, School of Science, Technology and Engineering, Petrie, QLD, Australia
| | - Clare Prebble
- Marine Megafauna Foundation, West Palm Beach, FL 33411, USA
| | | | - Holly Raudino
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, Australia
| | | | - David Robinson
- Qatar Whale Shark Research Project, Doha, Qatar; Sundive Research, NSW, Australia
| | - David Rowat
- Marine Conservation Society Seychelles, Seychelles
| | | | | | | | - Sian Tian See
- Borneo Marine Research Institute, University Malaysia Sabah, Malaysia
| | | | - Conrad W Speed
- Australian Institute of Marine Science, Perth, WA, Australia
| | | | - Julian A Tyne
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, Australia
| | - Kelly Waples
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation, and Attractions, WA Government, Australia
| | - Chloe Winn
- Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme, Maldives
| | | | | | - Gonzalo Araujo
- Marine Research and Conservation Foundation, Somerset, UK; Environmental Science Program, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, College of Arts and Sciences, Qatar University, Doha, Qatar
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2
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Tajer B, Savage AM, Whited JL. The salamander blastema within the broader context of metazoan regeneration. Front Cell Dev Biol 2023; 11:1206157. [PMID: 37635872 PMCID: PMC10450636 DOI: 10.3389/fcell.2023.1206157] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/15/2023] [Accepted: 07/26/2023] [Indexed: 08/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Throughout the animal kingdom regenerative ability varies greatly from species to species, and even tissue to tissue within the same organism. The sheer diversity of structures and mechanisms renders a thorough comparison of molecular processes truly daunting. Are "blastemas" found in organisms as distantly related as planarians and axolotls derived from the same ancestral process, or did they arise convergently and independently? Is a mouse digit tip blastema orthologous to a salamander limb blastema? In other fields, the thorough characterization of a reference model has greatly facilitated these comparisons. For example, the amphibian Spemann-Mangold organizer has served as an amazingly useful comparative template within the field of developmental biology, allowing researchers to draw analogies between distantly related species, and developmental processes which are superficially quite different. The salamander limb blastema may serve as the best starting point for a comparative analysis of regeneration, as it has been characterized by over 200 years of research and is supported by a growing arsenal of molecular tools. The anatomical and evolutionary closeness of the salamander and human limb also add value from a translational and therapeutic standpoint. Tracing the evolutionary origins of the salamander blastema, and its relatedness to other regenerative processes throughout the animal kingdom, will both enhance our basic biological understanding of regeneration and inform our selection of regenerative model systems.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Jessica L. Whited
- Department of Stem Cell and Regenerative Biology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, United States
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Debaere SF, Weideli OC, Bouyoucos IA, Eustache KB, Trujillo JE, De Boeck G, Planes S, Rummer JL. Quantifying changes in umbilicus size to estimate the relative age of neonatal blacktip reef sharks ( Carcharhinus melanopterus). CONSERVATION PHYSIOLOGY 2023; 11:coad028. [PMID: 37179709 PMCID: PMC10170742 DOI: 10.1093/conphys/coad028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2022] [Revised: 02/10/2023] [Accepted: 04/07/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Sharks can incur a range of external injuries throughout their lives that originate from various sources, but some of the most notable wounds in viviparous shark neonates are at the umbilicus. Umbilical wounds typically heal within 1 to 2 months post-parturition, depending on the species, and are therefore often used as an indicator of neonatal life stage or as a relative measure of age [e.g. grouping by umbilical wound classes (UWCs), according to the size of their umbilicus]. To improve comparisons of early-life characteristics between studies, species and across populations, studies using UWCs should integrate quantitative changes. To overcome this issue, we set out to quantify changes in umbilicus size of neonatal blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia, based on temporal regression relationships of umbilicus size. Here, we provide a detailed description for the construction of similar quantitative umbilical wound classifications, and we subsequently validate the accuracy of our classification and discuss two examples to illustrate its efficacy, depletion rate of maternally provided energy reserves and estimation of parturition period. A significant decrease in body condition in neonatal sharks as early as twelve days post-parturition suggests a rapid depletion of in utero-allocated energy reserves stored in the liver. Back calculations of timing of birth based on the umbilicus size of neonates determine a parturition season from September to January, with most parturitions occurring during October and November. As such, this study contributes valuable data to inform the conservation and management of young-of-the-year blacktip reef sharks, and we therefore encourage the construction and use of similar regression relationships for other viviparous shark species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shamil F Debaere
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Ornella C Weideli
- Soneva Fushi, Boduthakurufaanu Magu, Male 20077, Maldives
- Dr Risch Medical Laboratory, Wuhrstrasse 14, 9490 Vaduz, Liechtenstein
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, PSL Research University, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
| | - Ian A Bouyoucos
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, PSL Research University, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Manitoba, 50 Sifton Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2N2, Canada
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
| | - Kim B Eustache
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, PSL Research University, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
- Institute for Biodiversity and Ecosystem Dynamics, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, Netherlands
| | - José E Trujillo
- Department of Marine Science, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand
| | - Gudrun De Boeck
- ECOSPHERE, Department of Biology, University of Antwerp, Groenenborgerlaan 171, 2020 Antwerp, Belgium
| | - Serge Planes
- EPHE-UPVD-CNRS, USR 3278 CRIOBE, PSL Research University, Université de Perpignan, 58 Avenue Paul Alduy, 66860 Perpignan Cedex, France
- Laboratoire d'Excellence 'CORAIL', EPHE, PSL Research University, UPVD, USR 3278 CRIOBE, 98729 Papetoai, Moorea, French Polynesia
| | - Jodie L Rummer
- ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
- Marine Biology, College of Science and Engineering, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811, Australia
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Magson K, Monacella E, Scott C, Buffat N, Arunrugstichai S, Chuangcharoendee M, Pierce SJ, Holmberg J, Araujo G. Citizen science reveals the population structure and seasonal presence of whale sharks in the Gulf of Thailand. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 101:540-549. [PMID: 35638311 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.15121] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/11/2021] [Accepted: 05/24/2022] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
The whale shark Rhincodon typus is a broadly distributed and highly mobile planktivorous shark species. The sharks form predictable aggregations in many areas, providing the opportunity for cost-effective scientific monitoring through divers and other marine resource users. Sightings of individuals outside of these aggregate zones elsewhere in their range are typically rare. We used a citizen science-based approach to shed light on occurrence and seasonality in the waters around Koh Tao, Thailand and neighbouring islands in the Gulf of Thailand. Although there is a paucity of quantitative data, anecdotal reports suggest substantial declines in sightings in the early 2000s. We identified a total of 178 individual whale sharks (from 249 sightings) between 2004 and 2019, with most of these (84%) from the 2015-2019 time period due to an increase in sighting reports facilitated by social media and direct marketing. Size estimates were reported for 102 of the sightings, with a range of 2-6 m and mean of 3.7 m overall. Sex was reported for 27% of sightings, with a 2:1 female-to-male ratio. Modified maximum likelihood methods suggest whale sharks are transient to Koh Tao and surrounding areas, with whale shark sightings following the regional monsoon cycle. One international resighting was obtained from Malaysian waters (~700 km away). Encouraging citizen science participation is particularly useful in data-poor regions like the Gulf of Thailand, despite limitations in size and sex estimation reliability, which can play an important complementary role in dedicated research programs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kirsty Magson
- Thai Whale Sharks, Surat Thani, Thailand
- New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, Surat Thani, Thailand
- Conservation Diver, Evergreen, Colorado, USA
| | - Emily Monacella
- Thai Whale Sharks, Surat Thani, Thailand
- New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, Surat Thani, Thailand
| | - Chad Scott
- Conservation Diver, Evergreen, Colorado, USA
| | - Noémie Buffat
- Thai Whale Sharks, Surat Thani, Thailand
- New Heaven Reef Conservation Program, Surat Thani, Thailand
| | | | | | | | | | - Gonzalo Araujo
- Marine Research and Conservation Foundation, Somerset, UK
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5
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Global collision-risk hotspots of marine traffic and the world's largest fish, the whale shark. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 2022; 119:e2117440119. [PMID: 35533277 PMCID: PMC9171791 DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2117440119] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Marine traffic is increasing globally yet collisions with endangered megafauna such as whales, sea turtles, and planktivorous sharks go largely undetected or unreported. Collisions leading to mortality can have population-level consequences for endangered species. Hence, identifying simultaneous space use of megafauna and shipping throughout ranges may reveal as-yet-unknown spatial targets requiring conservation. However, global studies tracking megafauna and shipping occurrences are lacking. Here we combine satellite-tracked movements of the whale shark, Rhincodon typus, and vessel activity to show that 92% of sharks’ horizontal space use and nearly 50% of vertical space use overlap with persistent large vessel (>300 gross tons) traffic. Collision-risk estimates correlated with reported whale shark mortality from ship strikes, indicating higher mortality in areas with greatest overlap. Hotspots of potential collision risk were evident in all major oceans, predominantly from overlap with cargo and tanker vessels, and were concentrated in gulf regions, where dense traffic co-occurred with seasonal shark movements. Nearly a third of whale shark hotspots overlapped with the highest collision-risk areas, with the last known locations of tracked sharks coinciding with busier shipping routes more often than expected. Depth-recording tags provided evidence for sinking, likely dead, whale sharks, suggesting substantial “cryptic” lethal ship strikes are possible, which could explain why whale shark population declines continue despite international protection and low fishing-induced mortality. Mitigation measures to reduce ship-strike risk should be considered to conserve this species and other ocean giants that are likely experiencing similar impacts from growing global vessel traffic.
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6
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Rangel BS, Viegas R, Bettcher VB, Garla RC. Eye healing in a free-ranging whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) following shark-inflicted bite injuries. JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY 2022; 100:590-593. [PMID: 34817876 DOI: 10.1111/jfb.14961] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/04/2021] [Accepted: 11/22/2021] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Here we provide the first photographic records of the eye healing of a free-ranging whitespotted eagle ray (Aetobatus narinari) following shark-inflicted bite injuries on the cephalic region. The whitespotted eagle ray with fresh wounds on the cephalic region close to its right orbit, upper jaw and the anterior margin of its right pectoral fin was photographed on 19 July 2017 at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago. Two subsequent photographs of the whitespotted eagle ray with a blind right eye were taken on 29 March 2018 and 18 April 2018. These records show the whitespotted eagle ray had the capacity to recover from the wounds, although they have led to the blindness of the eye. These findings also demonstrate this individual was able to survive for at least 9 months with a nonfunctional eye.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bianca S Rangel
- Laboratório de Metabolismo e Reprodução de Organismos Aquáticos, Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Roberta Viegas
- Centro de mergulho Mar de Noronha, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil
| | - Vanessa B Bettcher
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Laboratório de Ictiologia Aplicada, Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Ricardo C Garla
- Departamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil
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7
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Rohner CA, Venables SK, Cochran JEM, Prebble CEM, Kuguru BL, Berumen ML, Pierce SJ. The need for long-term population monitoring of the world’s largest fish. ENDANGER SPECIES RES 2022. [DOI: 10.3354/esr01177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
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8
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Perry CT, Pratte ZA, Clavere-Graciette A, Ritchie KB, Hueter RE, Newton AL, Fischer GC, Dinsdale EA, Doane MP, Wilkinson KA, Bassos-Hull K, Lyons K, Dove ADM, Hoopes LA, Stewart FJ. Elasmobranch microbiomes: emerging patterns and implications for host health and ecology. Anim Microbiome 2021; 3:61. [PMID: 34526135 PMCID: PMC8444439 DOI: 10.1186/s42523-021-00121-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/04/2021] [Accepted: 08/21/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) are of broad ecological, economic, and societal value. These globally important fishes are experiencing sharp population declines as a result of human activity in the oceans. Research to understand elasmobranch ecology and conservation is critical and has now begun to explore the role of body-associated microbiomes in shaping elasmobranch health. Here, we review the burgeoning efforts to understand elasmobranch microbiomes, highlighting microbiome variation among gastrointestinal, oral, skin, and blood-associated niches. We identify major bacterial lineages in the microbiome, challenges to the field, key unanswered questions, and avenues for future work. We argue for prioritizing research to determine how microbiomes interact mechanistically with the unique physiology of elasmobranchs, potentially identifying roles in host immunity, disease, nutrition, and waste processing. Understanding elasmobranch–microbiome interactions is critical for predicting how sharks and rays respond to a changing ocean and for managing healthy populations in managed care.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cameron T Perry
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.
| | - Zoe A Pratte
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
| | | | - Kim B Ritchie
- Department of Natural Sciences, University of South Carolina Beaufort, Beaufort, SC, USA
| | - Robert E Hueter
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA.,OCEARCH, Park City, UT, USA
| | - Alisa L Newton
- Disney's Animals, Science and Environment, Orlando, FL, USA
| | - G Christopher Fischer
- OCEARCH, Park City, UT, USA.,Marine Science Research Institute, Jacksonville University, Jacksonville, FL, USA
| | - Elizabeth A Dinsdale
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - Michael P Doane
- College of Science and Engineering, Flinders University, Bedford Park, SA, Australia
| | - Krystan A Wilkinson
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA.,Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program ℅ Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Kim Bassos-Hull
- Sharks and Rays Conservation Research Program, Mote Marine Laboratory, Sarasota, FL, USA
| | - Kady Lyons
- Research and Conservation Department, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Alistair D M Dove
- Research and Conservation Department, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Lisa A Hoopes
- Research and Conservation Department, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, USA
| | - Frank J Stewart
- School of Biological Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA, USA.,Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Montana State University, Bozeman, MT, USA
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9
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Alibardi L. Regeneration in anamniotes was replaced by regengrow and scarring in amniotes after land colonization and the evolution of terrestrial biological cycles. Dev Dyn 2021; 251:1404-1413. [PMID: 33793005 DOI: 10.1002/dvdy.341] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2021] [Revised: 03/01/2021] [Accepted: 03/24/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
An evolutionary hypothesis explaining failure of regeneration among vertebrates is presented. Regeneration derives from postembryonic processes present during the life cycles of fish and amphibians that include larval and metamorphic phases with broad organ reorganizations. Developmental programs imprinted in their genomes are re-utilized with variations also in adults for regeneration. When vertebrates colonized land adopting the amniotic egg, some genes driving larval changes, and metamorphosis were lost and new genes evolved, further limiting regeneration. These included neural inhibitors for maintaining complex nervous systems, behavior and various levels of intelligence, and adaptive immune cells. The latter, that in anamniotes are executioners of metamorphic reorganization, became intolerant to embryonic-oncofetal-antigens impeding organ regeneration, a process that requires de-differentiation of adult cells and/or expansion of stem cells where these early antigens are formed. The evolution of terrestrial lifecycles produced vertebrates with complex bodies but no longer capable to regenerate their organs, mainly repaired by regengrow. Efforts of regenerative medicine to improve healing in humans should determine the diverse developmental pathways evolved between anamniotes and amniotes before attempting genetic manipulations such as the introduction of "anamniote regenerative genes" in amniotes. This operation may determine alteration in amniote developmental programs leading to teratomes, cancer, or death.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lorenzo Alibardi
- Comparative Histolab Padova and Department of Biology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy
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