Pre-Hatching Ontogenetic Changes of Morphological Characters of Small-Spotted Catshark (Scyliorhinus canicula)

Husbandry conditions of spotted ratfish (Hydrolagus colliei, Chimaeriformes) in aquaria for successful embryonic development and long-term survival of juveniles

The spotted ratfish Hydrolagus colliei is the most common holocephalan species exhibited in aquaria worldwide for introducing deep-sea environments and raising awareness of their conservation. However, little is known about the biology of H. colliei. Current practices in aquaria allow long-term survival of sexually mature H. colliei specimens; however, this species struggles to complete a reproductive cycle in captivity mostly because embryos do not reach the hatchling stage. The aquarists of Planet Ocean Montpellier (POM, France) have bred H. colliei for 15 years and recorded parameters suitable for this species' successful embryonic and post-embryonic development. POM aquarists now regularly record egg-laying events of H. colliei and use four tanks to incubate eggs and raise neonates, late hatchlings, early and intermediate juveniles, subadults, and sexually mature specimens. In this work we provide the first long-term biometric data on H. colliei from the hatchling to the subadult stage. We also report the biotic and abiotic parameters sufficient to breed H. colliei in aquaria. We finally describe the methods used to facilitate individual monitoring of specimens along the ontogeny and several pathologies identified in this species, their putative causes, and the corresponding treatments. This work highlights the importance of ex situ research and points to the valuable outcomes of collaborative efforts between aquaria and academia in deciphering the biology of species whose study in the wild remains challenging.

Embryonic development in the bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), a viviparous hammerhead shark

BACKGROUND

The hammerhead sharks (family Sphyrnidae) are an immediately recognizable group of sharks due to their unique head shape. Though there has long been an interest in hammerhead development, there are currently no explicit staging tables published for any members of the group. The bonnethead Sphyrna tiburo is the smallest member of Sphyrnidae and is abundant in estuarine and nearshore waters in the Gulf of Mexico and Western North Atlantic Ocean. Due to their relative abundance, close proximity to shore, and brief gestation period, it has been possible to collect and document multiple embryonic specimens at progressive stages of development.

RESULTS

We present the first comprehensive embryonic staging series for the Bonnethead, a viviparous hammerhead shark. Our stage series covers a period of development from stages that match the vertebrate phylotypic period, from Stage 23, through stages of morphological divergence to complete development at birth-Stage 35). Notably, we use a variety of techniques to document crucial stages that lead to their extreme craniofacial diversity, resulting in the formation of one of the most distinctive characters of any shark species, the cephalofoil or hammer-like head.

CONCLUSION

Documenting the development of hard-to-access vertebrates, like this viviparous shark species, offers important information about how new and diverse morphologies arise that otherwise may remain poorly studied. This work will serve as a platform for future comparative developmental research both within sharks and across the phylogeny of vertebrates, underpinning the extreme potential of craniofacial development and morphological diversity in vertebrate animals.

Ontogenetic changes in the tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactive preoptic area in the small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula (L., 1758) females: catecholaminergic involvement in sexual maturation

Introduction

The catecholaminergic component of the brain-pituitary-gonadal axis, which mediates the influence of external and internal stimuli on the central nervous system and gonad development in vertebrates, is largely unexplored in Chondrichthyes. We considered Scyliorhinus canicula (L., 1758) females as a model for this vertebrate's class, to assess the involvement of the catecholaminergic system of the brain in its reproduction. Along the S. canicula reproductive cycle, we characterized and evaluated differences in somata morphometry and the number of putative catecholaminergic neurons in two brain nuclei: the periventricular preoptic nucleus, hypothesized to be a positive control for ovarian development, and the suprachiasmatic nucleus, examined as a negative control.

Materials and methods

16 S. canicula wild females were sampled and grouped in maturity stages (immature, maturing, mature, and mature egg-laying). The ovary was histologically processed for the qualitative description of maturity stages. Anti-tyrosine hydroxylase immunofluorescence was performed on the diencephalic brain sections. The immunoreactive somata were investigated for morphometry and counted using the optical fractionator method, throughout the confocal microscopy.

Results and discussions

Qualitative and quantitative research confirmed two separate populations of immunoreactive neurons. The modifications detected in the preoptic nucleus revealed that somata were more numerous, significantly smaller in size, and more excitable during the maturing phase but decreased, becoming slightly bigger and less excitable in the egg-laying stage. This may indicate that the catecholaminergic preoptic nucleus is involved in the control of reproduction, regulating both the onset of puberty and the imminent spawning. In contrast, somata in the suprachiasmatic nucleus grew in size and underwent turnover in morphometry, increasing the total number from the immature-virgin to maturing stage, with similar values in the more advanced maturity stages. These changes were not linked to a reproductive role. These findings provide new valuable information on Chondrichthyes, suggesting the existence of an additional brain system implicated in the integration of internal and environmental cues for reproduction.