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Identifying reproductive events using archival tags: egg-laying behaviour of the small spotted catsharkScyliorhinus canicula

Identifying reproductive events using archival tags: egg-laying behaviour of the small spotted catsharkScyliorhinus canicula
Identifying reproductive events using archival tags: egg-laying behaviour of the small spotted catsharkScyliorhinus canicula
The use of archival depth telemetry as a means of remotely assessing the reproductive rates of free-ranging fishes is explored. This is achieved by electronically tracking the vertical movements of individual female small spotted catsharks Scyliorhinus canicula in the natural environment, whilst simultaneously evaluating the temporal and vertical distributions of egg-laying in this species. Distinctive patterns of short-term (0·3–3·7 h), shallow-water activity are documented in the time–depth profiles of female S. canicula that occur at an appropriate depth (1·0–2·3 m) and periodicity (every 10–12 days) to represent egg-laying behaviour. Putative egg-laying behaviour was exhibited simultaneously by two individually tracked female S. canicula during late-spring and early-summer. The results highlight that, provided species behaviour is suitable and complementary methods such as previous data, laboratory experiments and field surveys can be used to validate the patterns observed, archival depth telemetry offers an unobtrusive means by which egg production and egg-laying behaviour of free-living fishes can be estimated. As precise information regarding life-history parameters is difficult to obtain for free-ranging fish species, this technique could be used to improve the parameterization of species demographic models that are relevant to the management of wild fish populations.
elasmobranch, fisheries, population dynamics, reproduction, telemetry, teleost
0022-1112
96-110
Wearmouth, V.J.
61021c4d-d838-45c7-918f-f8ade4f9d895
Southall, E.J.
c34cff1a-3d01-4ec0-8a78-2b7c07ea4920
Morritt, D.
0bab2577-5d18-4838-b544-87e157065781
Sims, D.W.
7234b444-25e2-4bd5-8348-a1c142d0cf81
Wearmouth, V.J.
61021c4d-d838-45c7-918f-f8ade4f9d895
Southall, E.J.
c34cff1a-3d01-4ec0-8a78-2b7c07ea4920
Morritt, D.
0bab2577-5d18-4838-b544-87e157065781
Sims, D.W.
7234b444-25e2-4bd5-8348-a1c142d0cf81

Wearmouth, V.J., Southall, E.J., Morritt, D. and Sims, D.W. (2012) Identifying reproductive events using archival tags: egg-laying behaviour of the small spotted catsharkScyliorhinus canicula. Journal of Fish Biology, 82 (1), 96-110. (doi:10.1111/j.1095-8649.2012.03473.x).

Record type: Article

Abstract

The use of archival depth telemetry as a means of remotely assessing the reproductive rates of free-ranging fishes is explored. This is achieved by electronically tracking the vertical movements of individual female small spotted catsharks Scyliorhinus canicula in the natural environment, whilst simultaneously evaluating the temporal and vertical distributions of egg-laying in this species. Distinctive patterns of short-term (0·3–3·7 h), shallow-water activity are documented in the time–depth profiles of female S. canicula that occur at an appropriate depth (1·0–2·3 m) and periodicity (every 10–12 days) to represent egg-laying behaviour. Putative egg-laying behaviour was exhibited simultaneously by two individually tracked female S. canicula during late-spring and early-summer. The results highlight that, provided species behaviour is suitable and complementary methods such as previous data, laboratory experiments and field surveys can be used to validate the patterns observed, archival depth telemetry offers an unobtrusive means by which egg production and egg-laying behaviour of free-living fishes can be estimated. As precise information regarding life-history parameters is difficult to obtain for free-ranging fish species, this technique could be used to improve the parameterization of species demographic models that are relevant to the management of wild fish populations.

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More information

Published date: January 2012
Keywords: elasmobranch, fisheries, population dynamics, reproduction, telemetry, teleost
Organisations: Ocean and Earth Science

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 347840
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/347840
ISSN: 0022-1112
PURE UUID: 315e9a62-6c03-45ad-8586-dc093aa5f322
ORCID for D.W. Sims: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0002-0916-7363

Catalogue record

Date deposited: 31 Jan 2013 10:03
Last modified: 19 Jun 2024 01:44

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Contributors

Author: V.J. Wearmouth
Author: E.J. Southall
Author: D. Morritt
Author: D.W. Sims ORCID iD

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