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Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan...
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Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna

A special issue of Diversity (ISSN 1424-2818). This special issue belongs to the section "Animal Diversity".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2024) | Viewed by 20615

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Simon Weigmann

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
1. Elasmo-Lab, Elasmobranch Research Laboratory, 22609 Hamburg, Germany
2. Department of Ichthyology, Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (LIB), 20146 Hamburg, Germany
Interests: sharks; batoids; elasmobranchs; biodiversity; taxonomy; systematics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change, the overexploitation of resources and the loss of biodiversity are important issues of global scientific and public interest. The loss of biodiversity and decline in populations are particularly alarming in sharks and rays, with more than one-third of species being threatened by overfishing. Considering the various negative influences on chondrichthyan populations, it is important to improve our knowledge of the biodiversity, ecology and evolution of chondrichthyans. Biodiversity research encompasses a number of disciplines, of which taxonomy is the most fundamental. Consequently, the adequate definition and differentiation of species as a key example of taxonomic research represents one of the most important fields of research in which serious deficiencies must be resolved. A better knowledge of biodiversity, ecology and evolution also provides an important basis for the selection and establishment of protected marine areas and fisheries management measures.

This Special Issue provides an opportunity to highlight new research on the biodiversity, ecology and evolution of cartilaginous fishes. We invite manuscripts focusing on taxonomic, systematic, ecological, evolutionary and conservation aspects, with the aim to build a platform to advance our knowledge of this ancient and unique, but highly threatened class of fishes.

Dr. Simon Weigmann
Guest Editor

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. Diversity 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 2100 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.

Keywords

  • chondrichthyes
  • elasmobranchii
  • sharks
  • rays
  • chimaeras
  • biodiversity
  • ecology
  • evolution
  • taxonomy
  • systematics

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Published Papers (9 papers)

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Research

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12 pages, 3054 KiB  
Article
The Fishery Biology of Two Deep-Water Skates, Bathyraja schroederi and Amblyraja frerichsi (Rajiformes: Rajidae), from the Southeast Pacific Ocean
by Carolina Vargas-Caro, María J. Indurain and Carlos Bustamante
Diversity 2024, 16(12), 709; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16120709 - 21 Nov 2024
Viewed by 194
Abstract
Chile is a biodiverse region for deep-water skates (Rajiformes), with 36 species documented in national waters, of which 73% correspond to deep-water species. Among them, the Thickbody skate (Amblyraja frerichsi) and Whitemouth skate (Bathyraja schroederi) are two poorly documented [...] Read more.
Chile is a biodiverse region for deep-water skates (Rajiformes), with 36 species documented in national waters, of which 73% correspond to deep-water species. Among them, the Thickbody skate (Amblyraja frerichsi) and Whitemouth skate (Bathyraja schroederi) are two poorly documented species with relatively high abundances. However, the current information is limited to a few specimens reported over the last 50 years between southern Brazil (SW Atlantic) and central Chile (SE Pacific). In the Southeast Pacific, both species are bycatch in the Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) fishery, which operates along the Chilean coast between 800 and 1600 m of depth. This study examined aspects of demography and reproductive biology based on data from 190 specimens (125 A. frerichsi and 65 B. schroederi) obtained from the fishery in northern Chile. The new data contribute to enhancing our understanding of deep-water skate communities and highlight the vulnerability and fishing pressure experienced across their geographic distribution. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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26 pages, 10119 KiB  
Article
An Ecomorphological Description of Amblyraja radiata (Rajiformes: Rajidae) in Waters of Eastern Canada
by David W. Kulka, Carolyn M. Miri, Sheila Atchison and Mark R. Simpson
Diversity 2024, 16(10), 595; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16100595 - 26 Sep 2024
Viewed by 1364
Abstract
We examine the distribution, habitat association, morphometrics, meristics, and reproductive attributes of Amblyraja radiata over much of its Canadian range, Grand Banks to Arctic waters. It is distributed widely on the shelf and upper slope between 30 and 1288 m, reaching highest density [...] Read more.
We examine the distribution, habitat association, morphometrics, meristics, and reproductive attributes of Amblyraja radiata over much of its Canadian range, Grand Banks to Arctic waters. It is distributed widely on the shelf and upper slope between 30 and 1288 m, reaching highest density in 100–400 m and occupying most available temperatures, between −1.0 and 8.8 °C, but concentrating in 1.6–3.5 °C. The maximum (and average) size decreases with increasing latitude in a continuum from 102 cm (55 cm) in the south, to 45 cm (20 cm) in the north. The proportion of mature fish increases with depth (40% at 0–50 m to 80% at 1150–1200 m) and temperature (35% at <0 °C to 55% at 5+ °C). The size at maturity decreases south to north; size at onset of maturity in males—43 (south) to 19 (north) cm, in females—49 to 23 cm; length at 50% maturity in males—74 to 44 cm, in females—66 to 40 cm. A. radiata maturity is also reflected in the rapid increase in the size of secondary sexual characteristics. Some meristics were consistent over the entire study area (spines near the spiracles and shoulders) while others varied with latitude (teeth rows, midline spines, spines near the eyes, % dorsal fins joined, spines between dorsal fins) or by fish length/maturity; the tail length/total length as a proportion of total length decreased during Stage 1 then increased at onset of maturity. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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28 pages, 10889 KiB  
Article
Sibling Species Amblyraja hyperborea and A. jenseni in Slope Waters of Eastern Canada: An Ecomorphological Description
by David W. Kulka, Carolyn M. Miri, Sheila Atchison and Mark R. Simpson
Diversity 2024, 16(8), 479; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16080479 - 7 Aug 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1055
Abstract
Deepwater survey data and specimens collected from the Grand Banks to Baffin Bay in the Northwest Atlantic were used to examine the distribution, morphometrics, meristics and maturity of two siblings, Amblyraja hyperborea and A. jenseni. Our study confirmed that the two species [...] Read more.
Deepwater survey data and specimens collected from the Grand Banks to Baffin Bay in the Northwest Atlantic were used to examine the distribution, morphometrics, meristics and maturity of two siblings, Amblyraja hyperborea and A. jenseni. Our study confirmed that the two species occupy different locations, their distributions separated by Davis Strait, a biogeographic break separating Atlantic from Arctic waters. A. hyperborea with a smaller maximum size and size at maturity inhabited colder Arctic slope waters in Baffin Bay while larger A. jenseni were located in warmer Atlantic slope waters. Despite their distributional separation and thus reproductive isolation, spine counts and body morphology were almost indistinguishable between species. Only upper jaw teeth row count and difference in the size of spines on the mid-rear wings differentiated the two species. Also, for both species, the proportion of dorsal fins joined, disc shape and relative tail length changed with total length. Secondary reproductive anatomy, clasper length and vas deferens weight, shell gland and uterus weight underwent initial acceleration in growth when the gonads transitioned to stage 2 (adolescent, maturing). Also, YOY A. hyperborea were found to distribute at shallower depths than larger stages, constituting a nursery, which was not observed for A. jenseni. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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21 pages, 3351 KiB  
Article
A Faunistic Revision of Longnose Skates of the Genus Dipturus (Rajiformes: Rajidae) from the Southern Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, Based on Morphological and Molecular Evidence
by Daniel Enrique Figueroa, Mauro Belleggia, Gabriela Andreoli, Silvina Izzo, Nelson Bovcon, Marcos Pérez-Losada, Agustín María De Wysiecki, Jorge Horacio Colonello and María Inés Trucco
Diversity 2024, 16(3), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16030146 - 25 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1643
Abstract
The identity of longnose skates (Dipturus-Zearaja-like skates) in the southern cone of the Americas has been a topic of extensive debate. This study employs a comprehensive analysis encompassing morphometrics, claspers, and the examination of COI and NADH2 sequence data [...] Read more.
The identity of longnose skates (Dipturus-Zearaja-like skates) in the southern cone of the Americas has been a topic of extensive debate. This study employs a comprehensive analysis encompassing morphometrics, claspers, and the examination of COI and NADH2 sequence data to conclusively demonstrate the existence of only two longnose skate species in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean, extending south of 35 °S. Notably, Dipturus argentinensis Díaz de Astarloa, Mabragaña, Hanner and Figueroa, 2008 is revealed as a junior synonym of D. trachyderma (Krefft and Stehmann, 1975). Dipturus leptocaudus (Krefft and Stehmann, 1975) remains a northern valid species, but the specimen from the Falkland Islands (Malvinas) is recognized as a misidentification of D. trachyderma. Zearaja flavirostris (Philippi, 1892) and Dipturus lamillai Concha, Caira, Ebert and Pompert, 2019 are confirmed as junior synonyms of Zearaja brevicaudata (Marini, 1933). These findings contradict the previous report of six species within the same region over the last decade and underscore the presence of D. trachyderma and Z. brevicaudata south of 35 °S in the southwestern Atlantic. Additionally, this study notes the occurrence of only one specimen of Z. chilensis (Guichenot, 1848) in the Falkland Islands (Malvinas), suggesting an unusual frequency of this eastern Pacific skate in the southern Southwest Atlantic. Given that clasper morphology serves as the key distinguishing trait between Dipturus and Zearaja species, we provided a detailed analysis of the clasper characteristics of the Atlantic D. trachyderma, unequivocally situating it within Dipturus. The diagnostic characteristics include: (i) the presence of cartilage with the distal portion referred to as the sentinel, a feature absent in Zearaja; (ii) longer ventral terminal cartilage with the distal end referred to as the funnel, compared to Zearaja; and (iii) a non-spatulate distal lobe, a distinctive trait specific to Dipturus. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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75 pages, 27568 KiB  
Article
The Indo-Pacific Stingray Genus Brevitrygon (Myliobatiformes: Dasyatidae): Clarification of Historical Names and Description of a New Species, B. manjajiae sp. nov., from the Western Indian Ocean
by Peter R. Last, Simon Weigmann and Gavin J. P. Naylor
Diversity 2023, 15(12), 1213; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15121213 - 12 Dec 2023
Viewed by 5880
Abstract
Members of the genus Brevitrygon are small, locally abundant tropical stingrays (family Dasyatidae) occurring in soft sedimentary habitats of inner continental shelves of the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea to Indonesia. Formerly members of the genus Himantura, whose members lack dorsal [...] Read more.
Members of the genus Brevitrygon are small, locally abundant tropical stingrays (family Dasyatidae) occurring in soft sedimentary habitats of inner continental shelves of the Indo-West Pacific from the Red Sea to Indonesia. Formerly members of the genus Himantura, whose members lack dorsal and ventral skin folds on the tail (typical of most dasyatid genera), folds are present or rudimentary in some Brevitrygon. Important to artisanal fisheries and known to consist of at least five species, these fishes are possibly the most frequently misidentified of all stingrays. Most were inadequately described in the 19th century, and they are often taxonomically confused due to morphological similarity, ontogenetic variability, and sexual dimorphism. Their nomenclatural history is complex with four of the known species represented within the type series of one species, B. walga (Müller & Henle). Also, the type of the species with which B. walga is most often confused, B. imbricata (Bloch & Schneider) from off southern India and Sri Lanka, is in very poor condition. A lectotype has been designated for B. walga (confined to the Bay of Bengal). The genus also contains B. heterura (Bleeker) from the Indo-Malay Archipelago, B. javaensis (Last & White) from off southern Indonesia, and a new species, B. manjajiae sp. nov., from the western Indian Ocean. The former species are redescribed and redefined based largely on a combination of morphometrics, tail morphology, squamation, and molecular data. Molecular divergences were detected within lineages of B. heterura, B. walga and B. manjajiae sp. nov., requiring further investigation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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22 pages, 10333 KiB  
Article
Additions to the Taxonomy of the Antarctic Dark-Mouth Skate Bathyraja arctowskii (Dollo, 1904), with Descriptions of the Syntypes and Morphology of Teeth, Dermal Denticles and Thorns
by Simon Weigmann and Thomas Reinecke
Diversity 2023, 15(8), 899; https://doi.org/10.3390/d15080899 - 30 Jul 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1953
Abstract
The taxonomy of the enigmatic dark-mouth skate, Bathyraja arctowskii (Dollo, 1904), from the Southern Ocean was finally resolved after more than 100 years of ambiguity in 2021. This species is the smallest known species of the species-rich deep-water skate genus Bathyraja Ishiyama, 1958, [...] Read more.
The taxonomy of the enigmatic dark-mouth skate, Bathyraja arctowskii (Dollo, 1904), from the Southern Ocean was finally resolved after more than 100 years of ambiguity in 2021. This species is the smallest known species of the species-rich deep-water skate genus Bathyraja Ishiyama, 1958, which attains a total length of only about 61 cm and appears to be a wide-ranging and locally common species in the Southern Ocean. It differs from its congeners in the small adult size, dark-pigmented mouth cavity and underside of nasal curtain, lack of thorns on upper disc, as well as small and slender egg cases. Although the identity of this species was unambiguously clarified, the syntype egg cases could not be examined due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This examination has now become possible, and detailed data of the syntypes are provided in the present paper for the first time, together with hitherto unknown details of tooth, dermal denticle and thorn morphology. Furthermore, a lectotype and two paralectotypes are designated from the syntypes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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12 pages, 2123 KiB  
Article
Photophore Morphogenesis and Extraocular Encephalopsin Expression during the Embryogenesis of Smalleye Pygmy Shark (Squaliolus aliae)
by Laurent Duchatelet, Hsuan-Ching Ho and Jérôme Mallefet
Diversity 2022, 14(12), 1100; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14121100 - 11 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2305
Abstract
Bioluminescence is a common phenomenon in marine organisms, especially in deep water where faint blue light remains. Among elasmobranchs, three families display the ability to emit light, the Etmopteridae, the Dalatiidae, and the Somniosidae. Luminous sharks have thousands of minute light organs, called [...] Read more.
Bioluminescence is a common phenomenon in marine organisms, especially in deep water where faint blue light remains. Among elasmobranchs, three families display the ability to emit light, the Etmopteridae, the Dalatiidae, and the Somniosidae. Luminous sharks have thousands of minute light organs, called photophores, that are mainly present ventrally and produce light. The main function of shark luminescence is counterillumination to camouflage the shark silhouette by mimicking the residual ambient light and avoiding being spotted by predators underneath. To perform counterillumination efficiently, luminescence needs to be finely adjusted. A new type of control was recently demonstrated via extraocular photoreception at the level of the light organ. An encephalopsin (i.e., opsin 3) was shown to be expressed in the vicinity of the photophore of an Etmopteridae species, Etmopterus spinax. This opsin was also demonstrated to be expressed concomitantly with the photophore development (i.e., when photophores become able to produce light) during E. spinax embryogenesis. To understand the photophore morphogenesis of different shark families, we analyzed the smalleye pygmy shark, Squaliolus aliae, with a photophore formation which represents the first report on the Dalatiidae family. Since Dalatiidae and Etmopteridae are phylogenetically closely related, the photophore morphogenesis was compared with an Etmopteridae representative, Etmopterus spinax. The results also reveal that Squaliolus aliae shares similar encephalopsin expression pattern as in Etmopterus spinax, which further supports evolutionary conservation of photophore morphogenesis as well as its own encephalopsin-based light perception across the two luminous shark families. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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22 pages, 1850 KiB  
Article
Catch Composition, Seasonality, and Biological Aspects of Sharks Caught in the Ecuadorian Pacific
by Jesús Briones-Mendoza, Diego Mejía and Pol Carrasco-Puig
Diversity 2022, 14(8), 599; https://doi.org/10.3390/d14080599 - 28 Jul 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3652
Abstract
Although sharks have a fundamental role in maintaining the balance of aquatic ecosystems, exerting a great influence on lower levels of the food chain, their populations are declining worldwide due, to a large extent, to overfishing. Of the 64 species registered in Ecuador, [...] Read more.
Although sharks have a fundamental role in maintaining the balance of aquatic ecosystems, exerting a great influence on lower levels of the food chain, their populations are declining worldwide due, to a large extent, to overfishing. Of the 64 species registered in Ecuador, from January to December 2019, 19 species were recorded in Manta from the 15,455 captured individuals, with the family Carcharhinidae being the most abundant in the catches (69.4%), and the most abundant species was Prionace glauca (57.9%). Regarding threatened species, such as Carcharhinus longimanus, Sphyrna lewini, and Sphyrna zygaena, a greater presence of immature specimens was observed in landings. However, information on the composition and biological aspects of shark species in the Ecuadorian Pacific is very scarce. Therefore, research on the characteristics of life history (age, growth, and maturity) are of utmost importance for the stock assessments that are being exploited, especially in developing countries, where this information is lacking, causing inadequate management of fishery resources. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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Review

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39 pages, 15772 KiB  
Review
The Elasmobranch Fossil Record of the Indo-Australian Archipelago since the Miocene: A Literature Review and New Discoveries from Northern Borneo
by László Kocsis
Diversity 2024, 16(6), 323; https://doi.org/10.3390/d16060323 - 29 May 2024
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1213
Abstract
The Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) today exhibits the highest marine biodiversity, which has been evolving since the early Miocene. The existence of this high palaeobiodiversity is attested to by the presence of many fossil invertebrates; however, the region’s fossil fish record is sparse and [...] Read more.
The Indo-Australian Archipelago (IAA) today exhibits the highest marine biodiversity, which has been evolving since the early Miocene. The existence of this high palaeobiodiversity is attested to by the presence of many fossil invertebrates; however, the region’s fossil fish record is sparse and understudied, which is also the case for cartilaginous fishes. Elasmobranch fossils are dominantly represented by shark and ray teeth in the geological record and can give a quick overview of the composition of the fauna. The first IAA elasmo fossils, shark teeth were described from Java (Indonesia) at the end of the 19th century, and until today, most of the publications are known from this island. In the early and middle of the 20th century, remarkable fossils were also reported from the islands of Madura (NE Java) and Sulawesi, some with detailed taxonomical descriptions. In addition, only sporadic reports on fossil occurrences exist elsewhere from the IAA, but these lack any detailed taxonomic accounts. In 2019 our research group reported a late Miocene elasmobranch fauna from Brunei (Borneo), which is now the most diverse known shallow water fossil assemblage from the entire IAA. This fauna was described from a single fossiliferous outcrop, called Ambug Hill. However, several new localities have been discovered and studied over the years, as a result the number of fossils increased, and their age range extended. Here we provide an overview of these new sites and their elasmobranch fossils, and describe remains from ten taxa among, of which eight are new to the IAA fossil record (Chiloscyllium sp., cf. Hemitriakis sp., Paragaleus sp., Carcharhinus borneensis, C. limbatus, Lamiopsis sp., Scoliodon sp., Rhinobatos sp.). The overall north Bornean elasmo assemblage is then compared with other IAA occurrences. An extended fauna list is given based on literature review and preliminary investigation of the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre collection in Leiden (The Netherlands) where most of the fossil fishes of the early explorations are stored. These assemblages are also briefly summarized, and attention is drawn to some of the unique and thus far unreported taxa (e.g., Dalatias licha). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Ecology, Evolution and Biodiversity of the Chondrichthyan Fauna)
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