Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus).
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus, Squaliformes: Somniosidae) is a long-lived Arctic top predator, which in combination with the high historical and modern fishing pressures, has made it subject to increased scientific focus in recent years. Key aspects of reproduction are not well known...
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ftdoajarticles:oai:doaj.org/article:a1018739ce5b4ba6abad08424dc63532 2023-05-15T15:04:59+02:00 Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). Julius Nielsen Rasmus B Hedeholm Arve Lynghammar Leon M McClusky Bjørn Berland John F Steffensen Jørgen S Christiansen 2020-01-01T00:00:00Z https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/article/a1018739ce5b4ba6abad08424dc63532 EN eng Public Library of Science (PLoS) https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/article/a1018739ce5b4ba6abad08424dc63532 PLoS ONE, Vol 15, Iss 10, p e0238986 (2020) Medicine R Science Q article 2020 ftdoajarticles https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 2022-12-31T05:57:24Z The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus, Squaliformes: Somniosidae) is a long-lived Arctic top predator, which in combination with the high historical and modern fishing pressures, has made it subject to increased scientific focus in recent years. Key aspects of reproduction are not well known as exemplified by sparse and contradictory information e.g. on birth size and number of pups per pregnancy. This study represents the first comprehensive work on Greenland shark reproductive biology based on data from 312 specimens collected over the past 60 years. We provide guidelines quantifying reproductive parameters to assess specific maturation stages, as well as calculate body length-at-maturity (TL50) which was 2.84±0.06 m for males and 4.19±0.04 m for females. From the available information on the ovarian fecundity of Greenland sharks as well as a meta-analysis of Squaliform reproductive parameters, we estimate up to 200-324 pups per pregnancy (depending on maternal size) with a body length-at-birth of 35-45 cm. These estimates remain to be verified by future observations from gravid Greenland sharks. Article in Journal/Newspaper Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles Arctic Greenland PLOS ONE 15 10 e0238986 |
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Open Polar |
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Directory of Open Access Journals: DOAJ Articles |
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ftdoajarticles |
language |
English |
topic |
Medicine R Science Q |
spellingShingle |
Medicine R Science Q Julius Nielsen Rasmus B Hedeholm Arve Lynghammar Leon M McClusky Bjørn Berland John F Steffensen Jørgen S Christiansen Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
topic_facet |
Medicine R Science Q |
description |
The Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus, Squaliformes: Somniosidae) is a long-lived Arctic top predator, which in combination with the high historical and modern fishing pressures, has made it subject to increased scientific focus in recent years. Key aspects of reproduction are not well known as exemplified by sparse and contradictory information e.g. on birth size and number of pups per pregnancy. This study represents the first comprehensive work on Greenland shark reproductive biology based on data from 312 specimens collected over the past 60 years. We provide guidelines quantifying reproductive parameters to assess specific maturation stages, as well as calculate body length-at-maturity (TL50) which was 2.84±0.06 m for males and 4.19±0.04 m for females. From the available information on the ovarian fecundity of Greenland sharks as well as a meta-analysis of Squaliform reproductive parameters, we estimate up to 200-324 pups per pregnancy (depending on maternal size) with a body length-at-birth of 35-45 cm. These estimates remain to be verified by future observations from gravid Greenland sharks. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Julius Nielsen Rasmus B Hedeholm Arve Lynghammar Leon M McClusky Bjørn Berland John F Steffensen Jørgen S Christiansen |
author_facet |
Julius Nielsen Rasmus B Hedeholm Arve Lynghammar Leon M McClusky Bjørn Berland John F Steffensen Jørgen S Christiansen |
author_sort |
Julius Nielsen |
title |
Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
title_short |
Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
title_full |
Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
title_fullStr |
Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
title_full_unstemmed |
Assessing the reproductive biology of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus). |
title_sort |
assessing the reproductive biology of the greenland shark (somniosus microcephalus). |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
publishDate |
2020 |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/article/a1018739ce5b4ba6abad08424dc63532 |
geographic |
Arctic Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Arctic Greenland |
genre |
Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus |
genre_facet |
Arctic Greenland Somniosus microcephalus |
op_source |
PLoS ONE, Vol 15, Iss 10, p e0238986 (2020) |
op_relation |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/toc/1932-6203 1932-6203 doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 https://doaj.org/article/a1018739ce5b4ba6abad08424dc63532 |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0238986 |
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PLOS ONE |
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15 |
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10 |
container_start_page |
e0238986 |
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