Scientific Reports suggests that baby sharks of the epaulette species are particularly vulnerable, often being born undernourished.
Epaulette sharks are found in the Great Barrer Reef and in the tropical waters off Australia and New Guinea. This egg-laying species became of interest to lead author Carolyn Wheeler, who wanted a model species that could be used to investigate other egg-laying species. Wheeler’s supervisor, Dr. John Mandelman, Vice President and Chief Scientist of the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium, commented: The ocean faces increasing threats from humans, such as the effects of climate change, and it is vital to conduct scientific research to help strengthen the management and protection of those ocean species most negatively impacted and vulnerable. In this case, we addressed a pressing threat ocean warming and the potential impacts on a species that could serve as a model for other egg-laying species among sharks and their rela
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IMAGE: In warmer waters, shark embryos grew faster and used their yolk sac quicker, which is their only source of food as they develop in the egg case. This led to. view more
Credit: M. Johnson
New research has found as climate change causes the world s oceans to warm, baby sharks are born smaller, exhausted, undernourished and into environments that are already difficult for them to survive in.
Lead author of the study Carolyn Wheeler is a PhD candidate at the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies at James Cook University (Coral CoE at JCU) and the University of Massachusetts. She examined the effects of increased temperatures on the growth, development and physiological performance of epaulette sharks an egg-laying species found only on the Great Barrier Reef. She and her team studied the sharks as embryos and as hatchlings.