Assessing the metabolic and physiological costs of oviparity in the epaulette shark (Hemiscyllium ocellatum).

ABSTRACT: Reproduction in chondrichthyan fishes (sharks, rays, skates, and chimaeras) is generally assumed to be a long-term, energetically costly process, given their slow generation times. However, metabolic costs of reproduction remain poorly understood due to a lack of direct, non-lethal measurements. To address this, we investigated metabolic and physiological changes during oviparous reproduction in five female epaulette sharks (Hemiscyllium ocellatum). We tracked oxygen uptake rates - a proxy for metabolic rate - across a 3-week cycle, capturing data before, during, and after egg case encapsulation and oviposition. We also measured reproductive hormones (testosterone, 17β-estradiol, progesterone) and hematological parameters (hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration). Results revealed a positive

SUBMITTER: Wheeler CR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12641477 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature