Isotopic (δ15N) relationship of pregnant females and their embryos: Comparing placental and yolk-sac viviparous elasmobranchs

Isis Baró-Camarasa, Ana J. Marmolejo-Rodríguez, Todd M. O'Hara, Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken, Abel Trejo-Ramírez, Raúl O. Martínez-Rincón, Felipe Galván-Magaña

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

Nitrogen stable isotopes ratios (δ15N) were determined for selected tissues (muscle, liver, blood and yolk) of pregnant females and their embryos of a placental viviparous species, the Pacific sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon longurio), and a yolk-sac viviparous species, the speckled guitarfish (Pseudobatos glaucostigmus). The R. longurio embryo tissues were 15N enriched compared to the same tissues in the pregnant female, using the difference in δ15N (Δδ15N) between embryo and adult. Mean Δδ15N was 2.17‰ in muscle, 4.39‰ in liver and 0.80‰ in blood. For P. glaucostigmus, embryo liver tissue was significantly 15N enriched in comparison with liver of the pregnant female (Δδ15N mean = 1.22‰), whereas embryo muscle was 15N depleted relative to the muscle of the pregnant female (Δδ15N mean = −1.22‰). Both species presented a significant positive linear relationship between Δδ15N and embryo total length (LT). The results indicated that embryos have different Δδ15N depending on their reproductive strategy, tissue type analysed and embryo LT.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)784-790
Number of pages7
JournalJournal of Fish Biology
Volume98
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Pseudobatos glaucostigmus
  • Rhizoprionodon longurio
  • isotopic variation
  • nitrogen stable isotope

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