First record of mating behaviour and induced parturition of the Brazilian endemic Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae.
J Fish Biol
; 102(1): 172-177, 2023 Jan.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-36226898
The recently described Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae is endemic to the Brazilian Province, including oceanic islands. Although it is expected to have life-history traits similar to the southern stingray H. americanus, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present the first observations of courtship behaviour (n = 4), copulation (n = 3) and an induced parturition of H. berthalutzae at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, an insular Marine Protected Area from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The mating event records included (1) 'chasing/close following', (2) 'biting/precopulatory biting', (3) 'insertion/copulation' and (4) 'separation'. These results are especially relevant considering that records of reproductive behaviour in the wild are rare for elasmobranchs in general. Mating events occurred in different months, suggesting that the reproductive cycle of H. berthalutzae in this insular system is asynchronous, as observed for other stingray species in regions with favourable environmental conditions and abundant food throughout the year. The opportunistic documentation of the induced parturition allowed for direct nonlethal observation of the two pups at or near full term in late May. Although preliminary, these observations should be considered in future management plans as they provide relevant data about the life-history traits and mating behaviour of this endemic and threatened species.
Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Rajidae
/
Elasmobrânquios
Limite:
Animals
/
Pregnancy
País/Região como assunto:
America do sul
/
Brasil
Idioma:
En
Revista:
J Fish Biol
Ano de publicação:
2023
Tipo de documento:
Article
País de afiliação:
Brasil
País de publicação:
Reino Unido