The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology
Public aquaria showcase aquatic life while raising awareness and educating the public on biodiversity and the need for conservation. Recently, aquaria have followed in the footsteps of zoos by taking more directed approaches in species conservation as well as leveraging animals in their collection t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2022-08-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.963542/full |
| _version_ | 1811221549357727744 |
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| author | Kevin A. Feldheim Jennifer T. Wyffels Kady Lyons |
| author_facet | Kevin A. Feldheim Jennifer T. Wyffels Kady Lyons |
| author_sort | Kevin A. Feldheim |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Public aquaria showcase aquatic life while raising awareness and educating the public on biodiversity and the need for conservation. Recently, aquaria have followed in the footsteps of zoos by taking more directed approaches in species conservation as well as leveraging animals in their collection to fill biological knowledge gaps through research. Similar to zoos, aquaria are able to house animals that are not feasible to care for in traditional academic settings, allowing important life history information to be gained. In particular, our understanding of reproductive aspects of large migratory fishes such as elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) have benefited from information gleaned in aquarium settings that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to study in the natural environment. For example, the ability of elasmobranchs to reproduce parthenogenetically was discovered through observation of sharks maintained in public aquaria. Since its discovery, parthenogenesis has been observed for many ex situ shark and ray species. Aquaria have made other important contributions to characterizing elasmobranch reproductive biology such as understanding reproductive cycling and trialing assisted reproductive techniques, among others. Here, we review the role aquaria have played in the field of elasmobranch reproductive biology and discuss how zoos and aquariums can continue to contribute to this field in the future. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:01:14Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9a19bfa320a44f18a3242d063ec9462f |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-7745 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T08:01:14Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Marine Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9a19bfa320a44f18a3242d063ec9462f2022-12-22T03:41:19ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Marine Science2296-77452022-08-01910.3389/fmars.2022.963542963542The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biologyKevin A. Feldheim0Jennifer T. Wyffels1Kady Lyons2Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Evolution, The Field Museum, Chicago, IL, United StatesDelaware Biotechnology Institute, Center for Bioinformatics & Computational Biology, University of Delaware, Newark, DE, United StatesResearch and Conservation, Georgia Aquarium, Atlanta, GA, United StatesPublic aquaria showcase aquatic life while raising awareness and educating the public on biodiversity and the need for conservation. Recently, aquaria have followed in the footsteps of zoos by taking more directed approaches in species conservation as well as leveraging animals in their collection to fill biological knowledge gaps through research. Similar to zoos, aquaria are able to house animals that are not feasible to care for in traditional academic settings, allowing important life history information to be gained. In particular, our understanding of reproductive aspects of large migratory fishes such as elasmobranchs (sharks, skates and rays) have benefited from information gleaned in aquarium settings that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to study in the natural environment. For example, the ability of elasmobranchs to reproduce parthenogenetically was discovered through observation of sharks maintained in public aquaria. Since its discovery, parthenogenesis has been observed for many ex situ shark and ray species. Aquaria have made other important contributions to characterizing elasmobranch reproductive biology such as understanding reproductive cycling and trialing assisted reproductive techniques, among others. Here, we review the role aquaria have played in the field of elasmobranch reproductive biology and discuss how zoos and aquariums can continue to contribute to this field in the future.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.963542/fullex situartificial inseminationmating behaviorparthenogenesiscontraceptionreproductive pathology |
| spellingShingle | Kevin A. Feldheim Jennifer T. Wyffels Kady Lyons The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology Frontiers in Marine Science ex situ artificial insemination mating behavior parthenogenesis contraception reproductive pathology |
| title | The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| title_full | The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| title_fullStr | The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| title_full_unstemmed | The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| title_short | The role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| title_sort | role of aquaria in the advancement of elasmobranch reproductive biology |
| topic | ex situ artificial insemination mating behavior parthenogenesis contraception reproductive pathology |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.963542/full |
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