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Swim Performance Variability of Three Species of Juvenile Elasmobranchs and Its Relationship to Predator Avoidance
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Swim Performance Variability of Three Species of Juvenile Elasmobranchs and Its Relationship to Predator Avoidance

Rachel Elizabeth Wilborn
University of West Florida Libraries
Master of Science (MS), University of West Florida
2007

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Abstract

Maximum swimming velocity, oxygen consumption, and plasma lactate levels are useful indicators for evaluating metabolic performance limits in fish. Metabolic costs of exertion, maximum swim velocities, and ventilation rates in juvenile blue-spotted ribbontail stingrays (Taeniura lymma), Atlantic stingrays (Dasyatis sabina), and white-spotted bamboo sharks (Chiloscyllium plagiosum) were quantified. All species showed a decrease in oxygen consumption postexertion, with Atlantic stingrays being significantly lower (Independent t-test; P=0.0425). Significantly higher values in plasma lactate were evident in bamboo sharks pre and postexertion (0.02 and 0.35 mmol l-1, respectively); however, values for Atlantic stingrays remained unchanged (0.91 and 0.64 mmol l-1). Atlantic and ribbontail stingrays obtained greater relative speeds (9.224 and 5.163 BL sec-1, respectively) than bamboo sharks (1.060 BL sec-1). In addition, preexertion ventilation rates in Atlantic and ribbontail stingrays were faster than bamboo sharks (71.18, 70.67, 46.75 breaths min-1, respectively), while only Atlantic stingray ventilation rates postexertion differed from either bamboo sharks or ribbontail stingrays (77.69, 62.69, 49.40 breaths min-1, respectively). These data suggest that all three species utilized aerobic metabolism in conjunction with behavioral adaptations as predator avoidance strategies, making minimal use of anaerobic metabolism for locomotion.
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