Captive Breeding and Sexual Conflict in Elasmobranchs.

In: SMITH, M. et al. (2004) The Elasmobranch Husbandry Manual: Captive Care of Sharks, Rays and their Relatives: 237-248. ISBN-13: 978-0-86727-152-3

Abstract:

Successful  reproduction  has  been  recorded  in  many  different  species  ofcartilaginous fish held in captivity, representing the various reproductive modes recordedin chondrichthyans. Documentation of behaviors of captive chondrichthyans has provideda foundation to our knowledge of reproductive behavior, as these interactions are rarelywitnessed in the wild and difficult to infer from freshly caught wild specimens. Reproductivebehavior often results in conspecific and interspecific conflicts. Conspecific sexual conflictmay be consexual as well as intersexual. Although specific reproductive behaviors have been  reported  for  many  species,  mating  systems  remain  poorly  understood.  Captivebreeding may reduce pressure on wild populations, particularly for those species wheresevere declines have been documented. Such efforts may be opportunistic, directed, orundertaken in collaboration with other institutions. Detailed behavioral records relevant toreproduction should be collected and maintained for all captive elasmobranchs and sharedthrough peer-review publication.

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