Research Symposium

BIO

Hi, my name is Mila Fultz and I’m a sophomore biology major interested in Obstetrics and Gynecology, along with understanding female reproductive health. My research covers the reproductive morphometrics of Atlantic Stingrays, and techniques that can be used to track their gestational progress.

Maternal Investment and Gestational Indicators in the Atlantic Stingray

Abstract

Reproduction in elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays, and sawfish) is not widely known. Understanding their reproduction is vital for their future conservation and management. This study aims to develop new methods capable of determining species-specific reproductive patterns and life history of elasmobranchs vulnerable to fisheries bycatch. ​​Many threatened and endangered sharks and rays are caught as bycatch during fishing operations, resulting in their death. This research will allow us to determine reproductive patterns and gestational stages from post-mortem elasmobranchs. Reproductive macroscopic assessments can be conducted in the field or in markets by anyone to contribute to our worldwide knowledge of elasmobranch reproduction.​ This study collected Hypanus sabinus as a model species to assess these methodologies. Intrauterine macroscopic morphometrics were collected from post-mortem H. sabinus; including uterine length, uterine width and uterine villi length (mm) at each gestational stage. Gestational stages were divided into early, late, and postpartum stages based on their 4-month gestation period and averages were calculated for each stage (N = 36). A standard T-test was used to test for significant differences in macroscopic measurements between gestational stages. Analyses comparing the descriptive changes of the uterus, such as color, will further develop these techniques to determine reproductive patterns macroscopically.​

Keywords: Maternal Investment, Biology, Atlantic Stingrays