Free Standard AU & NZ Shipping For All Book Orders Over $80!
Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
Shopping Cart: ( empty )
You are here: Home > Journals > MF > MF05165
RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 58(1)

Reproductive biology and diet of the southern fiddler ray, Trygonorrhina fasciata (Batoidea : Rhinobatidae), an important trawl bycatch species

Lindsay J. Marshall A , William T. White A B and Ian C. Potter A
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Centre for Fish and Fisheries Research, School of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Division of Science and Engineering, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.

B Corresponding author. Email: william.white@csiro.au

Marine and Freshwater Research 58(1) 104-115 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF05165
Submitted: 5 September 2005  Accepted: 23 October 2006   Published: 2 January 2007

Abstract

The reproductive cycle of Trygonorrhina fasciata females in south-western Australian waters is shown to include a protracted period of embryonic diapause or delayed development. This characteristic is typically regarded as enabling young to be born when conditions are optimal. The birth of T. fasciata occurs in April/May, when water temperatures are still high and conducive to rapid growth. Furthermore, because gut fullness in this and subsequent months was similar to other times of the year, the prey of neonates, i.e. mysids, carids, pinnotherids, amphipods and isopods, were presumably abundant in that period. Ovulation occurs in April/May and embryos grow rapidly between December and birth in April/May. Females grew to greater lengths than males, i.e. 1460 v. 890 mm, and matured (L50) at larger lengths, i.e. 892 v. 678 mm respectively. As body size increased, teleosts, pilumnid and portunid crabs and molluscs became important dietary components. Overall, the diet consisted predominantly of crustaceans, fish, polychaetes and molluscs, with volumetric contributions of 73.4, 17.2, 5.3 and 2.8% respectively. Dietary composition underwent a cyclical seasonal change and differed among locations, indicating some degree of opportunistic feeding. Interspecific comparisons indicate that benthic food resources are partitioned among and within the main batoid species in south-western Australian waters.

Additional keywords: delayed development, length at maturity, neonates, prey, resource partitioning.


Acknowledgements

Gratitude is expressed to Tim Carter, Elaine Lek, Mike Taylor, Dean Thorburn and Alex Hesp for help with sampling and to the skippers and crew of the MARITIME IMAGE, NOELIMBA and the ATLANTIC OCEAN for enabling the collection of trawl samples. Financial support was provided by Murdoch University. Statistical advice was kindly provided by Alex Hesp and Norman Hall, the latter of whom also provided invaluable and constructive advice on the paper.


References

Abdel-Aziz, S. H. , Khalil, A. N. , and Abdel-Maguid, S. A. (1993a). Food and feeding habits of the common guitarfish, Rhinobatos rhinobatos in Egyptian Mediterranean waters. Indian Journal of Marine Sciences 22, 287–290.
Clarke K. R., and Gorley R. N. (2001). ‘Primer v5: User Manual/Tutorial.’ (Primer-E: Plymouth, UK.)

Fairclough, D.V. , Dimmlich, W. F. , and Potter, I. C. (2000). Reproductive biology of the Australian herring Arripis georgianus. Marine and Freshwater Research 51, 619–630.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Fauchald K. (1977). ‘The Polychaete Worms: Definitions and Keys to the Orders, Families and Genera.’ (Allan Hancock Foundation, University of Southern California: Los Angeles, CA.)

Goitien, R. , Torres, F. S. , and Signorini, C. E. (1998). Morphological aspects related to feeding of two marine skates Narcine brasiliensis Olfers and Rhinobatos horkelli Muller & Henle. Acta Scientiarum 20, 165–169.
Grace M. (2001). Field guide to requiem sharks (Elasmobranchiomorphi: Carcharhinidae) of the Western North Atlantic. NOAA Technical Report NMFS 153. (US Department of Commerce: Seattle, Washington.)

Harris, S. A. , Bennett, B. A. , and Branch, G. M. (1988). An assessment of the role of the sand shark Rhinobatos annulatus as a predator in Langebaan Lagoon. South African Journal of Marine Science 7, 153–159.
Hutchins B., and Swainston R. (1986). ‘Sea Fishes of Southern Australia: Complete Field Guide for Anglers and Divers.’ (Swainston Publishing: Perth.)

Hyndes, G. A. , Platell, M. E. , Potter, I. C. , and Lenanton, R. C. J. (1999). Does the composition of the demersal fish assemblages in temperate coastal waters change with depth and undergo consistent seasonal changes? Marine Biology 134, 335–352.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | IUCN Shark Specialist Group (2004). Global checklist of living batoids. Prepared for the IUCN Shark Specialist Group Global Batoid Red List Workshop, Cape Town, South Africa, 6–10 September, 2004.

Jones D. S., and Morgan G. J. (2002). ‘A Field Guide to Crustaceans of Australian Waters.’ (Reed New Holland: Sydney.)

Kennelly, S. J. (1995). The issue of bycatch in Australia’s demersal trawl fisheries. Reviews in Fish Biology and Fisheries 5, 213–234.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Last P. R., and Stevens J. D. (1994). ‘Sharks and Rays of Australia.’ (CSIRO Division of Fisheries: Hobart.)

Lessa, R. , Vooren, C. M. , and Lahaye, J. (1986). Desenvolvimento e ciclo sexual das femeas, migracoes e fecundidade da viola Rhinobatos horkelli (Muller & Henle, 1841) do sul do Brasil. Atlantica, Rio Grande 8, 5–34.
Walker T. I. (2005). Reproduction in Fisheries Science. In ‘Reproductive Biology and Phylogeny of Chondrichthyes. Sharks, Batoids and Chimaeras’. (Ed. W. C. Hamlett.) pp. 81–128. (Science Publishers, Inc.: Plymouth.)

Wenbin, Z. , and Shuyuan, Q. (1993). Reproductive biology of the guitarfish, Rhinobatos hynnicephalus. Environmental Biology of Fishes 38, 81–93.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | Wetherbee B. M., and Cortés E. (2004). Food consumption and feeding habits. In ‘Biology of Sharks and their Relatives’. (Eds J. C. Carrier, J. A. Musick and M. R. Heithaus.) pp. 225–246. (CRC Press LLC: Boca Raton, FL.)

White, W. T. , Platell, M. E. , and Potter, I. C. (2001). Relationship between reproductive biology and age composition and growth in Urolophus lobatus (Batoidea: Urolophidae). Marine Biology 138, 135–147.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

White, W. T. , Platell, M. E. , and Potter, I. C. (2004). Comparisons between the diets of four abundant species of elasmobranchs in a subtropical embayment: implications for resource partitioning. Marine Biology 144, 439–448.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

White, W. T. , and Potter, I. C. (2004). Habitat partitioning among four elasmobranch species in nearshore, shallow waters of a subtropical embayment in Western Australia. Marine Biology 145, 1023–1032.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |