Open AccessMultiple paternity in the starry smooth‐hound shark M ustelus asterias ( C archarhiniformes: T riakidae)
Author(s) -
Farrell Edward D.,
O'Sullivan Niall,
Sacchi Carlotta,
Mariani Stefano
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
biological journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.906
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1095-8312
pISSN - 0024-4066
DOI - 10.1111/bij.12179
Subject(s) - biology , asterias , zoology , anatomy , sperm , embryo , fishery , ecology , genetics , starfish
Multiple paternity was investigated in the starry smooth‐hound shark, M ustelus asterias Cloquet, 1821. Analysis of 12 pregnant females and their embryos, at four microsatellite loci, showed that at least 58% carried multiply‐sired litters. Paternal skew was observed, with one male siring most of the embryos within a litter, although no patterns of association were detected between the identity of the father and the size or the uterine position of the embryos. Sperm storage was observed in the oviducal glands of all twelve females. Results shed light on the complexity of reproductive strategies and selective processes in M . asterias . © 2013 T he L innean S ociety of L ondon, B iological J ournal of the L innean S ociety , 2014, 111 , 119–125.