First record of mating behaviour and induced parturition of the Brazilian endemic Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae |
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| Authors: | Vanessa B. Bettcher Nayara Bucair Marta Granville Amanda Góes Liana de Figueiredo Mendes Fabio Di Dario Rodrigo Leão de Moura Ricardo Garla Bianca S. Rangel |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Rua São Francisco Xavier, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil;2. Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Laboratório de Ecologia da Reprodução e do Recrutamento de Organismos Marinhos, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil;3. Barracudas – Comércio e Serviços Fotográficos e Cinematográficos Ltda, Fernando de Noronha, Brazil;4. Laboratório do Oceano, Departamento de Ecologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Brazil;5. Instituto de Biodiversidade e Sustentabilidade – NUPEM/UFRJ, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Macaé, Brazil;6. Instituto de Biologia and SAGE/COPPE, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil;7. KAUST Beacon Development, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Thuwal, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia;8. Departamento de Fisiologia, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil |
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| Abstract: | The recently described Lutz's stingray Hypanus berthalutzae is endemic to the Brazilian Province, including oceanic islands. Although it is expected to have life-history traits similar to the southern stingray H. americanus, little is known about its reproductive biology. Here we present the first observations of courtship behaviour (n = 4), copulation (n = 3) and an induced parturition of H. berthalutzae at the Fernando de Noronha Archipelago, an insular Marine Protected Area from the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean. The mating event records included (1) ‘chasing/close following’, (2) ‘biting/precopulatory biting’, (3) ‘insertion/copulation’ and (4) ‘separation’. These results are especially relevant considering that records of reproductive behaviour in the wild are rare for elasmobranchs in general. Mating events occurred in different months, suggesting that the reproductive cycle of H. berthalutzae in this insular system is asynchronous, as observed for other stingray species in regions with favourable environmental conditions and abundant food throughout the year. The opportunistic documentation of the induced parturition allowed for direct nonlethal observation of the two pups at or near full term in late May. Although preliminary, these observations should be considered in future management plans as they provide relevant data about the life-history traits and mating behaviour of this endemic and threatened species. |
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| Keywords: | courtship elasmobranch endangered species marine protected area reproduction South Atlantic Ocean |
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