First record of a single-clasper specimen of Pseudobatos percellens (Elasmobranchii: Rhinopristiformes: Rhinobatidae) from the Caribbean Sea, Venezuela

Abstract

Documented cases of abnormalities in elasmobranchs worldwide are more often reported for sharks than their close relatives, the skates and rays. This report confirms the occurrence of a chola guitarfish, Pseudobatos percellens (Walbaum, 1792), caught off Margarita Island, Venezuela, showing morphological abnormalities on the right side of the body, including the absence of one clasper. This is the first record of an anomalous singleclasper case in the Caribbean Sea region.

First record of clasper malformation of Pseudobatos buthi (Chondrichthyes: Rhinobatidae) in the Gulf of California

“…In Pseudobatos buthi, the cellular development of both of the claspers (with malformation and without malformation) were not affected by the differences in size considering that they presented all the distinctive characteristics of an adult individual, exhibited complete spermatogenic development in both testes, and contained sperm in the seminal vesicle. The absence of the right clasper in other species of the same genus, such as Pseudobatos percellens, evidenced a malformation and a poor functionality of the right testis and showed signs of hermaphroditism through the development of an oviducal gland (Ehemann & González-González, 2018). A small sized clasper may not be used by the male and may decrease the success of mating, even when a single clasper is inserted into the female (Torres-Huerta et al, 2015;Ehemann & González-González, 2018).…”

“…The absence of the right clasper in other species of the same genus, such as Pseudobatos percellens, evidenced a malformation and a poor functionality of the right testis and showed signs of hermaphroditism through the development of an oviducal gland (Ehemann & González-González, 2018). A small sized clasper may not be used by the male and may decrease the success of mating, even when a single clasper is inserted into the female (Torres-Huerta et al, 2015;Ehemann & González-González, 2018).…”

“…Elasmobranch malformations may happen due to genetic anomalies during embryonic development or contamination of the environment (Torres-Huerta et al, 2015;Ehemann & González-González, 2018;Burgos-Vázquez et al, 2019). There are reports of malformation in elasmobranchs caused by teratogenic agents, where there is no change in the genetic load (Wosnick et al, 2019).…”

“…In the last few years, several cases of malformations in batoids have been documented. In general, these malformations are related to embryonic development of endogenous origin (genetic or hormonal), pollution by chemical particles, and environmental anomalies caused by the degradation of the environment (Torres-Huerta et al, 2015;Ehemann & González-González, 2018;Capape et al, 2019).…”

Primeiro registro de eversão vaginal em Psammobatis rutrum Jordan, 1891 (Rajiformes: Arhynchobatidae)

“…: Sandoval-Castillo, Mariano-Melendez & Villavicencio-Garayzar, 2006;Bottaro, Ferrando, Gallus, Girosi & Vacchi, 2008;Jones, Hoffmayer & Gropp, 2016;Quigley, Carlos, Barros-Garcia & MacGbahann, 2018;Lara-Mendoza & Guerra-Jiménez, 2020), morfológicas (Ex. : El Kamel-Moutalibi, Mnasri, Boumaïza, Reynaud & Capapé, 2011Pastén-Marambio, Hevia-Hormazábal, Acuña & Vega, 2018;Marouani, Jarray, Karaa & Jarboui, 2019;Ranjith, et al, 2019;Mulas et al, 2020;Rolim, Rotundo, Stabile & Vaske-Júnior, 2020) e reprodutivas (Oddone & Amorim, 2008;Ribeiro-Prado, Oddone, Amorim & Capapé, 2009;Capapé, El Kamel-Moutalibi, Mnasri, Boumaïza & Reynaud, 2012;Costa, Borges & Capapé, 2013 & Capapé, 2017;Zhao, Chen, Jiang, Yang, & Xiao, 2017;Ehemann & González-González, 2018;Burgos, Gonzalez, Falla, & Escalon, 2019;Capapé, Kassar, Reynaud, & Hemida, 2019;Sen, Dash, Valappil, Kizhakudan, & Chakraborty, 2020;Silva & Silva-Casas, 2020). Grande parte das anomalias relacionadas aos órgãos reprodutivos está relacionada a intersexualização, deformidades ou ausência de cláspers.…”