Author Type

Graduate Student

Date of Award

2006

Document Type

Thesis

Publication Status

Version of Record

Submission Date

October 2026

Thesis/Dissertation Advisor [Chair]

Kajiura, Stephen M.

Abstract

Sharks possess an electrosensory system which allows the detection of electric fields . How this system varies among related taxa and among species inhabiting different environments remains unexplored. Electroreceptor number was quantified for representative species of related taxa (genera, families, orders) from different environments (pelagic, coastal, deepwater) and taxa from similar environments to determine potential phylogenetic constraint or evolutionary convergence. Coastal open water sharks possess the greatest number of electroreceptors; deepwater sharks the least. Pelagic and coastal benthic sharks retain comparable electrosensory pore numbers despite inhabiting vastly different environments. Electrosensory pores were primarily located in ventral distributions, except among coastal open water sharks which possess roughly even distributions around the head. Among related species and genera, pore numbers and distribution are comparable, with greater variation among higher taxa. Results implicate evolutionary convergence as the primary influence in electroreceptor development, while phylogenetic constraint establishes similar base values for number and distribution.

Extent

111 p.

Comments

Includes bibliography.|Thesis (M.S.)--Florida Atlantic University, 2006.|Charles E. Schmidt College of Science|FAU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Collection|Includes bibliography.

Identifier

FA00000737

Format

pdf

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