Register      Login
Marine and Freshwater Research Marine and Freshwater Research Society
Advances in the aquatic sciences
RESEARCH ARTICLE

Transcoelomic expulsion of an ingested foreign object by a carcharhinid shark

S. T. Kessel A H , J. Fraser B , W. G. Van Bonn C , J. L. Brooks D , T. L. Guttridge E , N. E. Hussey F and S. H. Gruber G
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A Daniel P. Haerther Center for Conservation and Research, John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200 South Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL 60605, USA.

B Ocean Artworks LLC, Boynton Beach, FL 33435, USA.

C A. Watson Armour III Center for Animal Health and Welfare, John G. Shedd Aquarium, 1200S Lake Shore Drive, Chicago, IL, 60605, USA.

D Fish Ecology and Conservation Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biology, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1S 5B6, Canada.

E Bimini Biological Field Station Foundation, South Bimini, Bahamas.

F Biological Sciences, University of Windsor, 401 Sunset Avenue, Windsor, ON, N9B 3P4, Canada.

G Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, FL 33149, USA.

H Corresponding author. Email: skessel80@gmail.com

Marine and Freshwater Research 68(11) 2173-2177 https://doi.org/10.1071/MF17022
Submitted: 27 January 2017  Accepted: 2 May 2017   Published: 13 July 2017

Abstract

A wild lemon shark (Negaprion brevirostris) was observed to expel an ingested foreign object through its body wall, over a minimum period of 435 days. We observed this lemon shark at a recreational diving feeding site off the coast of Juno Beach (FL, USA) on 12 occasions between 6 December 2014 and 14 December 2016. At the final observation, following expulsion, we observed this lemon shark with scar tissue and in apparent healthy condition. At minimum, this lemon shark was able to survive for over 1 year under perforation of its stomach lining, coelom and body wall. This account provides further evidence for the resilience and recovery capabilities of elasmobranch fish.

Additional keywords: deep hook, diver observation, gut hook, lemon shark, stomach eversion, spiral valve eversion.


References

Bird, P. M. (1978). Tissue regeneration in three carcharhinid sharks encircled by embedded straps. Copeia 1978, 345–349.
Tissue regeneration in three carcharhinid sharks encircled by embedded straps.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Brunnschweiler, J. M., Andrews, P. L., Southall, E. J., Pickering, M., and Sims, D. W. (2005). Rapid voluntary stomach eversion in a free-living shark. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 85, 1141–1144.
Rapid voluntary stomach eversion in a free-living shark.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Campana, S. E., Marks, L., Joyce, W., and Kohler, N. E. (2006). Effects of recreational and commercial fishing on blue sharks (Prionace glauca) in Atlantic Canada, with inferences on the North Atlantic population. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 63, 670–682.
Effects of recreational and commercial fishing on blue sharks (Prionace glauca) in Atlantic Canada, with inferences on the North Atlantic population.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Castles, A. C. (1995). ‘The Shark Arm Murders: the Thrilling True Story of a Tiger Shark and a Tattooed Arm.’ (Wakefield Press: Adelaide, SA, Australia.)

Chapman, D. D., and Gruber, S. H. (2002). A further observation of the prey-handling behavior of the great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran: predation upon the spotted eagle ray, Aetobatus narinari. Bulletin of Marine Science 70, 947–952.

Christie, B. L. (2012). Intestinal eversion in the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, a behavior ubiquitous among elasmobranch fishes? Gulf of Mexico Science 30, 50–53.

Fobert, E., Meining, P., Colotelo, A., O’Connor, C., and Cooke, S. J. (2009). Cut the line or remove the hook? An evaluation of sublethal and lethal endpoints for deeply hooked bluegill. Fisheries Research 99, 38–46.
Cut the line or remove the hook? An evaluation of sublethal and lethal endpoints for deeply hooked bluegill.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Gapps, S. (2011). A strange history of shark stomachs. Signals 93, 4–13.

Gudger, E. W. (1949). Natural history notes on tiger sharks, Galeocerdo tigrinus, caught at Key West, Florida, with emphasis on food and feeding habits. Copeia 1949, 39–47.
Natural history notes on tiger sharks, Galeocerdo tigrinus, caught at Key West, Florida, with emphasis on food and feeding habits.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Haetrakul, T., Munanansup, S., Assawawongkasem, N., and Chansue, N. (2009). A case report: stomach foreign object in whaleshark (Rhincodon typus) stranded in Thailand. In ‘Proceedings of the 4th International Symposium on SEASTAR2000 and Asian Bio-logging Science (the 8th SEASTAR2000 Workshop)’, 15–17 December 2007, Phuket, Thailand. pp. 83–85. Available at https://repository.kulib.kyoto-u.ac.jp/dspace/bitstream/2433/71015/1/8thSEASTAR_83.pdf [Verified 30 May 2017]

Kessel, S. T., Chapman, D. D., Franks, B. R., Gedamke, T., Gruber, S. H., Newman, J. M., White, E. R., and Perkins, R. G. (2014). Predictable temperature-regulated residency, movement and migration in a large, highly mobile marine predator (Negaprion brevirostris). Marine Ecology Progress Series 514, 175–190.
Predictable temperature-regulated residency, movement and migration in a large, highly mobile marine predator (Negaprion brevirostris).Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Lloyd, R., and Lloyd, C. (2011). Surgical removal of a gastric foreign body in a sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque. Journal of Fish Diseases 34, 951–953.
Surgical removal of a gastric foreign body in a sand tiger shark, Carcharias taurus Rafinesque.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3MbovFCmsA%3D%3D&md5=1e75e5bbe1311cb696d0d1ecc675d8a9CAS |

Strong, W. R., Snelson, F. F., and Gruber, S. H. (1990). Hammerhead shark predation on stingrays: an observation of prey handling by Sphyrna mokarran. Copeia 1990, 836–840.
Hammerhead shark predation on stingrays: an observation of prey handling by Sphyrna mokarran.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Weltersbach, M. S., Ferter, K., Sambraus, F., and Strehlow, H. V. (2016). Hook shedding and post-release fate of deep-hooked European eel. Biological Conservation 199, 16–24.
Hook shedding and post-release fate of deep-hooked European eel.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |

Wiersma, G., Verhoog, P., Fowler, S., and Meekan, M. (2016). The first field observation of intestinal eversion by a shark. Marine Biodiversity 46, 17–18.
The first field observation of intestinal eversion by a shark.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |