Rosa, Rui, Rummer, Jodie, and Santos, Catarina Pereira (2024) Introduction to elasmobranch physiology. In: Alderman, Sarah L., and Gillis, Todd E., (eds.) Encyclopedia of Fish Physiology. Academic Press, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, pp. 323-335.

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Abstract

The long evolutionary history of the elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, and rays) has shaped many of their defining physiological processes. Elasmobranchs are ureotelic and ureosmotic, and display both osmoconformation and osmoregulation strategies. Stress responses involve the secretion of catecholamines and corticosteroids, and metabolism relies extensively on lipid-derived ketone bodies and amino acids. Most are ectothermic; yet some species show regional endothermy associated with vascular countercurrent heat exchangers. Elasmobranchs possess electroreceptive organs extremely sensitive to the electrical fields, among other exquisite features. This article discusses these aspects of elasmobranchs' excretion, osmoregulation, buoyancy, metabolism, respiration, endocrinology, neurophysiology, and related topics.

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