Quantifying changes in umbilicus size to estimate the relative age of neonatal blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus)

Sharks can incur a range of external injuries throughout their lives that originate from various sources, but some of the most notable wounds in viviparous shark neonates are at the umbilicus. Umbilical wounds typically heal within 1 to 2 months post-parturition, depending on the species, and are therefore often used as an indicator of neonatal life stage or as a relative measure of age [e.g. grouping by umbilical wound classes (UWCs), according to the size of their umbilicus]. To improve comparisons of early-life characteristics between studies, species and across populations, studies using UWCs should integrate quantitative changes. To overcome this issue, we set out to quantify changes in umbilicus size of neonatal blacktip reef sharks (Carcharhinus melanopterus) around the island of Moorea, French Polynesia, based on temporal regression relationships of umbilicus size. Here, we provide a detailed description for the construction of similar quantitative umbilical wound classifications, and we subsequently validate the accuracy of our classification and discuss two examples to illustrate its efficacy, depletion rate of maternally provided energy reserves and estimation of parturition period. A significant decrease in body condition in neonatal sharks as early as twelve days post-parturition suggests a rapid depletion of in utero-allocated energy reserves stored in the liver. Back calculations of timing of birth based on the umbilicus size of neonates determine a parturition season from September to January, with most parturitions occurring during October and November. As such, this study contributes valuable data to inform the conservation and management of young-of-the-year blacktip reef sharks, and we therefore encourage the construction and use of similar regression relationships for other viviparous shark species. Live-bearing shark species are inherently born with an open wound, the umbilicus. The healing status of this umbilicus can be used to estimate the age of newborn sharks. This study proposes the first umbilical wound classification based on quantitative changes in umbilicus size allowing accurate age estimates of newborn sharks.

Automated summary

Shark neonates often have wounds at the umbilicus, which can be used to estimate their age and growth. This study quantified the changes in umbilicus size of blacktip reef shark neonates, developing a classification system and validating its accuracy. Similar regression relationships can be used for other viviparous shark species.