Dogfish sharks of the genus Squalus are small, deep-water sharks with a slow rate of molecular evolution that has led to their designation as a series of species complexes, with low between-species variety rela­tive to other taxa. The largest of these complexes is named for the Shortspine spurdog (Squalus mitsukurii Jordan & Snyder), a medium-sized dogfish shark common to warm upper slope and seamount habitats, with a putative circumglobal distribution that has come under investigation recently due to geographic variation in morphology and genetic characteristics.

In the journal Zoology, Dr. Taketeru Tomita, former FSUCML post doc, and Dr. Chip Cotton, FSUCML faculty, propose a new model for how live-bearing shark embryos obtain oxygen while they are gestating in the uterus.

Although approximately half of the world’s known chondrichthyans (sharks, skates, rays, and chimaeras) live in the deep sea, very little is known about these elusive animals. Thus, these species may be vulnerable as global fisheries continue to expand while research is often lacking to document the biology and life history of these fishes.

For the first time, Drs. Chip Cotton and Dean Grubbs characterize the reproductive biology of 2 species of deep-sea sharks.

Dr. Dean Grubbs, Dr. Chip Cotton, and crew recently returned from a 10-day Deep-C fish ecology cruise in the Gulf of Mexico, where they caught their third specimen (since 2012) of a skate believed to be a new species.

Researchers from the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab and the University of North Florida returned to port on October 16th after completing their second research cruise aboard the Research Vessel Apalachee (and 7th overall cruise since 2011) to investigate deepsea fish communities and the effects of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill on these vulnerable and poorly studied species.

Researchers from the FSU Coastal and Marine Lab and the University of North Florida returned to port on August 5th after completing the maiden extended day voyage aboard the Research Vessel Apalachee. The purpose of the trip was to study deep sea fish communities of the northern Gulf of Mexcio and examine these organisms for exposure to and metabolism of toxins that may be related to the Deepwater Horizon oil blowout.

The Deep-C Fisheries Ecology Team (Dr. Dean Grubbs, Dr. Chris Koenig, and Dr. Felicia Coleman) are offshore conducting research from the shelf-edge to the deep sea onboard the Florida Institute of Oceanography's research vessel, the RV WEATHERBIRD II. In between the all day and all night longline and trap sets, the cataloging of specimens, and everything else that goes along with a vigorous field program, they are taking turns writing a blog that appears on the Deep-C website and will continue on their trip from 8-17 October 2012. Check back often to find out what's going on.