Newscast: Baby Leopard Sharks in the Wild
A litter of 20 newborn leopard sharks (Triakis semifasciata) was born on April 19 at the Scripps Experimental Aquarium, UC San Diego. The mother shark, four-and-a-half feet long, is currently doing fine following the birth. Each of the newborns is approximately eight inches long and is currently consuming a diet of bay scallops.
The paternity of the newborn sharks has not been determined yet, but Scripps graduate student Andy Nosal will conduct paternity tests on each of the newborns as part of his doctoral studies. Leopard sharks are known to exhibit polyandry, where a female mates with multiple males, resulting in litters with multiple fathers. Research on leopard sharks near Scripps Institution of Oceanography has documented litters fathered by several different males, often 2 to 6 or more per litter.
As adults, leopard sharks can grow up to six feet in length. They congregate in La Jolla, California, between mid-spring and mid-autumn. The mother shark's reproductive status is not specified, and her genetic information has not been discussed in this paragraph.
The young leopard sharks will be released into the wild once they are strong enough. The pregnancy of the mother shark lasted up to 12 months. The video title related to the article is "Who's the Daddy (or Daddies?): Newborn Sharks at Scripps Oceanography".
For those interested in the specific number of males that fathered the 20-shark litter, academic publications from Scripps researchers on leopard shark genetic analysis or paternity studies would be the primary source to consult. Since the exact figure is not provided in the search results, an exact number cannot be cited here.
In a positive note, the birth of the litter of leopard sharks has culminated in a significant addition to the marine life in the area. The research conducted by Andy Nosal and other Scripps researchers will provide valuable insights into the mating and reproductive habits of these fascinating creatures.
The yet-to-be-determined paternity of the newborn leopard sharks is a matter of study for Scripps graduate student Andy Nosal, as part of his doctoral studies focusing on science and health-and-wellness. Research on leopard sharks has documented multiple fathers in a single litter, often ranging from 2 to 6 or more, further emphasizing the importance of understanding these animals' mating and reproductive habits.
