Description and quantitative analysis of the dentition of the southern thorny skate Amblyraja doellojuradoi in the Southwest Atlantic

DELPIANI, M.; DELPIANI, G.E.; SPATH, M.C.; SPATH, M.C.; DELI ANTONI, M.; DELI ANTONI, M.; DELPIANI, M.; DELPIANI, G.E.

JOURNAL OF FISH BIOLOGY

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Lugar: Londres; Año: 2017 vol. 90 p. 2255 - 2270

0022-1112

The study of teeth in skates is an important tool in determining species, establishing phylogenetic relationships of living and extinct taxa, describing ontogenetic morphological changes, and understanding some of their biological aspects. Here, a description of the tooth morphology of the southern thorny skate Amblyraja doellojuradoi was made using 234 jaws from the Southwest Atlantic. Seven rows of teeth were selected; and length and width of each tooth in these rows was measured. It was found that functional series corresponds to the third teeth and the average width and length of these teeth were compared among jaws, maturity stages, sexes and rows. Generalized linear models were used to determine the subset of measures that most contribute to explain the variability between groups. It was observed that males have longer teeth than females; moreover, the teeth of females are wider. These differences are attributed to reproductive behavior, in which males bite females to hold them during copulation. This study provides a description of the teeth of A. doellojuradoi, supplying a valuable tool for specific identification of species. In addition, the establishment of the main variations observed in the dentition, improve the understanding of the species? biology.