The nutritional physiology of sharks
2017
Leigh, Samantha C. | Papastamatiou, Yannis | German, Donovan P.
Sharks compose one of the most diverse and abundant groups of consumers in the ocean. Consumption and digestion are essential processes for obtaining nutrients and energy necessary to meet a broad and variable range of metabolic demands. Despite years of studying prey capture behavior and feeding habits of sharks, there has been little exploration into the nutritional physiology of these animals. To fully understand the physiology of the digestive tract, it is critical to consider multiple facets, including the evolution of the system, feeding mechanisms, digestive morphology, digestive strategies, digestive biochemistry, and gastrointestinal microbiomes. In each of these categories, we make comparisons to what is currently known about teleost nutritional physiology, as well as what methodology is used, and describe how similar techniques can be used in shark research. We also identify knowledge gaps and provide suggestions to continue the progression of the field, ending with a summary of new directions that should be addressed in future studies regarding the nutritional physiology of sharks.
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