It’s a shark-eat-shark world, but does that make for bigger pups? A comparison between oophagous and non-oophagous viviparous sharks

Abstract Oophagous reproduction (i.e., consumption of unfertilized ova in utero) sharks has been hypothesized to result fewer but larger pups relative those produced by viviparous with different modes maternal nutrient transfer. We compared pup and litter sizes reported the literature for 106 shark species lecithotrophic viviparity, oophagy, placental viviparity as methods transfer during pregnancy. Using a suite permutational tests, we accounted effect size test whether oophagous strategies do indeed smaller litters reproduction. Our results demonstrated that was significantly reduced placentally Further, influence on length more variable, generally only than However, when investment expressed mass (minimum size), oophagy neutralized. found further evidence at birth directly modulated habitat, suggesting may also be adapted conditions nursing grounds. study supports hypothesis both maximize their reproductive fitness allocating nutrients pups, whereas through well