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Journal of Heredity Advance Access originally published online on September 27, 2007
Journal of Heredity 2007 98(7):712-715; doi:10.1093/jhered/esm077
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© The American Genetic Association. 2007. All rights reserved. For permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oxfordjournals.org.

Brief Communications

Multiple Paternity Analysis in the Thornback Ray Raja clavata L.

Malia Chevolot, Jim R. Ellis, Adriaan D. Rijnsdorp, Wytze T. Stam, and Jeanine L. Olsen

From the Department of Marine Benthic Ecology and Evolution, Center for Ecological and Evolutionary Sciences, Biological Center, University of Groningen, Postbus 14, 9750 AA Haren, The Netherlands (Chevolot, Stam, and Olsen); Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft Laboratory, Pakefield Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk, NR33 0HT, UK (Ellis); and Wageningen Institute for Marine Resources and Ecological Studies, PO Box 68, 1970 AB IJmuiden, The Netherlands (Rijnsdorp). Malia Chevolot is now at UMR 547-PIAF, INRA/Université Blaise Pascal, 24 avenue des landais, 63177 Aubière Cedex, France

Address correspondence to M. Chevolot at the address above, or e-mail: malia.chevolot{at}univ-bpclermont.fr.

Skates (Rajidae) are characterized by slow growth rate, low fecundity, and late maturity and are thus considered to be vulnerable to exploitation. Although understanding mating systems and behavior are important for long-term conservation and fisheries management, this aspect of life history is poorly understood in skates. Using 5 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci, we analyzed egg clutches collected from 4 female Raja clavata captured in the wild to test for multiple paternity. Using the reconstructed multilocus genotypes method to explain the progeny genotype array, we showed that all 4 clutches were sired by a minimum of 4–6 fathers and, thus, female thornback rays are polyandrous. Whether polyandry in R. clavata is natural or a consequence of overexploitation remains uncertain. This is the first report of multiple paternity in a rajiform species and any oviparous elasmobranch.

Corresponding Editor: Martin Tracey

Received November 1, 2006
Accepted August 23, 2007


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