Shark Egg Cases?

[Winton]

Does anyone have any pics of shark egg cases attached to Gorgonian coral fans? Do sharks lay egg cases and attach them to corals or other structures? If so, at what depth, where in the oceans (what parts of the world), and what types of sharks?

I ask in referance to an after dive conversation during a period of off gasing? :06:

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

Do sharks lay egg cases and attach them to corals or other structures? If so, at what depth, where in the oceans (what parts of the world), and what types of sharks?

I ask in referance to an after dive conversation during a period of off gasing?

Most do not lay eggs, though there are a few species that do. You can read about the three types of shark reproduction here.

A list of oviparous sharks can be found here.

Marc

 

[archman]

Well, I've seen photos of shark cases stuck to large kelps off the coast of California. A lot of your bottom dwelling species tend to just jam their eggs into whatever nooks and crannies are available; others don't even bother, but the design of the egg case facilitates it "getting stuck" to bottom features as it comes into contact with them.

Skates and rays tend to be egg layers too. Often most of the cases floating about tend to be from them rather than their shark cousins.

Don't know about gorgonians though, sorry.

 

[Winton]

Most do not lay eggs, though there are a few species that do. You can read about the three types of shark reproduction here.

A list of oviparous sharks can be found here.

Marc

FLL Diver,
wow, in the WEB site you provided it lists 100 species of sharks that lay eggs and states that 25% of all sharks lay eggs, to me that is a little surprising. :11:
Thank you for taking the time to reply, Winton.

If what we were looking at was a shark egg case, it looks like the most likely candidate was a Nurse Shark. :06:

 

[chrisch]

In UK waters small "shark" known as dogfish (not really shark as don't have teeth but same in all other respects) lay their eggs in inshore waters. These are often washed up on the shore and are known colloquially as "mermaid's purses". In many aquaria you can watch the eggs of the most common (lesser spotted) dogfish hatch out and see the little fish wiggling inside as they develop.
There used to be a few shark in the UK but they have either been fished out or do not visit any more due to lack of feeding, with the exception of basking shark which I think are viviparious (or give birth to live young).
I'm working for a while here in Italy and I don't think there is much of anything alive left in the Med...
Chris.