Genetic Evidence Supports a Range Extension for the Brazilian Cownose Ray Rhinoptera brasiliensis In the Western North Atlantic

Authors

Helen K. Weber, University of Southern Mississippi
Christian M. Jones, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, Mississippi LaboratoriesFollow
Matthew J. Ajemian, Florida Atlantic UniversityFollow
Michael P. McCallister, Florida Atlantic UniversityFollow
Brent L. Winner, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
Gregg R. Poulakis, Charlotte Harbor Field Laboratory, Fish and Wildlife Research Institute, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation CommissionFollow
Dana M. Bethea, NOAA, National Marine Fisheries Service, Southeast Regional Office, Office of Protected ResourcesFollow
Lisa D. Hollenstead, Gulf of Mexico Fishery Management Council
Daniel Zapf, North Carolina Division of Marine Fisheries
John D. Swenson, University of Massachusetts Amherst
Jill M. Hendon, University of Southern MississippiFollow
Toby S. Daly-Engel, Florida Institute of TechnologyFollow
Nicole M. Phillips, University of Southern MississippiFollow

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-1-2021

Department

Biological Sciences

School

Ocean Science and Engineering

Abstract

We report 24 new records of the Brazilian cownose ray Rhinoptera brasiliensis outside its accepted geographic range. Sequencing of a 442-base pair portion of the mitochondrial NADH dehydrogenase subunit 2 gene for 282 Rhinoptera samples revealed eight records off the east coast of the USA and 16 from the eastern Gulf of Mexico. Both sexes of all life stages were documented in all seasons over multiple years in the Indian River and Lake Worth lagoons, Florida, indicating that their range extends further in the western North Atlantic than previously described.

Publication Title

Journal of Fish Biology

Volume

98

Issue

2

First Page

577

Last Page

582

Recommended Citation

Weber, H. K., Jones, C. M., Ajemian, M. J., McCallister, M. P., Winner, B. L., Poulakis, G. R., Bethea, D. M., Hollenstead, L. D., Zapf, D., Swenson, J. D., Hendon, J. M., Daly-Engel, T. S., Phillips, N. M. (2021). Genetic Evidence Supports a Range Extension for the Brazilian Cownose Ray Rhinoptera brasiliensis In the Western North Atlantic. Journal of Fish Biology, 98(2), 577-582.
Available at: https://aquila.usm.edu/fac_pubs/18520