U.S.-Brazil Dissertation Enhancement: Population Genetic Analysis of the Lemon Shark, Negaprion Brevirostris, at Atol des Rocas and Fernando de Naronha, Brazil

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Ashley9908621This US-Brazil dissertation enhancement research proposal was submitted by Mr. Kevin A. Feldheim of the University of Illinois, Chicago, under the sponsorship of Dr. Mary V. Ashley. Mr. Feldheim will work with a group of Brazilian collaborators, led by Dr. Ricardo Rosa of Universidade Federal da Paraiba, Brazil. Their research involves the population genetic analysis of the Lemon shark, Negaprion brevirostris, at Atol des Rocas and Fernando de Naronha, Brazil. Atol des Rocas is a biological reserve; Fernando de Naronha is a Brazilian National Marine Park.This dissertation research is part of a larger, on-going project funded in part by the U.S.-Brazil Program, led by the U.S. researcher, Dr. Samuel Gruber of the University of Miami. The goal of this work is to investigate the life history and mating system of the lemon shark found at Atol des Rocas and Fernando de Narohna off the coast of Brazil. The researchers will use two high resolution molecular DNA markers (microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA) to characterize parentage and relatedness of a large sample of adult and juvenile lemon sharks that they will collect at the two sites. They will compare their data with that collected from another population off Bimini, Bahamas, to answer questions about this species mating system and basic breeding biology. Increased knowledge of this species will aid in its conservation.***