The physiological response to capture and handling stress in the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae

Secondary effects of capture and handling stress in the Atlantic sharpnose shark, Rhizoprionodon terraenovae, were investigated in this study. Twenty-four sharks were serially bled and changes in several hematological parameters were monitored over a 1-h time period, following capture by hook-and-line. Blood samples were obtained from each shark at 0, 15, 30, 45 and 60 min. All 0-min (initial) blood samples were obtained within 3 min of capture. Blood glucose (9.2–13.1 mmol l^–1), lactate (1.5–28.9 mmol l^–1), and plasma osmolality (871–929 mOsm kg^–1) all increased after capture, whereas blood pH (6.86–6.78) declined. Hematocrit values (initial = 25.1%) remained unchanged throughout the 1-h stress period. Due to the short amount of time it took to obtain the initial sample and the lack of a significant relationship between the initial time and the initial parameter levels, all initial samples are considered the best approximation of the predisturbance resting levels. The use of repeated measures in this study enables us to describe the dynamics of the secondary stress response in the Atlantic sharpnose shark.