Mother-embryo isotope fractionation in the pygmy devilray Mobula kuhlii cf. eregoodootenkee

We determined stable-isotope ratios for replicate muscle tissues in 13 gravid Mobula kuhlii cf. eregoodootenkee (110.4-120.4 cm disc width; W_D ) and their embryos (7.0-42.3 cm W_D ) and also yolks and histrotroph, to assess the potential implications for juvenile nutrition and habitat use. Irrespective of their development in the uterus, embryos had similar δ¹³ C values in their muscle tissue as the mothers and both had greater values than in the histotroph. During gestation, δ¹³ C values increased across all sample types. However, while embryo muscle tissue and the histotroph were associated with increasing ¹⁵ N levels during embryonic development, this was depleted in the mothers' muscle tissue and yolk. Although speculative, the observed variation in stable-isotope ratios might imply a dietary shift among gravid females during their early gestation. Irrespective of the underlying mechanisms, the results indicate neonates will have relatively greater δ¹⁵ N values than post-partum females, which would probably confound juvenile foraging-ecology estimates.