Elasmobranch microbiomes: emerging patterns and implications for host health and ecology

Area of Science:

• Marine Biology
• Microbiome Research
• Conservation Science

Background:

• Elasmobranchs (sharks, skates, rays) are ecologically and economically vital but face significant population declines.
• Human activities in oceans are a primary driver of these declines.
• Understanding elasmobranch health is critical for effective conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review current research on elasmobranch-associated microbiomes.
• To highlight variations in microbiomes across different body niches (gastrointestinal, oral, skin, blood).
• To identify key bacterial lineages, challenges, and future research directions in the field.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies investigating elasmobranch microbiomes.
• Analysis of microbiome composition across various elasmobranch species and body sites.
• Identification of common bacterial taxa and discussion of methodological challenges.

Main Results:

• Significant variation in microbiome composition exists across different elasmobranch body niches.
• Major bacterial lineages associated with elasmobranchs have been identified.
• The field faces challenges in standardization and comparative analysis.

Conclusions:

• Elasmobranch microbiomes play a potentially vital role in host immunity, nutrition, and waste processing.
• Further research is needed to understand the mechanistic interactions between elasmobranch physiology and their microbiomes.
• Understanding these interactions is key for predicting elasmobranch responses to environmental change and for managing populations.