The first aim of this thesis was to test the hypothesis that the spatial and food resources in the nearshore waters of a subtropical embayment in Western Australia (Shark Bay) will be partitioned within and amongst the main elasmobranch species that occur in that large water body. The size and age compositions, growth rates and reproductive biology of females and males of the nervous shark Carcharhinus cautus in Shark Bay were then determined to better understand the mode of life of this abundant species in this embayment. The second aim was to determine the species and size compositions of chondrichthyans landed by fisheries employing different methods in south-eastern Indonesia. The implications of these data for management were next determined and aspects of the reproductive biology of the most abundant of those species were explored, in a very preliminary manner. The nearshore, shallow waters of Shark Bay are used as a nursery area by several shark species and the different habitats in those waters are partitioned, to a certain degree, amongst those species. Ten species of shark (5 families), five species of ray (4 families) and twelve species of teleost (10 families) were caught in those waters. Carcharhinus cautus was the most abundant species, contributing 59.9% to the total number of elasmobranchs and 42.3% to all fish caught. This species and Negaprion acutidens were collected mainly or entirely from unvegetated sites, whereas Rhizoprionodon acutus, Carcharhinus brevipinna and Chiloscyllium punctatum were caught largely or exclusively at the seagrass site. The number of elasmobranch species and number of individuals of elasmobranchs were greatest in the seagrass site and least in the unvegetated site where no vegetation was present nearby, and they were significantly less in the latter site than in the one where dense mangroves were present nearby. These two biotic variables were also significantly greater in summer and autumn than in winter when temperatures were lowest. The species composition of elasmobranchs in each habitat type almost invariably differed significantly from that in each of the other habitat types and there was evidence that the species composition of elasmobranchs varied in a similar seasonal manner at the three unvegetated sites. Carcharhinus cautus, and probably also Hemigaleus microstoma and Chiloscyllium punctatum, were the only species that completed their life cycles in the nearshore, shallow waters of Herald Bight. However, the capture of the juveniles of a further four species with umbilical scars emphasises the importance of these waters as a nursery habitat for shark species. The dietary compositions of one ray species (Rhinobatus typus) and three shark species (Carcharhinus cautus, Negaprion acutidens, Rhizoprionodon acutus) undergo size-related changes and differ among these species, thereby reducing the potential for competition for food within and among these four species. Rhinobatus typus fed almost exclusively on penaeid prawns and portunid crabs, which is reflected in its narrow dietary breadth, whereas different species of teleosts constituted a major component of the diets of each size class of the three shark species. The relative contributions of the different species of teleost to the diets of the three shark species varied. The variations in dietary composition among the four species reflect differences in behaviour, modes of feeding and relative mouth sizes. Carcharhinus cautus copulates in late October–early November, shortly followed by ovulation (and thus conception) and parturition occurs about 11 months later. The reproductive cycle of C. cautus is biennial. Female and male C. cautus reached ca 28 and 32% of their lengths at their maximum observed ages, respectively, at the time of parturition. Females and males of C. cautus attained maximum total lengths of 1330 and 1110 mm, respectively, and maximum ages after parturition of 16 and 12 years, respectively. Maturity was attained at about 1010 mm by females and 910 mm by males and at least 50% of females and males had become mature by the end of their sixth and fourth years of life, respectively. The three-parameter von Bertalanffy growth curves provided reasonably good fits to the lengths at age of females and males of C. cautus during just postnatal life and throughout the whole of pre- and postnatal life. However, the four-parameter Schnute growth curve significantly improved the fit to these data for both females and males from conception and for females from birth. The question of when, from a biological view point, it might be appropriate to switch from using a von Bertalanffy growth curve to the more complex Schnute growth curve are discussed. A total of 139 chondrichthyan species, comprising 77 species of shark representing 17 families, 61 species of ray representing 11 families and a single species of holocephalan, were recorded at the ten landing sites surveyed in south-eastern Indonesia. However, it should be recognised that up to 49 of the 139 chondrichthyan species recorded have apparently not yet been described and thus assigned a species name. The most speciose and commonly recorded families were the Dasyatidae and Carcharhinidae, which collectively contributed 84.8%, respectively, to the total number of individuals of all species. The use of MDS ordination demonstrated that the species compositions at the eight main landing sites reflected to a greater extent the fishing methods used rather than the geographical location of those sites. Data on the reproductive biology of males demonstrated that a number of elasmobranch species were fished prior to the time that they attained maturity. The three most abundant chondrichthyan species that were caught both as juveniles and adults were Dasyatis kuhlii, Dasyatis zugei and Himantura walga. Since the reproductive cycle of each of these species did not follow a seasonal pattern, the timing of conception and parturition and the duration of gestation of these species could not be determined. The fecundity of these three species was very low, i.e. maximum of two but usually only a single embryo. The size at maturity of the three species, using data on the prevalence of mature fish, ranged from minima of 163 mm for females and males of H. walga to maxima of 237 mm for females and 239 mm for males of D. kuhlii. The translucent zones on the vertebral centra of D. kuhlii were apparently deposited annually and were thus used to estimate the ages of the individuals of this species. The maximum estimated ages of female and male D. kuhlii were 15 and 10 years, respectively.

Les chondrichthyens sont caractérisés par des particularités anatomiques uniques, ce qui, combiné à leur position phylogénétique, en fait un groupe particulièrement attrayant en biologie de l’évolution. Compte tenu de leur squelette cartilagineux, leur registre fossile est principalement constitué de dents isolées, dont la microstructure des tissus est utilisée depuis longtemps dans un contexte taxonomique. Celle-ci permet en effet de différencier les chondrichthyens modernes (néosélaciens) des groupes éteints dans le registre fossile. La microstructure dentaire de nombreux d’entre eux demeure toutefois peu connue, notamment celle des batoïdes, pourtant le groupe de chondrichthyen le plus diversifié à l’heure actuelle.La première partie de ce travail porte sur une description approfondie de la microstructure dentaire des batoïdes, basée sur un large échantillonnage de formes fossiles et actuelles. Ces observations ont permis de décrire une diversité microstructurale importante et inattendue compte tenu de la stabilité évolutive de ces tissus chez les requins. Cette variation est ensuite abordée à travers une approche histologique et transcriptionelle du développement dentaire de formes actuelles. Les résultats obtenus suggèrent la convergence de ces tissus avec l’émailloïde présent chez certains ostéichthyens. La troisième partie de ce travail porte sur la calcification du squelette cartilagineux au cours du développement embryonnaire, dans un contexte morphologique et moléculaire. Les modalités de calcification des pièces squelettiques apparaissent ainsi beaucoup plus versatiles chez les chondrichthyens que chez les ostéichthyens. / Chondrichthyans exhibit a number of interesting features which make them valuable organisms to investigate from an evo-devo perspective. However, due to their cartilaginous skeleton, isolated teeth are usually the only available fossil material to reconstruct their evolutionary history. Their teeth are covered by enameloid, a hypermineralized tissue whose microstructure has proven a useful taxonomic tool to differentiate between modern forms (neoselachians) and their extinct relatives. However it is poorly known in several groups, thus casting doubts on the validity of such characters.In this work, I first describe the enameloid microstructure of batoids based on an extensive sampling of both their extant and extinct diversity. I highlight unexpected diversity in the microstructural organization of enameloid which was thought to be very stable in neoselachians. The developmental basis for this diversity was then investigated in two extant chondrichthyan models through classic histological techniques and in situ hybridization. The results highlight differences in their enameloid organic matrix, as well as important differences with enameloid formation in osteichthyans, casting doubts on the homology of the two tissues. Finally I investigate skeletogenesis in the lesser spotted catshark from both a morphological and molecular perspective. Using X-Ray microtomography and in situ hybridization, I highlight both the mineralization sequence of the cartilaginous skeleton and the molecular context in which it calcifies over the course of embryonic development. I find that skeletal calcification in chondrichthyans appears to be much more versatile than in osteichthyans.

L’objectif de cette étude était de contribuer à une meilleure compréhension des poissons cartilagineux dans les eaux côtières libanaises du bassin oriental de la Méditerranée. Dans ce contexte, les différents aspects relatifs à la distribution, la diversité, la biologie et l’écologie de ces espèces ont été développés. Au total, 315 spécimens de poissons cartilagineux ont été échantillonnés appartenant à 25 espèces, dont 11 espèces de requins et 14 espèces de batoïdes. Aucune chimère n’a été enregistrée. Les données ont été collectées à partir (a) de captures expérimentales dans le cadre du projet "CIHEAM PESCA-Libano" et (b) d’observations périodiques des poissons dans les poissonneries et capturés par les pêcheurs. A partir des données de captures expérimentales, la distribution spatio-temporelle a été évaluée à travers lecalcul de ‘la capture par unité d'effort’. Cette dernière a été estimée à la fois à partir des données des scientifiques et commerciales, en prenant en considération le nombre total d’espèces. Différentes relations longueur-poids ont été établies pour 3 requins et 5 batoïdes, et cela pour les espèces présentant un nombre d’individus supérieur à 10. Finalement, la biologie et l’écologie de deux espèces commerciales bien exploitées dans les eaux côtières libanaises ont été présentées. / The aim of this study is to contribute to a better knowledge of cartilaginous fish in the Lebanese coastal waters, Eastern Mediterranean. Emphasis was placed on various aspects of the distribution, diversity, biology and ecology of these species. In this study, a total of 314 specimens of cartilaginous fish were sampled. These specimens constituted of 25 cartilaginousfish species, 11 shark species and 14 batoid species. No chimaeras were recorded. The data was collected from two sources: (a) an experimental survey in the framework of the CIHEAM PESCA-Libano project and (b) periodic observation of fisheries and catches of hired fishermen. Spatiotemporal distribution was evaluated using the Catch Per Unit Effort of the experimental survey data. Spatiotemporal diversity was also estimated taking into account the total number of species caught in the survey and fisheries/fishermen data. Length-weight relationships for three sharks and five batoids were also presented for species of the combined data sources having more than 10 individuals. Finally, the biology and ecology of two commercially significant and exploited species were also presented as a first step in their fishery management andconservation.

Chondrichthyans are cartilaginous fishes that include the extant chimaeras, sharks, and batoids, and their extinct relatives. In this dissertation, I examined the growth, development, and relationships of extinct and extant chondrichthyans. I reexamined the skeleton of fossil and fetal specimens of the angel sharks (Squatiniformes) and reanalyzed the current morphologically based hypothesis of chondrichthyan evolution, which conflicts with the current molecular based hypothesis. I did this by including extinct taxa and new characters based on dentition, and the ethmoid, occipital, pectoral, and vertebral skeleton. My results supported the pre-existing morphological hypothesis that angel sharks, saw sharks, and batoids form a clade. However, some of my new characters, particularly those based on the vertebral morphology, indicate that fetal and juvenile angel sharks do not share as many apomorphies with batoids as previously hypothesized from the examination of adults. I also examine the relationships of major groups within batoids, beginning with the construction of a hypothesis of the evolutionary history of electric rays (Torpediniformes). My results are consistent with previous rank-based classifications. However, they deviate from previous classifications depending on the criteria used to generate the hypothesis and on which taxon, or combination of taxa, were used to root the ingroup phylogeny. Because pectoral and vertebral morphology are so critical to morphological hypotheses, I also examined the growth and development of the synarcual cartilage in batoid fishes, with particular emphasis on the synarcual of skates (Rajiformes). My results demonstrate that calcification and chondrification do not proceed in the same order, temporally and spatially. Finally, I redescribe the extinct batoid †Cyclobatis, known only from the Cretaceous, and evaluate its phylogenetic position. My results indicate that †Cyclobatis, the oldest known rajid, is also the sister taxon to a clade of all known extant members of Rajidae. Furthermore, the inclusion of new characters, mainly derived from the synarcual, help to resolve the interrelationships of Rajidae. / text