Developing in warm water: irregular colouration and patterns of a neonate elasmobranch

Temperature can impact embryonic development in nearly all vertebrates. [...]hatching, the eggs can be restricted to their local thermal environment. Temperature can affect development rates, and skeletal abnormalities and abnormal colouration and patterns (e.g., snakes; Vinegar 1974) can result from elevated temperatures. See PDF.] Normal pattern development of a neonate epaulette shark (i.e., defined epaulette spot) reared in ovo (28 °C) at 14 days post-hatch (a) and 120 days post-hatch (c) in contrast to patterns of a neonate reared in ovo at 32 °C at 14 days post-hatch (b) and then transitioned to 28 °C (at 30 days post-hatch) until 120 days post-hatch (d) Although it is known that some adult elasmobranchs change skin tone in response to environmental conditions (Visconti et al. 1999), the impact of prolonged exposure to elevated temperatures on elasmobranch development has not been investigated.