FASTING CONFINEMENT EFFECTS ON SHARKS 623 



of glucose in wild populations of Squalus have been interpreted as reflecting 

 inanition (Patent 1970). 



Table 6 presents the data on serum protein levels sorted by method of 

 capture as well as by year. Animals caught at the surface were brought 

 aboard within 5 min of their acceptance of the bait and had little time to 

 struggle. Sharks caught on the bottom remained on the line for up to 12 h. 

 Even with minor hook wounds, the blood loss over this period could be 

 significant. Gill-netted animals, however, seldom sustain any blood loss. 

 Sudak (1960) reported a linear relationship between blood loss and arterial 

 pressure; this would result in a fluid shift from the intercellular space into 

 the plasma, lowering the plasma protein concentration. 



Table 7 compares the survival times of experimental (groups I and II) and 

 control (group IVb) populations. Significant differences do not exist for a 

 given year, but survival times do differ over the two experimental seasons. 



Table 6. Effects of method of capture on serum protein concentration. 



Year Capture method Serum protein (gm%) Results of T-Test* 



1973 



1973 



1973 



1971 



*Indicated group differs significantly at or below the 0.1 level. 



Table 7. Comparison of survival times for experimental and control groups 

 of 1971 and 1973. 



Note: Mean survival time, 1971: 15.4 days 

 Mean survival time, 1973: 11.2 days 

 Result of T-test: Significant at 0.01 level 

 *Not significant. 



