We are investigating the osmoregulatory physiology of euryhaline rays and the bull shark which occur in the Brisbane River that flows past The University of Queensland St Lucia campus. Our investigations have included examining the regulation of plasma ions, urea and TMAO in bull sharks captured along a salinity gradient, and the acclimatory responses to environmental salinity of the key osmoregulatory tissues: the rectal gland, kidney and gills. We have also used acoustic telemetry to track the movement of bull sharks along the Brisbane River.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Publications
Pillans, RD; Good, JP; Anderson, WG; Hazon, N; Franklin, CE. (2008). Rectal gland morphology of freshwater and seawater acclimated bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas. Journal of Fish Biology 72, 1559-1571.
Anderson, W. G., Pillans, R. D., Hyodo, S., Tsukada, T., Good, J. P., Takei, Y., Franklin, C. E. and Hazon, N. (2006). The effects of freshwater to seawater transfer on circulating levels of angiotensin II, C-type natriuretic peptide and arginine vasotocin in the euryhaline elasmobranch, Carcharhinu's leucas. General and Comparative Endocrinology 147, 39-46.
Pillans, R. D., Anderson, W. G., Good, J. P., Hyodo, S., Takei, Y., Hazon, N. and Franklin, C. E. (2006). Plasma and erythrocyte solute properties of juvenile bull sharks, Carcharhinus leucas, acutely exposed to increasing environmental salinitv. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 331, 145-157.
Hazon, N., Anderson, W. G., Wells, A. W., Good, J. P., Pillans, R. D. and Franklin, C. E. (2006). Ion and urea regulation in elasmobranch fish. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part a-Comparative Experimental Biology 305A, 132-132.
Anderson, W. G., Good, J. P., Pillans, R. D., Hazon, N. and Franklin, C. E. (2005). Hepatic urea biosynthesis in the euryhaline elasmobranch Carcharhinus leucas. Journal of Experimental Zoology Part a-Comparative Experimental Biology 303A, 917-921.
Anderson, W. G., Hyodo, S., Tsukada, T., Meischke, L., Pillans, R. D., Good, J. P., Takei, Y., Cramb, G., Franklin, C. E. and Hazon, N. (2005). Sequence, circulating levels, and expression of C-type natriuretic peptide in a euryhaline elasmobranch, Carcharhinus leucas. General and Comparative Endocrinology 144, 90-98.
Pillans, R. D., Good, J. P., Anderson, W. G., Hazon, N. and Franklin, C. E. (2005). Freshwater to seawater acclimation of juvenile bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas): plasma osmolytes and Na+/K+-ATPase activity in gill, rectal gland, kidney and intestine. Journal of Comparative Physiology B-Biochemical Systemic and Environmental Physiology 175, 37-44.
Pillans, R. D. and Franklin, C. E. (2004). Plasma osmolyte concentrations and rectal gland mass of bull sharks Carcharhinus leucas, captured along a salinity gradient. Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology a-Molecular & Integrative Physiology 138, 363-371.