HIMB’s Mark Royer won best student presentation for shark research

Mark Royer with award for Best Student Presentation

Mark Royer, doctoral candidate in Kim Holland’s Shark Laboratory at the Hawai‘i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB), won the best student oral presentation award at the Sharks International Conference 2018 held this month in João Pessoa, Brazil. The conference had over 500 attendees from 46 countries.

Royer’s presentation, “Scalloped hammerhead swimming performance and thermoregulation strategies during deep dives into cold water,” covered some of his dissertation research on the swimming performance and thermoregulation strategy of scalloped hammerhead sharks as they conduct repetitive deep dives into coldwater.

Using custom-built tag packages including accelerometers and body temperature probes, Royer and team found scalloped hammerheads conduct “marine mammal-like” deep dives with rapid descents and steep, high powered ascents, allowing them to quickly hunt for deep sea prey down to 800m and ascend quickly to the warm surface waters. During their dives into cold water, their body temperature remains warm until the final phase of their ascent when they reach the thermocline layer, level out and cease their intensive sprint to the surface, causing a rapid cooling of their body. This is the first time this type of behavior and thermoregulation strategy has been recorded in a shark.

Congratulations, Mark!