Samuel H. Gruber

From the beginning of my scientific career, more than 30 years ago, I have been interested in the biology and behavior of elasmobranch fishes. My research from 1960-76 involved anatomy, physiology and psychophysics of the visual system of the lemon shark. Beside characterizing basic functions of the shark eye, we developed some unique training techniques to communicate with our shark subjects. During a transition period between 1974-78, I began to expand the research toward a more field-oriented, ecological framework with the objective of quantitatively defining the role of the shark in a tropical marine ecosystem. This expansion culminated in a decade-long, NSF-supported study of the early life history of the lemon shark. The investigation involved a dozen individual laboratory and field studies and provided degree projects for 10 graduate students. Presently, I am summarizing the overall results of the 10-yr. study with the objective of producing a predictive, mathematical model of the lemon shark based on the bioenergetics of the juvenile stages. This theoretical exercise is expected to suggest a series of hypotheses which will form the basis of future research projects.

Gruber. S.H (2002). Special dedicated issue of Bimini Bahamas: Anthropogenic ecological effects. Bahamas Journal of Science 9 (2): 1-68; 10 Articles.

Tricas, T.C. & S.H. Gruber (ed.) (2001). The Behavior and Sensory Biology of Elasmobranch Fishes: An Anthology in Memory of Donald Richard Nelson. Developments In Environmental Biology of Fishes 20, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht. 318 Pp.

Feldheim, K.A., Gruber, S. H. and M. V. Ashley. (2002). The Breeding Biology of lemon sharks at a Tropical Nursery Lagoon. Proceedings of the Royal Society (London) B 269 (1501): 1655-1661.

Feldheim, K.A., Gruber, S. H., deMarignac J. R. and M. V. Ashley. (2002). Genetic tagging to determine passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag loss in lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris (Poey). J. Fish Biology 61: 1309-1313

Gruber, S. H. and W. Parks (2002). Mega-Resort Development on Bimini: Sound Economics or Environmental Disaster? Bahamas Journal of Science 9 (2): 2-18.

Gruber S. H., Grant, A.T and S. P. Newman (2002). Effects of Large Scale Seafloor Excavation in Bimini. Bahamas Journal of Science 9 (2): 36-40.

Newman S. P. and S. H. Gruber (2002). Mangrove and seagrass fish and macroinvertebrate communities in Bimini, Bahamas. Bahamas Journal of Science 9 (2): 19-27.

Sundström, L.F and S H. Gruber (2002). Effects of capture and transmitter attachment on the swimming speed of large juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris, Poey) in the field. J. Fish Biology 61: 834-838.

Chapman D. D. and Samuel H. Gruber. (2002) A further observation of batoid prey handling by the Great hammerhead shark, Sphyrna mokarran, upon a Spotted eagle ray, Aetobatus narinari. Bull Mar. Sci 70 (3): 947-952,

Feldheim, K.F., S.H. Gruber and M.V. Ashley.  (2001).  Multiple paternity of a lemon shark litter (Chondrichthyes:Carcharhinidae).  Copeia 2001:3 781-786.

Feldheim K. A. Gruber S. H and M. V. Ashley. (2001). Population genetic structure of the lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris) in the western Atlantic: DNA microsatellite variation Molecular Ecology 10: 295-303)

Gruber, S. H., de Marignac J. R. and J. M. Hoenig. (2001). Survival of juvenile lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris) at Bimini, Bahamas, estimated by mark-depletion experiments Trans. Am. Fish Soc 130: 376-384

Gruber. S. H. (2001). Donald Richard Nelson: The most unforgettable character I ever met. Environmental. Bio. Fishes 60: 19-27

Feldheim K. A. Gruber S. H. and M. V. Ashley. (2001) Multiple paternity of a lemon shark litter. Copeia 2001 (3): 781-786

Feldheim K. A. Gruber S. H and M. V. Ashley. (2001) Population genetic structure of the lemon Shark (Negaprion brevirostris) in the western Atlantic: DNA microsatellite variation. Molecular Ecology 10:295-303

Sundström, L. F., Gruber, S., H. Clermont S. M., De Marignac, J. R., Correia, J., Thomassen, L., Lowrance C., Morrissey, J. F. and M. T. Oliveira. (2001). Review of elasmobranch studies using ultrasonic telemetry with special reference to the behavior of free-ranging lemon sharks, Negaprion brevirostris, around Bimini islands, Bahamas. Environmental Biology of Fishes. 60: 225-250