| Summary: | This thesis presents ideas, techniques, results and conclusions from a 3-year research project regarding the osmotic and ionic regulation of the South African striped dogfish Poroderma africanum (Gmelin). The experiments where devised early in 1971 but due to the time required for personally constructing equipment and facilities and for modifying and equipping the laboratory and aquaria with the necessary apparatus, actual experimentation and subsequent obtaining of results was not possible before November 1971. The main theme of the research was the investigation of the major body fluids and their relationship to external conditions, in a local elasmobranch species. The topic has been extensively examined in some overseas countries hut so far very little physiological work on the osmoregulation of marine elasmobranchs has been carried out in the South African region. The species chosen was also considered interesting in view of its common occurrence around the Cape (at the time of commencement of the work) and the fact that it seemed to be relatively limited in its distribution around the African coast, although in appearance it resembles the Scyliorhinid dogfishes widely distributed around overseas coasts.
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