The reproductive biology of two aplacental viviparous deep sea sharks, Centroscymnus coelolepis and Centrophorus squamosus has been studied from 1735 and 675 specimens respectively, collected with bottom trawls between 600 and 1400 m depth off the west coast of the British Isles. A macroscopic maturity scale indicates that for both species, size at first maturity is greater in females than in males. In Centroscymnus coelolepis, genital maturity occurs at an average length of ∼86 cm for males and ∼102 cm for females. In Centrophorus squamosus, males are mature near 98 cm and females near 124 cm total length (TL). Smallest juveniles of both species are absent from catches: no specimens of Centroscymnus coelolepis shorter than 58 cm, nor specimens of Centrophorus squamosus shorter than 84 cm have been recorded. Ovarian fecundity is higher in Centroscymnus coelolepis than in Centrophorus squamosus. A maternal supply has been demonstrated for Centroscymnus coelolepis. Litter size has been estimated only in C. coelolepis because no pregnant females of Centrophorus squamosus were recovered. A dwarf embryo and a pair of twins have been observed. Segregation by sexual stage of development shows that immatures are generally found at greater depths than adults.

The organization of spermatocysts in the testes of 77 Centroscymnus coelolepis and 53 Centrophorus squamosus is of the diametric type. Unlike other elasmobranchs with this type of gonad, an epigonal organ was not observed. Two classes of adults (C and D stages) were distinguished according to testis shape and clasper development. D stage specimens differed from C stage as they had mated at least once. The reproductive product of male C. coelolepis seems to be unique among sharks; spermatozeugmata consist of spermatozoa aggregates and do not display clumped sperm as in C. squamosus. 2000 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles

The Stable Isotope Labeling Amino acid in Vivo (SILAV) method presented here, which yields unprecedented information about protein metabolism in humans, constitutes a promising new approach which certainly holds great potential in the field of clinical proteomics.

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