Introduction – Company Background

GuangXin Industrial Co., Ltd. is a specialized manufacturer dedicated to the development and production of high-quality insoles.

With a strong foundation in material science and footwear ergonomics, we serve as a trusted partner for global brands seeking reliable insole solutions that combine comfort, functionality, and design.

With years of experience in insole production and OEM/ODM services, GuangXin has successfully supported a wide range of clients across various industries—including sportswear, health & wellness, orthopedic care, and daily footwear.

From initial prototyping to mass production, we provide comprehensive support tailored to each client’s market and application needs.

At GuangXin, we are committed to quality, innovation, and sustainable development. Every insole we produce reflects our dedication to precision craftsmanship, forward-thinking design, and ESG-driven practices.

By integrating eco-friendly materials, clean production processes, and responsible sourcing, we help our partners meet both market demand and environmental goals.

Core Strengths in Insole Manufacturing

At GuangXin Industrial, our core strength lies in our deep expertise and versatility in insole and pillow manufacturing. We specialize in working with a wide range of materials, including PU (polyurethane), natural latex, and advanced graphene composites, to develop insoles and pillows that meet diverse performance, comfort, and health-support needs.

Whether it's cushioning, support, breathability, or antibacterial function, we tailor material selection to the exact requirements of each project-whether for foot wellness or ergonomic sleep products.

We provide end-to-end manufacturing capabilities under one roof—covering every stage from material sourcing and foaming, to precision molding, lamination, cutting, sewing, and strict quality control. This full-process control not only ensures product consistency and durability, but also allows for faster lead times and better customization flexibility.

With our flexible production capacity, we accommodate both small batch custom orders and high-volume mass production with equal efficiency. Whether you're a startup launching your first insole or pillow line, or a global brand scaling up to meet market demand, GuangXin is equipped to deliver reliable OEM/ODM solutions that grow with your business.

Customization & OEM/ODM Flexibility

GuangXin offers exceptional flexibility in customization and OEM/ODM services, empowering our partners to create insole products that truly align with their brand identity and target market. We develop insoles tailored to specific foot shapes, end-user needs, and regional market preferences, ensuring optimal fit and functionality.

Our team supports comprehensive branding solutions, including logo printing, custom packaging, and product integration support for marketing campaigns. Whether you're launching a new product line or upgrading an existing one, we help your vision come to life with attention to detail and consistent brand presentation.

With fast prototyping services and efficient lead times, GuangXin helps reduce your time-to-market and respond quickly to evolving trends or seasonal demands. From concept to final production, we offer agile support that keeps you ahead of the competition.

Quality Assurance & Certifications

Quality is at the heart of everything we do. GuangXin implements a rigorous quality control system at every stage of production—ensuring that each insole meets the highest standards of consistency, comfort, and durability.

We provide a variety of in-house and third-party testing options, including antibacterial performance, odor control, durability testing, and eco-safety verification, to meet the specific needs of our clients and markets.

Our products are fully compliant with international safety and environmental standards, such as REACH, RoHS, and other applicable export regulations. This ensures seamless entry into global markets while supporting your ESG and product safety commitments.

ESG-Oriented Sustainable Production

At GuangXin Industrial, we are committed to integrating ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) values into every step of our manufacturing process. We actively pursue eco-conscious practices by utilizing eco-friendly materials and adopting low-carbon production methods to reduce environmental impact.

To support circular economy goals, we offer recycled and upcycled material options, including innovative applications such as recycled glass and repurposed LCD panel glass. These materials are processed using advanced techniques to retain performance while reducing waste—contributing to a more sustainable supply chain.

We also work closely with our partners to support their ESG compliance and sustainability reporting needs, providing documentation, traceability, and material data upon request. Whether you're aiming to meet corporate sustainability targets or align with global green regulations, GuangXin is your trusted manufacturing ally in building a better, greener future.

Let’s Build Your Next Insole Success Together

Looking for a reliable insole manufacturing partner that understands customization, quality, and flexibility? GuangXin Industrial Co., Ltd. specializes in high-performance insole production, offering tailored solutions for brands across the globe. Whether you're launching a new insole collection or expanding your existing product line, we provide OEM/ODM services built around your unique design and performance goals.

From small-batch custom orders to full-scale mass production, our flexible insole manufacturing capabilities adapt to your business needs. With expertise in PU, latex, and graphene insole materials, we turn ideas into functional, comfortable, and market-ready insoles that deliver value.

Contact us today to discuss your next insole project. Let GuangXin help you create custom insoles that stand out, perform better, and reflect your brand’s commitment to comfort, quality, and sustainability.

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High-performance insole OEM factory Taiwan

Are you looking for a trusted and experienced manufacturing partner that can bring your comfort-focused product ideas to life? GuangXin Industrial Co., Ltd. is your ideal OEM/ODM supplier, specializing in insole production, pillow manufacturing, and advanced graphene product design.

With decades of experience in insole OEM/ODM, we provide full-service manufacturing—from PU and latex to cutting-edge graphene-infused insoles—customized to meet your performance, support, and breathability requirements. Our production process is vertically integrated, covering everything from material sourcing and foaming to molding, cutting, and strict quality control.Flexible manufacturing OEM & ODM Vietnam

Beyond insoles, GuangXin also offers pillow OEM/ODM services with a focus on ergonomic comfort and functional innovation. Whether you need memory foam, latex, or smart material integration for neck and sleep support, we deliver tailor-made solutions that reflect your brand’s values.

We are especially proud to lead the way in ESG-driven insole development. Through the use of recycled materials—such as repurposed LCD glass—and low-carbon production processes, we help our partners meet sustainability goals without compromising product quality. Our ESG insole solutions are designed not only for comfort but also for compliance with global environmental standards.Innovative insole ODM solutions in China

At GuangXin, we don’t just manufacture products—we create long-term value for your brand. Whether you're developing your first product line or scaling up globally, our flexible production capabilities and collaborative approach will help you go further, faster.PU insole OEM production in China

📩 Contact us today to learn how our insole OEM, pillow ODM, and graphene product design services can elevate your product offering—while aligning with the sustainability expectations of modern consumers.Smart pillow ODM manufacturer China

Researchers from the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) have used genetics to study the comb jellies, or ctenophores, and have discovered new diversity within the species. The Enigmatic World of Comb Jellies Comb jellies—known to scientists as ctenophores (pronounced “teen-oh-fours”)—mesmerize with their beauty, but these captivating creatures remain poorly studied due to their delicate nature. MBARI researchers have used the power of genetics to learn more about these animals. In a study published in the journal Molecular Ecology Resources, MBARI researchers Lynne Christianson, Shannon Johnson, Darrin Schultz, and Steve Haddock examined a specific gene sequence in comb jellies. This sequence has revealed untold diversity within this group of animals. “Using genetics, we discovered surprising diversity in some groups, including some more commonly-seen species that were previously considered a single species, but are now revealed to be multiple species,” said Lynne Christianson, lead author on the study and a senior research technician at MBARI. This research also uncovered several comb jelly species that are new to science. This work—funded by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation, the National Science Foundation, and the National Institutes of Health—opens the door for future research on comb jellies using eDNA, or environmental DNA. eDNA holds promise for detecting marine animals from the drifting bits of genetic material they leave behind in seawater. “Importantly, the genetic data we have shared to public databases will provide a valuable reference for others using eDNA to help reveal the complexity of ocean ecosystems,” said Christianson. Scientists have described around 200 comb jelly species so far. They come in an assortment of shapes, sizes, colors, and patterns. Some are small, while others like this giant comb jelly (Aulacoctena sp.) can be quite large—growing larger than a football. All play an integral role in ocean ecosystems. Credit: © 2006 MBARI Comb jellies live throughout the ocean, from the shallow depths to the deep seafloor and from warm tropical seas to chilly polar waters. Although they are an important part of marine ecosystems, the challenge of collecting intact specimens, especially from the deep sea, makes them difficult to study. “Most scientists are not able to collect comb jellies in any recognizable manner—they are just too fragile,” explained MBARI Senior Scientist Steve Haddock. Blue-water diving is one of several techniques used by MBARI researchers to collect delicate ctenophores. Credit: Steve Haddock © 2018 MBARI But MBARI is uniquely equipped to study these delicate drifters. MBARI’s research vessels offer a platform for blue-water diving—a form of scuba diving far offshore suspended in open water—and deployment of specialized robotic submersibles called remotely operated vehicles (ROVs). MBARI researchers prepared a “tree” of relationships using COI sequences to show species differences between comb jellies. They used this tree to help other researchers determine which DNA primers would work best for a group of interest. Major branches include the lobed comb jellies (pink), beroids (blue), and the seafloor-dwelling platyctenes (green). Credit: Christianson et al. 2021 Molecular Ecology Resources Using both scuba and submersibles, MBARI researchers have been able to carefully collect comb jellies for research in the lab. For decades, they have amassed a collection of specimens representing nearly every known family of comb jellies. Studying these animals from their appearance alone has been valuable, but has at times been an imperfect science. Some specimens are damaged, some distinguishing characteristics between species are cryptic, and some tissues are too delicate for preservation. In addition to examining the appearance of live animals, MBARI researchers have turned to genetics to identify and catalog their specimens. Previous research questioned if the train track comb jelly (Deiopea kaloktenota, pictured) might be a juvenile form of the rabbit-eared comb jelly (Kiyohimea usagi, next). But genetic analysis has now confirmed the two are indeed unique—and raised the possibility that there are actually two species of Deiopea off central California. Credit: © 2020 MBARI The mitochondrial gene cytochrome-c-oxidase subunit I (COI) is like a genetic fingerprint for animals. This gene is widely used in everything from bees to baboons for distinguishing species and even geographic subpopulations. Building a library of ctenophore “fingerprints,” though, was no easy task. Previous research questioned if the train track comb jelly (Deiopea kaloktenota, previous) might be a juvenile form of the rabbit-eared comb jelly (Kiyohimea usagi, pictured). But genetic analysis has now confirmed the two are indeed unique—and raised the possibility that there are actually two species of Deiopea off central California. Credit: © 2019 MBARI To read these genes, researchers use primers—short, manufactured DNA pieces that complement segments of DNA found in a species’ genome and serve as anchor points to start genetic sequencing. The DNA of comb jellies is so different from other animals that the standard primers do not work for most comb jelly species. The team set out to solve this problem. First, the team had to make primers that would work on comb jelly COI sequences. They did this by examining the genomes of comb jellies and testing hundreds of primer combinations. Then, they used those primers to generate the library of individual sequences from across hundreds of comb jelly specimens they had collected. These are the two most impactful outcomes of the work. Comparing COI gene sequences revealed two branches of the family tree for the lobed comb jelly genus Bolinopsis. One branch consisted of four tropical species and the related warty comb jelly (Mnemiopsis leidyi), while another included two species from cooler temperate waters. Credit: © 2006 MBARI The team created the most complete library of DNA sequences from comb jellies, adding 72 species to the global database where only 15 had been represented before. By comparing sequences of the COI gene, they also built a more accurate family tree for comb jellies at the species level. This new library of genetic information helped clarify relationships between similar-looking species. The genetic probes have sparked several new questions about common species. Studying the COI gene has shed new light on the identities of scallop comb jellies in the genus Bathocyroe seen off the coast of California. Genetic analysis has suggested three distinct—and possibly previously unknown—species may occur off the Central Coast. Credit: © 2003 MBARI MBARI researchers frequently observe the scallop comb jelly (Bathocyroe sp.) off the central California coast. But a closer look at its COI gene suggested three distinct species live off our coast. Even more intriguing? None seem to align with the three known species in the genus. Slight differences in appearance and depth distribution from the recognized species of Bathocyroe suggest the three species off California’s Central Coast may be new to science. The bloody-belly comb jelly (Lampocteis cruentiventer, pictured) is one of the most stunning comb jellies in the depths of Monterey Bay. Sometimes MBARI’s ROVs encounter an amber-colored variant and a deep-dwelling purple-colored variant. New genetic analysis has confirmed scientists’ suspicions that these two are not strange color morphs of the crimson ctenophore, but in fact distinct species. Credit: © 2006 MBARI MBARI’s ROVs have been instrumental in revealing the untold diversity of the ocean’s midnight zone. In 34 years of research, MBARI has documented more than 200 species previously unknown to scientists. One such find was the bloody-belly comb jelly (Lampocteis cruentiventer). MBARI scientists George Matsumoto and Bruce Robison contributed to the original description of this species in 2001. Researchers sometimes see individuals with the same body shape, but lacking the signature scarlet color. One variant has an amber appearance, while another deeper-dwelling one is brilliant magenta. Looking at the COI gene has confirmed scientists’ suspicions that these are not unique color morphs but likely separate species. The bloody-belly comb jelly (Lampocteis cruentiventer) is one of the most stunning comb jellies in the depths of Monterey Bay. Sometimes MBARI’s ROVs encounter an amber-colored variant (pictured) and a deep-dwelling purple-colored variant (next). New genetic analysis has confirmed scientists’ suspicions that these two are not strange color morphs of the crimson ctenophore, but in fact distinct species. Credit: © 2004 MBARI A Growing Catalog of Species There are currently 200 known, or described, comb jelly species. With the COI gene sequences hinting that some of these may be more than one genetically distinct species, that count is likely to grow three- or even fourfold. “Everywhere that we have been able to look in detail has revealed unseen diversity, suggesting there are even more species of ctenophores than our most optimistic estimates,” said Haddock. Examining comb jellies collected from more locations around the globe will be a critical next step for understanding relationships among these animals by comparing the sequences of potentially undescribed species to sequences from species formally recognized by scientists. The COI gene provides a useful starting point for researchers to focus their work. The bloody-belly comb jelly (Lampocteis cruentiventer) is one of the most stunning comb jellies in the depths of Monterey Bay. Sometimes MBARI’s ROVs encounter an amber-colored variant (previous) and a deep-dwelling purple-colored variant (pictured). New genetic analysis has confirmed scientists’ suspicions that these two are not strange color morphs of the crimson ctenophore, but in fact distinct species. Credit: © 2002 MBARI This work has laid the foundation for scientists around the globe to read the genetic fingerprints of comb jellies left behind in eDNA and improve efforts to catalog the diversity of life in the ocean. Comb jellies have largely been excluded from the promising new field of rapid species identifications because of the scarcity of COI gene sequences for this group necessary to detect the eDNA they leave behind. The MBARI research team has now provided tools for other scientists to begin rapid identifications of comb jellies. Samples from MBARI and our collaborators have added five times as many comb jelly species to the National Center for Biotechnology Information archives as have been previously sequenced. “We are providing genetic sequences for an unprecedented number of ctenophore species into public databases for all to use,” said Christianson. Who knows what new discoveries await now? Reference: “Hidden diversity of Ctenophora revealed by new mitochondrial COI primers and sequences” by Lynne M. Christianson, Shannon B. Johnson, Darrin T. Schultz and Steven H. D. Haddock, 5 July 2022, Molecular Ecology Resources. DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.13459

Virginia Tech researchers traced life’s evolution to nearly 2 billion years ago, showing slow changes during the “boring billion” and rapid diversification after ice ages reset the evolutionary path. Ancient species may have evolved at a slower pace and endured longer, but evolutionary rates sped up significantly following global ice ages, according to a new analysis by Virginia Tech. Published in the journal Science, the study charts the cycles of rise and decline in ancient life over millions of years. If the world is a stage and every species plays its part, the rock record holds the story of their entrances and exits. Fossilized skeletons and shells offer a vivid timeline of evolution and extinction over the last 500 million years. Now, a new analysis from Virginia Tech extends this timeline back nearly 2 billion years. This expanded chart tracks fluctuations in species diversity, providing scientists with crucial insights into the origins, diversification, and extinction of ancient life. With this new study, the chart of life now includes life forms from the Proterozoic Eon, 2,500 million to 539 million years ago. Proterozoic life was generally smaller and squishier — like sea sponges that didn’t develop mineral skeletons — and left fewer traces to fossilize in the first place. Virginia Tech geobiologist Shuhai Xiao and collaborators published a high-resolution analysis of the global diversity of Proterozoic life based on a global compilation of fossil data, which was released Dec. 20 in the journal Science. Geobiologist Shuhai Xiao (at left) and colleague in the field in Canada. Credit: Photo courtesy of Danielle Fitzgerald Xiao and his team looked specifically at records of ancient marine eukaryotes — organisms whose cells contain a nucleus. Early eukaryotes later evolved into the multicellular organisms credited for ushering in a whole new era for life on Earth, including animals, plants, and fungi. “This is the most comprehensive and up-to-date analysis of this period to date,” said Xiao who recently was inducted into the National Academy of Sciences. “And more importantly, we’ve used a graphic correlation program that allowed us to achieve greater temporal resolution.” The choreography of species offers critical insights into the parallel paths of the evolution of life and Earth. Observed patterns and insights suggested by the analysis: The first eukaryotes arose no later than 1.8 billion years ago and gradually evolved to a stable level of diversity from about 1,450 million to 720 million years ago, a period aptly known as the “boring billion,” when species turnover rates were remarkably low. Eukaryotic species in the “boring billion” may have evolved slower and lasted longer than those came later. Then cataclysm: Snowball Earth, a spiral of plunging temperatures, sealed the planet in ice at least twice between 720 million and 635 million years ago. When the ice eventually thawed, evolutionary activity picked up, and things weren’t so boring anymore. “The ice ages were a major factor that reset the evolutionary path in terms of diversity and dynamics,” Xiao said. “We see rapid turnover of eukaryotic species immediately after glaciation. That’s a major finding.” The simplified summary diagram shows the relative diversity of eukaryotic fossils throughout the Proterozoic Eon. Credit: Graphic courtesy of Qing Tang of Nanjing University and Shuhai Xiao of Virginia Tech The patterns, Xiao said, raise a lot of interesting questions, including: Why was eukaryotic evolution sluggish during the “boring billion”? What factors contributed to the increased pace of evolution after snowball ice ages? Was it environmental, such as climate changes and increases in atmospheric oxygen levels? Was it an evolutionary arms race between different organisms that could drive creatures to evolve quickly? Future scientists can use the quantified pattern to answer these questions and better understand the complex interplay of life on Earth and the Earth itself. Reference: “Quantifying the global biodiversity of Proterozoic eukaryotes” by Qing Tang, Wentao Zheng, Shuhan Zhang, Junxuan Fan, Leigh Anne Riedman, Xudong Hou, A. D. Muscente, Natalia Bykova, Peter M. Sadler, Xiangdong Wang, Feifei Zhang, Xunlai Yuan, Chuanming Zhou, Bin Wan, Ke Pang, Qing Ouyang, N. Ryan McKenzie, Guochun Zhao, Shuzhong Shen and Shuhai Xiao, 20 December 2024, Science. DOI: 10.1126/science.adm9137

Spikey, ridged scales reduce drag in swift-swimming sharks, while thicker, rounder scales offer protection from abrasion. The three-pronged scale on top may serve a defensive function. False-color electron microscope images of denticles (not to scale); clockwise from upper left: lemon shark, tiger shark, great hammerhead shark, nurse shark, bull shark, and scalloped hammerhead shark. Credit: Erin Dillon, Aaron O’Dea and Jorge Ceballos The results indicate that shark abundance in the region declined roughly three-fold since prehistoric times. Scientists recently made news by using fossil shark scales to reconstruct shark communities from millions of years ago. At the same time, an international team of researchers led by UC Santa Barbara ecologist Erin Dillon applied the technique to the more recent past. Human activities have caused shark populations to plummet worldwide since records began in the mid-20th century. However, the scientists were concerned that these baseline data may, themselves, reflect shark communities that had already experienced significant declines. Dillon compared the abundance and variety of shark scales from a Panamanian coral reef 7,000 years ago to those in reef sediments today to discern how reef-associated shark communities have changed since humans began using marine resources in the area. The results, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, indicate that shark abundance in the region declined roughly three-fold since prehistoric times, with swifter-swimming species taking a harder hit. Much of this decrease is echoed in historical records, suggesting that sharks in Caribbean Panama were most heavily impacted within the past century. Shark scales are minute, appearing like ordinary sand until examined under a microscope. Credit: Isabelle Lee “These results give us new insight into what a ‘healthy’ shark community might look like on a coral reef before human exploitation,” said Dillon, a doctoral student in the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Marine Biology. “And they can help us set more appropriate and location-specific baselines for management and conservation.” With their cartilaginous skeletons, sharks don’t readily fossilize. Often seemingly all that remains of an ancient shark is its hard teeth. But under the right conditions, a closer look at the surrounding sediments will reveal hundreds of microscopic shark scales only a few times thicker than a human hair. Just like the animal’s teeth, shark scales are composed of dentin with a hard enamel surface. Researchers call them dermal denticles, meaning “skin teeth,” and believe the two are essentially the same structures — just in different parts of the body. Scientists often rely on microfossils to reconstruct ancient ecosystems. Items like scales, pollen grains, and plankton shells can provide a wealth of information about the conditions and denizens of past ecosystems that aren’t preserved in large fossils. What’s more, sharks shed a lot more scales in their lifetime than teeth, so dermal denticles can offer paleo-ecologists much more material to analyze than teeth do. Dillon and her team were fortunate to have access to a fossil reef in Bocas del Toro, on Panama’s Caribbean coast. Normally, ancient reefs are entombed under the living coral, but construction had exposed the site, enabling the scientists to collect samples over several years before it was filled in. Dillon was able to identify groups of sharks on the ancient reef based on the scales they left behind. Credit: Erin Dillon, Ashley Diedenhofen, and Jorge Ceballos They collected sediments that had accumulated within the fossil reef. Debris that settled between the fingers of branching coral was protected from extensive mixing with sediments of different ages. This essentially preserved a time capsule of material from the ancient reef as it accreted. The team used radiometric dating to estimate the age of the reef. Corals incorporate trace amounts of uranium, but not thorium, into their skeletons as they grow. Scientists can use the predictable rate at which uranium decays into thorium to determine the age of a coral sample. Using this method, the authors dated corals on the fossil reef to around 7,000 years ago. Next came the arduous process of separating the denticles from the sediments. Using a solution of acetic acid, what Dillon referred to as “glorified vinegar,” she tediously dissolved around 300 kg (660 lb) of carbonate sand — enough to fill two bathtubs — to a manageable 400 g (0.9 lb) of residual material, which she then sorted through under a microscope to find the scales. Different denticle shapes correspond with different functions. For example, thin scales with points and ridges reduce drag, and are found on sharks like great hammerheads and silky sharks that swim fast. Ridge spacing also matters, with animals that reach fast burst speeds tending to sport narrower ridges. Meanwhile, animals like nurse and zebra sharks, which spend their time near tough substrates, tend to have thick, plate-like scales that offer abrasion protection. “They’re sort of like armor,” Dillon explained. Accounting for the form and abundance of different scales provided the team with a sense of what types of sharks inhabited the ancient reef as well as their relative numbers. That said, just as different parts of the mouth sport differently shaped teeth, scale morphology also varies across a shark’s body. Given this variability, it’s nearly impossible to match an isolated scale to a specific species, as can often be done with teeth. That’s why Dillon and her colleagues stuck to broad ecological categories of sharks in their paper. The team’s painstaking analysis ultimately paid off. “We showed that tiny shark scales can be well-preserved and found in high enough abundances to reconstruct shark baselines over long ecological timescales,” Dillon said, “and we found about a 71% decrease in total shark abundance between the mid-Holocene — before major human impact in our study region — and now.” These prehistorical reefs would have had similar environmental conditions to those of today, she added, with the primary difference being that they predate the earliest evidence of human occupation in this part of Panama. The authors also discovered that the types of sharks found on these reefs shifted between prehistoric times and today. Midwater swimmers, like requiem and hammerheads, declined more than demersal species, like the nurse shark. “If you went snorkeling on these reefs a couple thousand years ago, not only would sharks have been a more common sight but there would have been relatively more fast-swimming pelagic sharks,” she said. Yet, Dillon was struck by the fact that sharks of all types declined over this time period. “If fishing were the only driver, then we wouldn’t expect to see such a big drop in nurse sharks over time because they have low commercial value and are rarely targeted by fisheries in the region,” she said. “But we did.” This suggests that the observed shark declines weren’t simply the result of direct impacts on the animals, like overfishing, but might also have stemmed from indirect factors like the loss of reef habitat or available prey. Dillon and her co-authors also looked at historical accounts of shark abundance through time. “We found that the biggest decline in shark abundance, according to these records, occurred in the latter half of the 20th century,” she said. Between these accounts and the results from the fossil record, the evidence suggests that most of the shark declines in this location happened within the past 100 years. The study’s findings provide insight into shark ecology as well as important context for the numbers of sharks observed on reefs today. Most modern time-series data of shark abundance come from places with well-studied commercial fisheries, and often data collection starts well after fishing had commenced. This makes it difficult to be certain how many sharks were present before human activities began impacting the ocean, as well as the long-term ecological consequences of shark declines. Dillon plans to continue investigating dermal denticles. She is currently studying variation in the rates at which different shark species shed their scales at the Aquarium of the Pacific. If one species sheds much faster than another, that species will leave behind more scales even if the two populations are the same size. She and her colleagues are also collecting sediment cores from regions with different human and ecological histories to track high-resolution trends in scale types and abundances over the last several millennia. Using shark scales to reconstruct past abundances and diversity is a relatively new methodology, and this is the first time it’s been applied to questions related to shark management and conservation. “Before this, we didn’t really know just how to answer the question of how abundant sharks were on intact coral reefs before human impact,” Dillon said, adding that she hopes other researchers take advantage of this powerful technique and apply it to other locations around the world. Reference: “Fossil dermal denticles reveal the preexploitation baseline of a Caribbean coral reef shark community” by Erin M. Dillon, Douglas J. McCauley, Jorge Manuel Morales-Saldaña, Nicole D. Leonard, Jian-xin Zhao and Aaron O’Dea, 6 July 2021, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2017735118

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