How do claspers help sharks, rays, and chimaeras reproduce?

In sharks, rays, and chimaeras, claspers are specialized copulatory organs that facilitate internal fertilization. Located along the inner edges of the male's pelvic fins, these paired structures are essential for the transfer of sperm into the female's cloaca and oviduct.12

To ensure successful mating, the male typically engages in courtship behavior that involves biting and gripping the female’s pectoral fin with his teeth to hold her in a stable position. Once the female is secured, the male inserts one (or occasionally both) of his claspers into her cloaca. Each clasper features a groove that serves as a channel to guide sperm directly toward the anterior end of the female's oviduct, where fertilization occurs.12

While the mating process of chimaeras has not been directly observed, it is presumed to function similarly to that of sharks and rays, likely utilizing the male's frontal spine and pelvic fin appendages to secure the female during copulation.2