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First evidence of bubble trail production in Eden's whale (Balaenoptera edeni edeni) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-03-02 Aamir Ibrahim, Jing Sun, Fangting Lu, Guang Yang, Bingyao Chen
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An observation of sexual behavior between two male humpback whales Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Stephanie H. Stack, Lyle Krannichfeld, Brandi Romano
Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) are a species whose social behavior has been studied for decades, but whose sexual behavior remains largely undescribed. Most humpback whales spend the summer months feeding in polar waters and migrate during fall and winter months to tropical waters, where the observed behaviors are related largely to reproduction (Chittleborough, 1965; Craig et al., 2003;
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Effects of external tags on maternal postpartum, offspring body mass and breeding frequency in gray seals Halichoerus grypus Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-27 Charity C. Justrabo, Cornelia E. den Heyer, W. Don Bowen, Damian C. Lidgard
Few studies have examined the impacts of externally fitted data‐loggers and telemetry tags on pinnipeds. We tested for instrument effects on body mass of lactating female gray seals and their offspring and probability of pupping in the next breeding season. Known‐age adult females (n = 216) were fitted with instruments in winter, spring, and fall from 1992 to 2018 at Sable Island, Nova Scotia. Of those
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Underwater vocalizations in foraging female Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) in the Kerguelen Islands Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-17 Mathilde Chevallay, Christophe Guinet, Tiphaine Jeanniard du Dot
In the marine environment, many animals use sound to interact and communicate with their conspecifics or other species. Over the last decades, the development of sound recording systems has allowed a significant advance in our knowledge of sound production in marine animals. We deployed miniature sound and movement tags on Antarctic fur seals (AFS), a small otariid foraging on mesopelagic fish, to
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Passive acoustic monitoring and visual sighting survey of cetacean occurrence patterns in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Isla Duporge, Robert Lee, Ameer Eweida, Peter Mackelworth, Sofía Ten, Abdulaziz Alghamdi, Razan Alkhamis, Jesse Cochran, Stephen Lee, Holger Klinck
The available data on occurrence patterns of cetaceans in the Red Sea area of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very limited. The dearth of information is of pressing conservation concern as the coastline is undergoing rapid development as part of the Kingdom's effort to diversify its national economy. To understand how these developments will impact cetaceans in the region, the first large-scale acoustic
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Fine-scale distribution of the lungworm Halocercus delphini in the lungs of the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba: implications about migration pathways and functional significance Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Rachel V. Pool, Neus Pons-García, Francesco Consoli, Miguel Rivero, Cristiano Bombardi, Juan A. Raga, Francisco J. Aznar
Despite their high pathogenicity, limited knowledge is available on intrahost migration pathways and microhabitat distribution of pseudaliid lungworms. In this study, the distribution of Halocercus delphini in the lungs of the striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba, was analyzed on three scales: between the right and left lungs, within the lungs, and between worm clusters. Evidence of a relationship
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Abundance estimate of Eastern Caribbean sperm whales using large scale regional surveys Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Felicia Vachon, Luke Rendell, Shane Gero, Hal Whitehead
Many conservation management strategies rely on the knowledge of a species' habitat use and abundance. Consequently, population size is a central metric for species conservation management (Keith et al., 2015; Martin et al., 2007; Yoccoz et al., 2001) and is an important determinant of conservation status (e.g., IUCN; Mace et al., 2008). However, accurate population estimates can be hampered by incomplete
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A demographic survey of the Davis Strait polar bear subpopulation using physical and genetic capture-recapture-recovery sampling Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-14 Kylee D. Dunham, Markus G. Dyck, Jasmine V. Ware, Andrew E. Derocher, Eric V. Regehr, Harry L. Stern, Garry B. Stenson, David N. Koons
Conducting assessments to understand the effects of changing environmental conditions on polar bear (Ursus maritimus) demography has become increasingly important to inform management and conservation. Here, we combined physical (2005–2007) and genetic (2017–2018) mark-recapture with harvest recovery data (2005–2018) to estimate demographic rates of the Davis Strait polar bear subpopulation and examine
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Assessing the dynamics of common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) mother-calf pairs along the south coast of Portugal using unmanned aerial vehicles Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Joana Castro, André Cid, Alicia Quirin, Fábio L. Matos, Rui Rosa, Heidi C. Pearson
Maternal grouping dynamics involve trade-offs between: (1) infant protection from predation (predation hypothesis), (2) infant protection from male harassment (infant safety hypothesis), and (3) reducing scramble competition for prey resources (foraging-type scramble competition hypothesis). Using unmanned aerial vehicles, we assessed grouping dynamics in common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) groups containing
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Rice's whale occurrence in the western Gulf of Mexico from passive acoustic recordings Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-13 Melissa S. Soldevilla, Amanda J. Debich, Itzel Pérez-Carballo, Sierra Jarriel, Kaitlin E. Frasier, Lance P. Garrison, Adolfo Gracia, John A. Hildebrand, Patricia E. Rosel, Arturo Serrano
Rice's whales (Balaenoptera ricei) are one of the most endangered marine mammal species in the world. Their known distribution is restricted to the Gulf of Mexico (GoMx) and basic knowledge of their ecology is limited. In their core distribution area along the northeastern GoMx shelf break (Rosel & Garrison, 2021), their abundance was estimated at 51 individuals, 95% CI [20, 130], based on line transect
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Assessment of mercury concentrations in fur, liver, and brain tissue from necropsied southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-09 Draven W. Hawk, Robin C. Dunkin, Francesca Batac, Melissa Miller, Peter Weiss-Penzias
Southern sea otters (Enhydra lutris nereis) are a federally listed threatened keystone species of the California kelp forest ecosystem and a sentinel species, indicating environmental health. Mercury (Hg) is a bioaccumulative neurotoxin that poses a threat to high trophic-level species such as marine mammals. We quantified total Hg (THg) concentrations in fur, brain, and liver tissues of necropsied
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Large whale entanglements in Mexico, a 25-year review from 1996 to 2021 Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-06 Astrid Frisch-Jordán, Diana C. López-Arzate
Large whale entanglements are considered a significant threat to populations on a global scale. In the Mexican Pacific and Baja California Peninsula (1996–2021) a total of 218 confirmed entangled whales, from which 99 (45.4%) whales were fully released (66 by the Mexican Whale Disentanglement Network, known as RABEN). Five whale species were reported in confirmed entanglements: humpback (Megaptera
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Song fragments recorded on a tagged juvenile humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) on a winter feeding ground at the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay, Virginia, USA Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-02-02 Dana L. Adcock, Jeanne M. Shearer, Heather J. Foley, Zach T. Swaim, Andrew J. Read
Humpback whales produce a variety of sound types, including vocalizations termed “songs” because they consist of repeated, fixed patterns of sounds, similar to bird songs (Payne et al., 1971). Humpback songs consist of themes, phrases, units, and subunits (Payne et al., 1971). In most themes, phrases are repeated before the whale moves on to the next theme, with a complete song lasting 7–30 min (Payne
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Offspring sex ratio increases with paternal reproductive success in a colony of southern elephant seals Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-30 Hassen Allegue, Christophe Guinet, Samantha C. Patrick, Cécile Ribout, Coraline Bichet, Olivier Lepais, Denis Réale
In polygynous species, male reproductive success is often determined by their ability to dominate female harems. Harem-holders sire a disproportionate number of offspring. Male dominance tends to correlate with age, but intense competition and early male mortality limit most males from achieving high social status. To maximize reproductive success despite low rank, offspring sex ratio adjustment may
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An observation of potential altruism by a male northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-25 Sarah G. Allen, Matthew J. Lau, Sarah A. Codde
Altruism, the behavioral assistance of another in need, has ancient origins in mammalian evolution (Preston, 2013). An individual is thought to behave altruistically when its actions result in the reduction of its own survival or reproduction to benefit the fitness and survival of another individual (Kay et al., 2020). Allo-parenting (adoption of orphaned young), a type of altruistic behavior, is commonly
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Using fusion effects to decrease uncertainty in distance sampling models when collating data from different surveys Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-19 Floriane Plard, Hélder Araújo, Amaia Astarloa, Maite Louzao, Camilo Saavedra, José Antonio Vazquez Bonales, Graham John Pierce, Matthieu Authier
Estimates of population abundance are required to study the impacts of human activities on populations and assess their conservation status. Despite considerable effort to improve data collection, uncertainty around estimates of cetacean densities can remain large. A fundamental concept underlying distance sampling is the detection function. Here we focus on reducing the uncertainty in the estimation
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The movement patterns and foraging resources of Atlantic walruses (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) in Franz Josef Land archipelago and connectivity with the Kara-Barents Sea population Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2024-01-15 Maria Solovyova, Anna Gebruk, Svetlana Artemyeva, Viatcheslav V. Rozhnov, Artyom Isachenko, Renata Lazareva, Pavel Chukmasov, Dmitry Glazov, Yulia Ermilova, Alexander Kokorin, Maria Mardashova, Nikolay Shabalin
The Franz Josef Land population of the Atlantic walrus (Odobenus rosmarus rosmarus) remains one of the least studied. Here, 26 walruses were tagged with satellite-linked radio transmitters in Franz Josef Land archipelago and Victoria Island in summer-autumn 2020 and 2021 to assess movements patterns and area utilization. In addition, 65 grab samples were taken to evaluate macrobenthic foraging resources
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Amino acid-specific nitrogen stable isotope analysis reveals the trophic behavior of Icelandic fin whales in winter and suggests variable feeding strategies Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-25 Diego Rita, Asunción Borrell, Dirk Wodarg, Gísli Víkingsson, Raquel García-Vernet, Alex Aguilar, Natalie Loick-Wilde
Fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) aggregate west of Iceland during summer, where they feed mostly on krill, but their winter distribution is poorly known. This study investigates the winter behavior of fin whales that summer off Iceland by analyzing amino acid-specific nitrogen isotope ratios in the baleen plates. This technique is increasingly used in large marine vertebrates to discriminate between
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Geographic variation in simple contact calls of Canadian beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-12-22 Karyn V. Booy, Valeria Vergara, Lisa Loseto, Marie-Ana Mikus, Marianne Marcoux
Beluga whales, Delphinapterus leucas, are a highly social species with a complex and diverse vocal repertoire. Although extensively studied and classified, to date few attempts have been made to examine geographic variation in their calls. In this study, we examined geographic variation in simple contact calls (SCCs), specifically those that consist only of broadband pulsed trains, among four Canadian
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Photo-identification and satellite telemetry connect southern right whales from South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur) with multiple feeding and calving grounds in the southwest Atlantic Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-22 Amy S. Kennedy, Emma L. Carroll, Alexandre N. Zerbini, C. Scott Baker, Manuela Bassoi, Nazarena A. Beretta, Danielle L. Buss, Susannah Calderan, Ted Cheeseman, Martin A. Collins, Paula Costa-Urrutia, Paul Ensor, Karina Groch, Russell Leaper, Paula Olson, Cecilia Passadore, Federico G. Riet-Sapriza, Els Vermeulen, Florencia Vilches, Andrew G. Wood, Jennifer A. Jackson
The sub-Antarctic waters of South Georgia Island (Islas Georgias del Sur, SG/IG) are a regularly visited feeding ground for southern right whales (Eubalaena australis, SRW) in the southwest Atlantic. Satellite telemetry and photo-identification records were compared to better understand the role of SG/IG in the SRW migratory network. We present the first insights from SRW satellite-tracked from the
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Seasonal abundance estimates of cetaceans in the southern Black Sea (Sinop), Türkiye Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-15 Uğur Özsandıkçı, Süleyman Özdemir
The availability of reliable information on the abundance and distribution of threatened species is fundamental to evaluating their conservation status and taking the necessary measures to implement effective management. The seasonal abundance and distribution of cetaceans in the Sinop region, one of the essential fishing areas of the Black Sea, were estimated with line-transect data. Dedicated boat-based
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Raise your pitch! Changes in the acoustic emissions of resident bottlenose dolphins in the proximity of vessels Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Filipa V. Sobreira, Ana R. Luís, Inês S. Alves, Miguel N. Couchinho, Manuel E. dos Santos
Maritime traffic is a major contributor of anthropogenic disturbance for cetaceans, especially for coastal populations, such as that of resident common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Sado estuary (Portugal). Animals have been found to adjust their vocal behavior by changing vocal rates, or call frequency and/or duration, to overcome masking effects of underwater noise. To evaluate
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Species classification of Antarctic pack-ice seals using very high-resolution imagery Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Michael Wethington, Bento C. Gonçalves, Emma Talis, Bilgecan Şen, Heather J. Lynch
We introduce a semiautomated machine learning method that employs high-resolution imagery for the species-level classification of Antarctic pack-ice seals. By incorporating the spatial distribution of hauled-out seals on ice into our analytical framework, we significantly enhance the accuracy of species identification. Employing a Random Forest model, we achieved 97.4% accuracy for crabeater seals
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First direct observation of a successful southern right whale (Eubalaena australis) birth in South African coastal waters Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-14 Loraine Shuttleworth, Ash Appleby, Robin Appleby, Els Vermeulen
Southern right whale females (Eubalaena australis, hereafter SRWs) usually migrate between higher latitudes where they forage in summer to coastal areas at lower latitudes where they give birth and nurse their young in winter (Best, 2000). In South Africa, the SRW calving season extends between late June to late October, with a birthing peak in August (Best, 1994). This predictable coastal presence
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Stomach contents analysis of Tursiops aduncus and Sousa plumbea stranded along the United Arab Emirates coastline Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-08 Razan Alkhamis, Malcolm J. Smale, Mark J. Beech, Robert L. Brownell, Henrik Stahi, Ada Natoli
CONFLICT OF INTEREST The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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Geographical variation in Cape fur seals' in-air vocalizations across Southern Africa (Namibia and South Africa) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-04 Mathilde Martin, Jessica Stow, Tess Gridley, Simon Elwen, Isabelle Charrier
The use of acoustic signals to communicate is widespread among marine mammals and vocalizations are involved in all their social interactions. Due to many factors, acoustic features of a species' vocalizations may differ among populations. The present study investigated both micro- and macro-geographical variation in the vocalizations of Cape fur seal females, males, and pups. Acoustic measurements
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The first baleen whale marine protected area proposed for Bryde's whales in the Beibu Gulf, China Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Yaoyao Zhang, Xiaodong Sun, Zhiwen Nong, Mo Chen, Yujiang Hao, Jianghua Wang, Kexiong Wang, Ding Wang, Zhigang Mei
The establishment of marine protected areas (MPAs) for cetaceans is an important strategy to mitigate human disturbance and protect biodiversity. Despite abundant cetacean species, there are only a few MPAs dedicated to cetacean conservation in China, all of which are for inshore dolphins. Bryde's whales, the only nearshore baleen whale population in mainland China, are conflicting with intensive human
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Computer vision-assisted photogrammetry and one-image 3D modeling in marine mammals Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-11-02 Changqun Zhang, Haojie Zhou, Sheel Shah, Randall W Davis, Yujiang Hao, Kaung-Ti Yung, Kexiong Wang, Ding Wang
Image processing using traditional photogrammetric methods is a labor-intensive process. The collection of photogrammetry images during aerial surveys is expanding rapidly, creating new challenges to analyze images promptly and efficiently, while reducing human error during processing. Computer vision-assisted photogrammetry, a field of artificial intelligence (AI), can automate image processing, greatly
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Can the annual bycatch per unit effort of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) be used to index the species' relative abundance in the East Sea of Korea? Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-19 Joon-Taek Yoo, Kyum Joon Park
Visual line-transect surveys are widely used to estimate the abundance of cetacean populations; however, this method can be prohibitively expensive. Thus, a less expensive alternative method was investigated in the present study, i.e., whether temporal changes in the bycatch per unit effort (BPUE) of cetaceans could be used to index the changes in their abundance. Specifically, the relationship between
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Reproductive parameters of Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas bowhead whales Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-13 John C. Craig George, Geof H. Givens, Lara Horstmann, Robert Suydam, Kayla Scheimreif, Raphaela Stimmelmayr, Gay Sheffield, Todd L. Sformo, Brian Person, Andrew Von Duyke, Leandra Sousa, Rita M. Frantz, Raymond Tarpley
Data from Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort Seas bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), harvested during 1973–2021 by aboriginal subsistence hunters, were used to estimate reproductive parameters: length at sexual maturity (LSM), age at sexual maturity (ASM), pregnancy rate (PR), and calving interval. Sexual maturity (N = 187 females) was determined from the presence/absence of corpora in the ovaries, or a fetus
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Tracking the foraging migrations of Marion Island southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) during their first year of life Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-09 Trevor McIntyre, W. Chris Oosthuizen, Marthán N. Bester, Mark A. Hindell, Ryan R. Reisinger, Cheryl A. Tosh, John van den Hoff, P.J. Nico de Bruyn
The first year of life is critical for large mammals to acquire foraging and predator avoidance skills. Southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) pups wean at approximately three weeks of age and depart on their first foraging trips in midsummer, typically remaining at sea for three to four months before returning to their natal islands. We describe the foraging trips (n = 29) of 16 underyearling southern
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Foraging segregation by sex and age class in the Guadalupe fur seal from Guadalupe Island, Mexico Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-04 Romyna A. Cruz-Vallejo, María José Amador-Capitanachi, Tenaya Norris, Claudia J. Hernández-Camacho, Arturo Tripp-Valdez, Rodrigo Moncayo-Estrada, Juan Carlos Herguera-García, Céline Godard-Codding, Fernando R. Elorriaga-Verplancken
A proper assessment of the foraging habits of the Guadalupe fur seal (GFS; Arctocephalus townsendi) is a priority to better understand its recovery, in which the potential for intraspecific competition for prey and space resources is expected to lead to segregation. This study aimed to determine the foraging habits of different sex and age classes. A total of 146 GFS fur samples was collected at Guadalupe
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How otariids walk: a comparative axial analysis of the hind limb movements of California and South American sea lions Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-03 Fumihiro Mizuno, Naoki Kohno
Seals exist at the intersection of land and water. This is especially true of eared seals (otariids), which are both highly adapted to forelimb swimming and retain the ability to walk on land. The precise nature and evolutionary history of their walking ability remains obscure, however. Here, we use axial analysis to compare the hind limb movements of California and South American sea lions with those
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Resource partitioning in a cetacean community from Uruguayan waters Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-10-02 Meica Valdivia, Luciano O. Valenzuela, Verónica Berriel, Diego Rodríguez, Paula Laporta, Massimiliano Drago, Alessandra Cani, Leandro Bergamino
The study of resource partitioning within a community is central to understanding the processes that enable interspecific competition and coexistence. This study aimed to understand the resource partitioning and habitat preferences among odontocetes in Uruguay. We analyzed stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes data from the bone tissue of common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Fraser's dolphins (Lagenodelphis
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Harassment and killing of porpoises (“phocoenacide”) by fish-eating Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-28 Deborah A. Giles, Sarah J. Teman, Samuel Ellis, John K. B. Ford, Monika W. Shields, M. Bradley Hanson, Candice K. Emmons, Paul E. Cottrell, Robin W. Baird, Richard W. Osborne, Michael Weiss, David K. Ellifrit, Jennifer K. Olson, Jared R. Towers, Graeme Ellis, Dena Matkin, Courtney E. Smith, Stephen A. Raverty, Stephanie A. Norman, Joseph K. Gaydos
Endangered Southern Resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) are fish-eaters that preferentially prey on adult Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha). Despite being salmon specialists, individuals from all three killer whale pods (J, K, L) have been observed harassing and killing porpoises (family Phocoenidae) without consuming them. Retrospectively, we identified and analyzed 78 episodes of Southern
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Cost of migration and migratory timing in Western Australian humpback whales Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-21 Grace Russell, Daniele Cagnazzi, Andrew Colefax, Kate R. Sprogis, Fredrik Christiansen
Migratory humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) cover the cost of reproduction in low-latitude breeding grounds with stored energy accumulated from polar feeding grounds. The ability to accumulate sufficient energy reserves during feeding periods is vital for key life history stages during migration, including mating, calving, and lactation. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between
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Resting metabolic rate and lung function in fasted and fed rough-toothed dolphins, Steno bredanensis Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-20 Andreas Fahlman, Kaylee Rhieu, Brie Alessi, Shelly Marquardt, Michelle B. Schisa, Guillermo J. Sanchez-Contreras, Josefin Larsson
We measured resting metabolic rate (RMR), tidal volume (VT), breathing frequency (fR), respiratory flow, and end-expired gases in rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) housed in managed care after an overnight fast and 1–2 hr following a meal. The measured average (± standard deviation) VT (4.0 ± 1.3 L) and fR (1.9 ± 1.0 breaths/min) were higher and lower, respectively, as compared with estimated
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Swimming across the pond: First documented transatlantic crossing of a southern right whale Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-16 Els Vermeulen, Matthew Germishuizen, Amy Kennedy, Christopher Wilkinson, Caroline R. Weir, Alexandre Zerbini
Southern right whales (SRWs, Eubalaena australis) typically migrate between summer, high-latitude offshore foraging grounds and winter calving grounds located in coastal, temperate waters. Premodern and modern whaling operations nearly extirpated SRWs; the species declined from about 100,000 individuals in the early 1800s to a few hundred individuals around the 1920s (International Whaling Commission
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Assessing spatial patterns and density of a dolphin population through signature whistles Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-15 Bianca Romeu, Fábio G. Daura-Jorge, Philip S. Hammond, Pedro V. Castilho, Paulo C. Simões-Lopes
Some dolphin species produce signature whistles, which may allow the identification of individual dolphins using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM). Identifying individuals by their sounds may enhance the opportunities for monitoring and addressing biological and ecological questions about these species. Here, we explored the potential of signature whistles to investigate ecological aspects of a resident
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Traditional and digital examination of the baculum of a leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-09-04 James P. Rule, Hazel L. Richards, Tahlia I. Pollock, David P. Hocking, Alistair R. Evans
While terrestrial breeding in polygynous species of pinnipeds allows for observations of reproductive behavior (Atkinson, 1997), similar opportunities are limited for cryptic, nonpolygynous, aquatic-breeding species. The isolated nature of solitary leopard seals (Hydrurga leptonyx; Southwell et al., 2012) restricts data collection on their reproductive behavior. Observations on reproductive behavior
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Detection of cetacean morbillivirus in dolphin feces and the potential application for live cetacean health monitoring Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-31 Kristi L. West, Ilse Silva-Krott, Cody W. Clifton, Conner Humann, Nicole Davis
Cetacean mortality resulting from infectious disease is significant. Viral, bacterial, fungal, and parasitic infections have been identified as causes of death from many regions of the world, with infectious disease responsible for up to 60% of deaths in stranded cetaceans when quantified according to natural and anthropogenic causes from isolated areas (Cuvertoret-Sanz et al., 2020; Diaz-Delgado et
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Effects of feeding and habitat on resting metabolic rates of the Pacific walrus Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-30 Karyn D. Rode, Joan Rocabert, Alicia Borque-Espinosa, Diana Ferrero-Fernández, Andreas Fahlman
Arctic marine mammals live in a rapidly changing environment due to the amplified effects of global warming. Pacific walruses (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) have responded to declines in Arctic sea-ice extent by increasingly hauling out on land farther from their benthic foraging habitat. Energy models can be useful for better understanding the potential implications of changes in behavior on body condition
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Observed trends in scavenging by common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus truncatus) in for-hire fisheries in the eastern U.S. Gulf of Mexico Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-29 Corie E. Grewal, Jessica R. Powell, Stacey C. Horstman, Nicholas A. Farmer, Oscar Ayala, Andrew J. Read
Interactions between bottlenose dolphin and recreational rod and reel fisheries are a complex issue for resource managers in the United States, which may impact anglers' catch and lead to dangerous situations for scavenging or depredating dolphins. To examine this issue, we analyzed data collected by observers on for-hire fishing vessels off the eastern U.S. Gulf Coast from 2009 to 2020. A generalized
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Genetic and morphological data suggest a southeast Australian type locality for Tursiops cymodoce (Gray, 1846) Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-16 Ana P. B. Costa, Lynsey A. Wilcox, Richard C. Sabin, Patricia E. Rosel
The increase in ocean-going scientific expeditions at the end of the 1800s provided an opportunity to increase the sightings and acquisition of cetacean specimens for museum collections, leading to a boom in the description of new species. As recently highlighted in an extensive review of the nominal species of small cetaceans (Jefferson, 2021), many of these species' descriptions were based on single
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Geographic distribution of the Cross Seamount beaked whale based on acoustic detections Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-08 Jennifer L. K. McCullough, E. Elizabeth Henderson, Jennifer S. Trickey, Jay Barlow, Simone Baumann-Pickering, Roanne Manzano-Roth, Gabriela Alongi, Stephen Martin, Selene Fregosi, David K. Mellinger, Holger Klinck, Angela R. Szesciorka, Erin M. Oleson
Beaked whales produce frequency-modulated echolocation pulses that appear to be species-specific, allowing passive acoustic monitoring to play a role in understanding spatio-temporal patterns. The Cross Seamount beaked whale is known only from its unique echolocation signal (BWC) with no confirmed species identification. This beaked whale spans the Pacific Ocean from the Mariana Archipelago to Baja
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Seasonal and diel patterns in Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens) pulsed calls near Barkley Canyon Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-06 K. S. Jasper Kanes, Stan E. Dosso, Tania Lado Insua, Xavier Mouy, Andrew Bateman
Evaluation of temporal patterns in offshore marine mammal activity through visual data collection can be impaired by light and weather conditions and the cost of ship time. The conditions-independence and cost-efficacy of acoustic data collection make it popular for researching the temporal patterns of wild dolphins. However, Pacific white-sided dolphins (PWSDs) north of Southern California remain
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Acoustic recordings, biological observations, and genetic identification of a rare(?) beaked whale in the North Pacific: Mesoplodon carlhubbsi Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Lisa T. Ballance, Robert L. Pitman, Jay Barlow, Todd Pusser, Annamaria I. DeAngelis, Craig Hayslip, Ladd Irvine, Debbie Steel, C. Scott Baker, Daniel Gillies, Simone Baumann-Pickering, Jennifer S. Trickey, Brian Gisborne
Although Hubbs' beaked whale (Mesoplodon carlhubbsi) was previously known from over 60 strandings on both sides of the North Pacific, it had been identified alive in the wild only once, off Oregon in 1994. In September 2021, we conducted a search effort for beaked whales off the coast of Oregon using a towed hydrophone array and a visual search team. Approximately 350 km off the Columbia River mouth
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Humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) return to Cumberland Bay, South Georgia, one century after the peak of whaling Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-08-01 Jennifer A. Jackson, Amy S. Kennedy, Connor C. G. Bamford, Ian Hart, Stephanie Martin, Darryl MacDonald, Michael M. Moore, Emma L. Carroll
South Georgia island in the sub-Antarctic waters of the South Atlantic is where modern whaling began in Southern Ocean waters in the early twentieth century (Tønnessen & Johnsen, 1982). By 1900, historical and modern whaling had drastically reduced or effectively wiped out some populations of baleen whales across much of the North Atlantic and North Pacific (Clapham & Baker, 2002) and whalers were
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Social and community structure of striped dolphins in a semienclosed Mediterranean embayment Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-30 Silvia Bonizzoni, Nina Luisa Santostasi, Lavinia Eddy, Melissa Ann Riley, Mariana Ferreira da Silveira, Bernd Würsig, Giovanni Bearzi
Descriptions of social structure of a species or population help to understand the processes that shaped its social system, and such knowledge can be valuable in terms of conservation planning. While striped dolphins Stenella coeruleoalba are among the most abundant cetacean species worldwide, and the most abundant in the Mediterranean Sea, their social and community structure is poorly known. This
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Sex-specific mercury levels in skin samples of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Isla 25 de Mayo (King George Island), Antarctic Peninsula Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-30 Dalia C. Barragán-Barrera, Federico G. Riet-Sapriza, Diego F. Mojica-Moncada, Javier Negrete, Antonio Curtosi, Paco Bustamante, Susana Caballero, Andrea Luna-Acosta
The southern elephant seal (SES; Mirounga leonina) has a circumpolar distribution, breeding mainly on sub-Antarctic islands and making long trips between breeding or molting and foraging areas. Most individuals from colonies in the South Shetland Islands (western Antarctic Peninsula; WAP) are distributed in Antarctic Specially Protected Areas (ASPA). Despite these protected habitats, pollutants can
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Species distribution modeling of deep-diving cetaceans Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-30 Paul C. Fiedler, Elizabeth A. Becker, Karin A. Forney, Jay Barlow, Jeff E. Moore
Species distribution models (SDMs) have been developed and extensively validated for diverse cetaceans within the California Current Ecosystem off the West Coast of the United States. These studies have recognized the challenges associated with developing robust models for deep-diving cetaceans—sperm whales and beaked whales—thus limiting the accuracy of predictions for management and ecological understanding
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Genetic data reveal wintering ground affiliation of humpback whales from the Mexican Central Pacific Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-30 Myriam Llamas-González, Christian D. Ortega-Ortiz, Luis M. Enríquez-Paredes, Úrsula A. González-Peral, Eric Bautista-Guerrero, Karen K. Martien
Two groups of humpback whales inhabit the waters off the Pacific coast of Mexico the coastal wintering aggregation in the north (MX), and the southern Mexico/Central America wintering aggregation (S-MX/CEA) in the south. However, along the coast of the Mexican Central Pacific (MCP), the population affiliation of humpback whales is uncertain. Some studies have concluded that the MCP whales are part
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Killer whales at northern Patagonia, Argentina: Evidence of different foraging groups from stable isotopes Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-29 Rocio Loizaga, Nestor A. García, Cristian A. Durante, Damián G. Vales, Enrique A. Crespo
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are highly mobile, large marine apex predators that inhabit all oceans. Despite being the most conspicuous top predator, little is known about their ecology along Patagonia, Argentina. Here, we used carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis of bone and dentine collagen from killer whales (n = 13) stranded in northern Patagonia during the period 1970–2014 to assess
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Feeding habits of South American and sub-Antarctic fur seals during their nonbreeding season in the southwestern Atlantic Ocean Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-29 Renan C. de Lima, Thaise L. de Albernaz, Eduardo R. Secchi, Julieta D. Cebuhar, Silvina Botta
Stomach contents of South American (Arctocephalus australis) (n = 219) (SAFS) and sub-Antarctic (A. tropicalis) (n = 37) (SFS) fur seals were opportunistically sampled from 1980 to 2021 to examine their feeding habits and resource partitioning in southern Brazil while in their nonreproductive periods. SAFSs mainly consumed abundant coastal pelagic species, such as Anchoa marinii and Doryteuthis sanpaulensis
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Short-finned pilot whales in the South China Sea: Insights into regional distribution, movement pattern, and habitat characteristics Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-29 Mingming Liu, Wenzhi Lin, Mingli Lin, Lijun Dong, Songhai Li
Little scientific knowledge is available for short-finned pilot whales in the South China Sea (SCS). Here, we integrated historical records, ship-based observation, and satellite-tagging data to investigate ecological and behavioral characteristics of pilot whales in the SCS. Historical records since the 1990s showed the widespread spatial occurrence of pilot whales along the coastal SCS, suggesting
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Preliminary characterization and diel variation of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) downsweep calls off Isla Chañaral, northern Chile Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-12 Maximiliano Vega, Susannah Buchan, Carlos Olavarria, Marcel Ramos, María Valladares
The fin whale(Balaenoptera physalus) is a large cosmopolitan cetacean whose range covers most of the world's oceans from temperate to polar latitudes (Aguayo et al., 1998; Aguilar & García-Vernet, 2018; Edwards et al., 2015; Reeves et al., 2002). The fin whale has been classified as a Vulnerable species by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature) and as Endangered by Chile's Ministry
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Call type repertoire of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Iceland and its variation across regions Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-07 Anna Selbmann, Volker B. Deecke, Olga A. Filatova, Ivan D. Fedutin, Patrick J. O. Miller, Malene Simon, Ann E. Bowles, Thomas Lyrholm, Claire Lacey, Edda E. Magnúsdóttir, William Maunder, Paul J. Wensveen, Jörundur Svavarsson, Filipa I. P. Samarra
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) have group-specific call repertoires that can be used to track groups and populations using passive acoustic monitoring. To provide a detailed description of the Icelandic killer whale repertoire and its variation, we analyzed acoustic data collected in five locations between 1985 and 2016. Calls were classified manually, and CART and random forest analyses were employed
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The fitness consequences of human-wildlife interactions on foraging common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Sarasota Bay, Florida Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-06 Kylee M. DiMaggio, Miguel A. Acevedo, Katherine A. McHugh, Krystan A. Wilkinson, Jason B. Allen, Randall S. Wells
Human-wildlife interactions (HI) are becoming more prevalent with increasing human population. These interactions could have important eco-evolutionary consequences that become apparent only after observing populations for multiple generations. Here, we analyzed 28 years (1993–2020) of data from the world's longest-running study of a wild dolphin population to assess the fitness consequences of HI
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Genetic and cultural evidence suggests a refugium for killer whales off Japan during the Last Glacial Maximum Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-06 Olga A. Filatova, Ivan D. Fedutin, Ekaterina A. Borisova, Ilya G. Meschersky, Erich Hoyt
During glacial periods, highly mobile species were able to shift their ranges to warmer regions that remained ice-free—so-called “glacial refugia.” Glacial refugia often preserved higher levels of genetic diversity than areas that were colonized after the retreat of glaciers. In this study, we examined genetic and vocal variation in R-type (“resident”) killer whales, Orcinus orca, from Nemuro Strait
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Convergent evolution of skim feeding in baleen whales Mar. Mamm. Sci. (IF 2.3) Pub Date : 2023-07-06 Ludovic Dutoit, Kieren J. Mitchell, Nicolas Dussex, Catherine M. Kemper, Petter Larsson, Love Dalén, Nicolas J. Rawlence, Felix G. Marx
The evolutionary relationships of the pygmy right whale Caperea marginata, the smallest and most enigmatic of the living baleen whales (mysticetes), remain contentious. For 150 years, morphological analyses have allied Caperea with right whales based on their similar skim filter feeding strategies and shared cranial features like a tall braincase, highly arched rostrum, and elongate baleen plates (Beddard