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Description of a new subspecies of Commerson's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacépède, 1804), inhabiting the coastal waters of the Kerguelen Islands
Abstract and Figures
1 Musé um National d'Histoire Naturelle, Dé partement É cologie et Gestion de la Biodiversité , USM 304, Pavillon d'Anatomie comparé e, 55 rue Buffon (CP 55), Abstract A small population of Commerson's dolphin (Cephalo-rhynchus commersonii), widely separated from the South American main population, inhabits the coastal waters of the Kerguelen Islands (Indian sector of the Antarctic or Southern Ocean). The dolphins of this population differ from those of South America by their pigmentation and morphology. Several arguments, including geographic isolation, morphological difference and genetic data (absence of genetic flow between populations and haplo-type differences) lead to formally distinguishing a new subspecies, Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelen-ensis, from a nominate subspecies, Cephalorhynchus commersonii commersonii.
... In addition to the conspicuous geographical distance between SA and KI, morphological and coloration differences (Robineau, 1984) as well as acoustic differences (Dziedzic and De Buffrenil, 1989) have been noted between individuals of both areas. Some of these lines of evidence led to a subspecies proposal (Robineau, 1986) and a subsequent formal description as C. c. kerguelenensis, based on morphological, skeletal and genetic characters (Robineau et al., 2007). Following the diversification model proposed for the genus, C. c. kerguelenensis is thought to have originated around 10,000 years ago through the establishment of a few migrants from SA (Pichler et al., 2001), akin to a longdistance dispersal and an establishment model (as defined by Crisp et al., 2011). ...
... (Harlin et al., 1999). In order to obtain a balanced, distribution-wide sampling of sequences, we also included previously published sequences from missing or under-sampled areas in the distribution of this species, particularly 49 from SA off the Strait of Magellan, Chile, Tierra del Fuego (site Area A3), and Argentina (Pimper et al., 2010;Cipriano et al., 2011) and 11 from the KI (Robineau et al., 2007). Haplotype frequencies were retrieved from their respective publications. ...
... Mitochondrial DNA control region haplotypes were successfully amplified and sequenced from skin samples collected in Fitzroy, Chile (n = 7); Bahía Camarones (n = 37), Puerto Deseado (n = 41), Punta Quilla (n = 25), and Monte León (n = 11) along the Argentine coastline; FI/IM (n = 52) and KI (n = 24). Additionally, we retrieved sequences from previously published work, particularly from three areas in the Strait of Magellan (n = 28), Tierra del Fuego (particularly 21 samples from sampling site called "area A3 ' in the study) (Pimper et al., 2010;Cipriano et al., 2011) and the KI (n = 11) (Robineau et al., 2007). The final dataset comprised a total of 256 control region sequences ( Table 1) from sampling points throughout the distribution of the species (Figure 1). ...
Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) are separated into the subspecies C. c. commersonii, found along southern South America (SA) and the Falkland Islands/Islas Malvinas (FI/IM), and C. c. kerguelenensis, restricted to the subantarctic Kerguelen Islands (KI). Following the dispersal model proposed for the genus, the latter is thought to have originated from SA after a long-distance dispersal event. To evaluate this biogeographic scenario, a distribution-wide, balanced sampling of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region sequences was designed. New tissue samples from southern Chile, Argentina, FI/IM, and KI were added to published sequences from SA and KI, for a total of 256 samples. Genetic diversity indices, genetic and phylogeographic structure, and migration rates were calculated. One haplotype was shared between subspecies, with which all haplotypes of C. c. kerguelenensis formed a distinct group in the haplotype network. A new haplotype for C. c. kerguelenensis is reported. Differentiation in haplotype frequencies was found among localities within the distribution of C. c. commersonii, yet the phylogeographic signal was only statistically significant between subspecies. Coalescent-based historical gene flow estimations indicated migration between the northern and southern portions of the species’ range in SA as well as between SA and the FI/IM, but not between these and the KI. The net nucleotide divergence between dolphins from SA and the FI/IM was lower than the recommended threshold value suggested for delimiting subspecies, unlike that found between C. c. commersonii and C. c. kerguelenensis. The results are consistent with the model of post-glacial colonization of KI by South American C. commersonii, followed by an ongoing divergence process and subspecies status. Thus, C. c. kerguelenensis may represent the most recent diversification step of Cephalorhynchus, where isolation from their source population is driving a process of incipient speciation.
... Understanding broad-scale differences in acoustic signals among species, regions, and populations of cetaceans is important to help identify genetic divergence and isolation among groups (e.g., Ford 1991;Rendell et al. 1999;Azevedo and Van Sluys 2005;Papale et al. 2015), dispersal capabilities (e.g., Wang et al. 1995a), and adaptation to local environments (e.g., Morisaka et al. 2005a;Ansmann et al. 2007;May-Collado and Wartzok 2008;Papale et al. 2015). Currently, variation in the characteristics of sounds produced by cetaceans is used only as an auxiliary tool to better understand relationships between species (e.g., Wang et al. 1995b;Soto et al. 2014), subspecies (e.g., Robineau et al. 2007), and among continuously distributed populations (e.g., Morisaka et al. 2005b;Rossi-Santos and Podos 2006;Papale et al. 2014). Furthermore, variation in the characteristics of sounds produced by cetaceans may also be used where genetic or morphological characteristics may not always reveal relationships clearly, or where such data are lacking. ...
... Characteristics of sounds produced by delphinids have been used in previous studies to further support differentiation of subspecies that were based on other characters. For example, differences in the narrowband high-frequency clicks of Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacépède, 1804)) provided additional supporting evidence for the designation of C. commersonii from the Kerguelen Islands as a separate subspecies (Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis Robineau, Goodall, Pichler and C.S. Baker, 2007) from those in the waters of South America (Dziedzic and de Buffrenil 1989;Robineau et al. 2007). Our results showed that S. c. chinensis in the ESM and Chinese waters produced distinguishable whistles. ...
... Characteristics of sounds produced by delphinids have been used in previous studies to further support differentiation of subspecies that were based on other characters. For example, differences in the narrowband high-frequency clicks of Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacépède, 1804)) provided additional supporting evidence for the designation of C. commersonii from the Kerguelen Islands as a separate subspecies (Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis Robineau, Goodall, Pichler and C.S. Baker, 2007) from those in the waters of South America (Dziedzic and de Buffrenil 1989;Robineau et al. 2007). Our results showed that S. c. chinensis in the ESM and Chinese waters produced distinguishable whistles. ...
Characteristics of whistles may be used to study differentiation in dolphins to complement morphological and genetic studies. The whistles of four populations of Chinese humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis chinensis (Osbeck, 1765)), one population of Taiwanese humpback dolphins (S. c. taiwanensis, Wang, Yang, and Hung, 2015), and one population of Australian humpback dolphins (S. sahulensis, Jefferson and Rosenbaum, 2014) were compared to determine if differences in whistles support current views of population structure, and regional and species differentiation in the genus Sousa, Gray, 1866. Acoustic features were extracted from whistles captured by broadband recording systems. Permutational MANOVAs were conducted to test for differences between populations, regions, and species. Random forest trees were also used to classify similar whistles. A significant amount of variation in acoustic features was explained by population (pseudo-F[5,2742] = 191.66, p < 0.001), regional (pseudo-F[3,2741] = 280.62, p < 0.001), and species (pseudo-F[1,999] = 3.7, p < 0.05) differences in humpback dolphin whistles. Random forest trees correctly classified whistles into populations from 40% to 67%, regions from 51% to 80%, and species from 74% to 80%. Differences in whistles were consistent with the current ideas of population-, regional-, and species-level differences within the genus Sousa, based on morphological and genetic data, as well as geographic distance and barriers to movement.
... This statement will cue the Committee on Taxonomy that authors are proposing a new taxon and the Committee can consider the merits of the argument that follows. A good example of synthesizing data for the taxonomic inference is Robineau et al. 2007. The best evaluation will be based not only on what evidence is available, but what evidence can be obtained with some estimate of time frame. ...
... The sample size for the North Pacific is low, but it is unlikely to increase substantially (without greater international cooperation and sharing of samples), there is a large hiatus between the distributions of the southern and North Pacific species, and the effect size is large (d A = 0.03). Another example is the comparison between the two subspecies of Commerson's dolphin (Robineau et al. 2007) where there are only 11 samples from the relatively inaccessible subspecies in 154 the Kerguelen Islands, but there are no unique haplotypes, there are shared fixed differences between two of the three Kerguelen haplotypes, there is high diagnosability, a moderate d A , and a large distributional hiatus between this stratum and the larger South American coastal stratum (n = 196) (Rosel et al. 2017a). Received: 23 September 2015 Accepted: 10 January 2017 ...
Taxonomy is an imprecise science that delimits the evolutionary continuum into discrete categories. For marine mammals, this science is complicated by the relative lack of morphological data for taxa that inhabit remote and often vast ranges. We provide guidelines to promote consistency in studies relying primarily on molecular genetic data to delimit cetacean subspecies from both populations and species. These guidelines identify informational needs: basis for the taxonomic hypothesis being tested, description of current taxonomy, description of relevant life history, sample distribution, sample size, number and sequence length of genetic markers, description of measures taken to ensure data quality, summary statistics for the genetic markers, and analytical methods used to evaluate the genetic data. We propose an initial set of quantitative and qualitative standards based on the types of data and analytical methods most readily available at present. These standards are not expected to be rigidly applied. Rather, they are meant to encourage taxonomic arguments that are consistent and transparent. We hope professional societies, such as the Society for Marine Mammalogy, will adopt quantitative standards that evolve as new data types and analytical methods become widely available. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A.
... Not surprisingly, in our review of the literature, papers that cited multiple lines of evidence ROSEL ET AL.: GENETIC PRACTICES IN MARINE MAMMAL TAXONOMY were generally seen as providing stronger arguments for taxonomic distinctness. An example is the description of the new subspecies of Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis) by Robineau et al. (2007). The evidence cited that distinguished Commerson's dolphins from South America and the Kerguelen Islands included morphological divergence, genetic divergence based on mtDNA control region sequences, and private microsatellite alleles, and behavioral divergence in the form of acoustic differences (Dziedzic and Buffr enil 1989) to complement the geographic distance between forms (a 8,500 km range disjunction). ...
... Since completing this work, Sousa species have been supported ( (Mendez et al. 2013) and Inia subspecies changed. length and all skull measurements (Robineau et al. 2007). However, the phylogenetic analysis of mtDNA control region sequences revealed that C. c. kerguelenensis haplotypes nested within C. c. commersonii haplotypes, indicating that the time since separation has not been sufficient to establish reciprocal monophyly between the two taxa. ...
Uncertainty in marine mammal taxonomy is increasingly being addressed using molecular genetic data. We examined 32 peer-reviewed articles published between 1994 and 2011to review methodological practices, consistency of markers and analytical methods, and overall quality of arguments used when genetic data have been employed to delimit new species and subspecies of marine mammals. The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was the primary genetic marker used in these studies, but analytical methods varied greatly across studies. Diagnosability, a common metric for delimiting subspecies with morphological data, was only used through citing of fixed differences in mtDNA sequences. Assignment tests based on microsatellite data were less common but were applied at both taxonomic levels. Nuclear DNA sequence data were rarely used. Basic background material needed to evaluate the strength of arguments, such as distribution and sampling maps, were often missing. For most studies, sample sizes were good, but adequate geographic sampling for broadly distributed taxa was often lacking, diminishing the strength of evidence for taxonomic distinctness. Examining these empirical cases revealed a mixture of sound and inadequate practices for genetic studies of cetacean taxonomy and suggested that improvements could be made to the field by developing standard guidelines. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the U.S.A.
... commersonii). A subspecies of the latter also occurs in the waters around the Kerguelen Islands, more than 7,500 km away (Robineau et al., 2007). Indeed, except for the C. eutropia and C. commersonii, these coastal dolphin species are separated by vast stretches of ocean and they have probably radiated through long-distance colonization with a few individuals establishing new species (Pichler et al. 2001). ...
... Speciation within Cephalorhynchus has likely occurred by colonization events following the prevailing sub-Antarctic current system, eastwards across vast stretches of the Southern Ocean (van Bree, 1986;Pichler et al., 2001). Such colonization has also occurred recently with the presence of a subspecies of C. commersonii at the Kerguelen Islands (Robineau et al., 2007). The Cephalorhynchus species have colonized similar habitats, which are (along with their close phylogenetic relationship) reflected in the similar skull shapes. ...
Within Delphinidae, the sub-family Lissodelphininae consists of 8 Southern Ocean species and 2 North Pacific species. Lissodelphininae is a result of recent phylogenetic revisions based on molecular methods. Thus, morphological radiation within the taxon has not been investigated previously. The sub-family consists of ecologically diverse groups such as (1) the Cephalorhynchus genus of 4 small species inhabiting coastal and shelf waters, (2) the robust species in the Lagenorhynchus genus with the coastal La. australis, the offshore La. cruciger, the pelagic species La. obscurus and La. obliquidens, and (3) the morphologically aberrant genus Lissodelphis. Here, the shapes of 164 skulls from adults of all 10 species were compared using 3-dimensional geometric morphometrics. The Lissodelphininae skulls were supplemented by samples of Lagenorhynchus albirostris and Delphinus delphis to obtain a context for the variation found within the subfamily. Principal components analysis was used to map the most important components of shape variation on phylogeny. The first component of shape variation described an elongation of the rostrum, lateral and dorsoventral compression of the neurocranium and smaller temporal fossa. The two Lissodelphis species were on the high extreme of this spectrum, while Lagenorhynchus australis, La. cruciger and Cephalorhynchus heavisidii were at the low extreme. Along the second component, La. cruciger was isolated from the other species by its expanded neurocranium and concave facial profile. Shape variation supports the gross phylogenetic relationships proposed by recent molecular studies. However, despite the great diversity of ecology and external morphology within the subfamily, shape variation of the feeding apparatus was modest, indicating a similar mode of feeding across the subfamily. All 10 species were similar in their pattern of skull asymmetry, but interestingly, two species using narrowband high frequency clicks (La. cruciger and C. hectori) were among the most asymmetric species, contradicting previous interpretations of odontocete skull asymmetry. J. Morphol., 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
... Commerson's dolphins are small dolphins that inhabit exclusively the Southern hemisphere. Two subspecies are geographically and genetically isolated presenting differences in the pigmentation and morphology of the animals (Robineau et al., 2007). Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis (Robineau et al., 2007) inhabits the coastal waters of the Kerguelen Islands (Indian Ocean). ...
... Two subspecies are geographically and genetically isolated presenting differences in the pigmentation and morphology of the animals (Robineau et al., 2007). Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis (Robineau et al., 2007) inhabits the coastal waters of the Kerguelen Islands (Indian Ocean). Dziedzic and de Buffrenil (1989) described NBHF clicks with a peak frequency at 116 kHz for this subspecies. ...
Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) inhabit coastal waters of Southern South America and Kerguelen Islands. Limited information exists about the acoustic repertoire of this species in the wild. Here, echolocation signals from free-ranging Commerson's dolphins were recorded in Bahía San Julián, Argentina. Signal parameters were calculated and a cluster analysis was made on 3180 regular clicks. Three clusters were obtained based on peak frequency (129, 137, and 173 kHz) and 3 dB bandwidth (8, 6, and 5 kHz). The 428 buzz clicks were analyzed separately. They consisted of clicks emitted with a median inter-click interval of 3.5 ms, peak frequency at 131 kHz, 3 dB bandwidth of 9 kHz, 10 dB bandwidth of 18 kHz, and duration of 56 μs. Buzz clicks were significantly shorter and with a lower peak frequency and a broader bandwidth than most of the regular clicks. This study provided the first description of different echolocation signals, including on- and off-axis signals, recorded from Commerson's dolphins in the wild, most likely as a result of animals at several distances and orientations to the recording device. This information could be useful while doing passive acoustic monitoring.
... Hunting of these dolphins off the Patagonian coast and in the Strait of Magellan for meat and oil was common in the early twentieth century (Goodall and Cameron 1980); more recently, dolphins were harpooned for use as crab bait in the Strait of Magellan (Goodall 1994). An apparently separate and distinct population (e.g., Robineau 1986) is located in the subantarctic Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean and may warrant subspecific status (Robineau et al. 2007). Given the wide separation between these populations (8,500 km), the lack of suitable habitat in between, and the absence of any observations of this species in pelagic waters anywhere, interchange between these populations seems unlikely, although a single vagrant was recently documented off South Africa (de Bruyn et al. 2006). ...
... This tendency for isolation and divergence is further supported-between relatively close locations in South America-by our results. It is also likely that Commerson's dolphins in the Islas Malvinas (Falkland Islands) have diverged significantly, possibly at the subspecific level as has been shown for Hector's dolphins (including morphological differences, Baker et al. 2002) and for Kerguelen Island Commerson's dolphins (Robineau et al. 2007). Given the ecological, distributional, and demographic similarity of the other two Cephalorhynchus congeners-Chilean (C. ...
Cephalorhynchus commersonii is distributed in the nearshore coastal waters of South America, and thus is particularly vulnerable to bycatch in coastal nets and trawls. Our study documents genetic structure in presumed Commerson's dolphin subpopulations along the southern Argentina coastline, from the Ria Deseado in the north to Ria Gallegos in the south, and focuses on the potential for depletion in the apparently more heavily impacted Ria Gallegos area. Only two control region (423 bp) haplotypes were shared among all these locations (out of 11 identified), and striking differences in haplotype frequencies between areas are apparent. AMOVA analysis, using mitochondrial sequence data, indicates significant population subdivision (overall F(ST) = 0.21, P < 0.001) between Ria Deseado (n = 8), Bahia San Julian (n = 11), Ria Gallegos (n = 31), and a small sample of dolphins from the captive colony at San Diego Seaworld (n = 7) derived from animals originally captured in the Strait of Magellan. Comparisons based on haplotypic distances indicated relatively strong differences between regions (Phi(ST) = 0.30, P < 0.001). This research provides the first indication of reduced gene flow and genetic differentiation within local subpopulations of Commerson's dolphins, along a relatively small stretch of coastline.
... Their plausible origin and radiation is discussed by Pichler et al. (2001). Robineau et al.(2007) described and documented a new subspecies from Kerguelen Islands as C. commersonii kerguelenensis. ...
... The former existence of a third, relict population off islands in the Scotia Sea is another possibility. Immediately north to the Sanctuary, a reproductively isolated, both morphologically and genetically distinct, population resides in waters of the Kerguélen archipelago (48°30'-50°S, 68°30'-70°45'E) (de Buffrenil et al., 1989;Goodall, 1994;Paulian, 1953;Pichler et al., 2001;Robineau, 1989a;1990;Stahl, 1982), now recognised as a new subspecies (Robineau et al., 2007). A sighting of a presumed vagrant of unknown origin at the southern African continental shelf (de Bruyn et al., 2006), suggests a less restricted distribution than hitherto believed. ...
Twenty-eight odontocete species were identified as occupying sub-Antarctic and Antarctic habitat covered by the 1994 IWC-established Southern Ocean Sanctuary. Toothed whales evidently play an important part in the Antarctic polar ecosystem. Twenty-two species are autochthonous in showing a regular, apparently year-round, presence in the Sanctuary: Physeter macrocephalus, Kogia breviceps, Orcinus orca, Globicephala melas edwardii, Pseudorca crassidens, Lagenorhynchus cruciger, Lagenorhynchus obscurus, Lissodelphis peronii, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, Cephalorhynchus hectori, Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis, Phocoena dioptrica, Hyperoodon planifrons, Berardius arnuxii, Ziphius cavirostris, Tasmacetus shepherdi, Mesoplodon layardii, Mesoplodon traversii, Mesoplodon grayi, Mesoplodon bowdoini and Mesoplodon hectori. Six species are considered vagrants into the Sanctuary: Kogia sima, Grampus griseus, Steno bredanensis, Mesoplodon peruvianus, Mesoplodon densirostris and Mesoplodon mirus. However, vagrant status of these three mesoplodonts is only provisionally assigned, considering that improved knowledge of diagnostic features of beaked whales should, as in recent years, continue to facilitate at-sea identification. Two species are considered as having a ‘contiguous’ range (records less than 2° north of Sanctuary boundaries): Mesoplodon ginkgodens (at 39°S) and Mesoplodon mirus (at 38°24’S). The habitual southern range of at least four odontocetes extends significantly farther poleward than expected. G. melas edwardii is regularly encountered south of the Antarctic Polar Front, much like M. grayi which is known to reach the Ross Sea ice edge (ca. 67°S). Z. cavirostris and L. obscurus cross the Polar Front occasionally. The distribution of M. peruvianus and M. traversii and their relation to SST are unclear. Their southernmost records, 42°31’S and 44°17’S respectively, may either be extralimital or, more likely, reflect ordinary austral range. Temporally
non-aligned distribution patterns of Hyperoodon planifrons in Antarctic and South African waters may suggest stock segregation.
... The head stripes of these species resemble those found in foetal rather than juvenile stages of other delphinids, and are not characterized by the rapid postnatal development that is found in postnatal skeletal development until termination of growth. A subspecies of Commerson's dolphin inhabiting the waters around the Kerguelen Islands (Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelensis) shows some intriguing paedomorphic features relative to their South American conspecifics; namely juvenile pigmentation pattern and a lack of ossification of the jugal (Robineau et al., 2007). These features also appear to be unrelated to those described in the present study because the dolphins found at Kerguelen are larger than those found in South American waters. ...
... These phenomena thus appear to be caused by retarded development (i.e. neoteny), as also noted by Robineau et al. (2007). ...
To evaluate and assess the ontogenetic background for paedomorphosis in phocoenids, samples of 144 harbour porpoises, 81 white-beaked dolphins, and 130 Commerson's dolphins were compared in terms of the development of epiphyseal fusion, cranial suture fusion, and ontogeny of cranial shape. Harbour porpoises and Commerson's dolphins terminated growth and development of all investigated traits sooner than white-beaked dolphins, leading to lesser degrees of fusion of skeletal elements and less postnatal allometric development. The latter occurred even though shape in the two paedomorphic species developed at twice the rate relative to the size of white-beaked dolphins. These observations imply that progenetic evolution has occurred convergently in phocoenid and Cephalorhynchus ancestors. The truncated ontogenies allow sexual maturity to be attained earlier and provide a greater reproductive potential. Both species inhabit similar temperate productive habitats and, hence, ecological factors are proposed to have supplied the selection pressures leading to progenesis. Constant prey availability must be a prerequisite for the observed phenomena because frequent food-intake is necessitated by the limited capacity for energy storage and high heat-loss entailed by the resulting small body sizes. Progenesis has rarely been proposed in mammal species. This may reflect rarity or that mammalian expressions of progenesis are less obvious. © 2010 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2010, 99, 278–295.
... However, the occurrence of serrations has not been reported in the subspecies of Commerson's dolphins (C. c. kerguelensis) from the Kerguelen Islands (Robineau et al., 2007), in the Indian Ocean, although it is unclear whether this is due to an actual absence of such structures or to their difficult recognition if the examination is not thoroughly conducted. If their absence in the Kerguelen specimens were confirmed, they could prove a useful morphological feature to differentiate subspecies (Robineau et al., 2007). ...
... c. kerguelensis) from the Kerguelen Islands (Robineau et al., 2007), in the Indian Ocean, although it is unclear whether this is due to an actual absence of such structures or to their difficult recognition if the examination is not thoroughly conducted. If their absence in the Kerguelen specimens were confirmed, they could prove a useful morphological feature to differentiate subspecies (Robineau et al., 2007). ...
Presence of saw-toothed structures (serrations) on the leading edge of the flippers in the Commerson's dolphin and their relation with directional asymmetry in the appendicular skeleton were investigated in individuals from the Tierra del Fuego population, Argentina. Serrations were more frequent in the left flipper than in the right (P < 0.001) and in males than in females (P < 0.001). Serration length was significantly longer in the left flipper than in the right (P = 0.023), in males than in females (P = 0.004), and in older individuals than young (P < 0.001). The length of the radius (P = 0.028) and the length (P = 0.004), width (P < 0.001) and weight (P = 0.006) of the scapula showed significant directional asymmetry favoring the right side, whereas the length (P < 0.001) and width (P < 0.001) of the second digit favored the left side. The asymmetry appears to be innate in the species but is likely to be enhanced by differential mechanical stress between flippers as a result of lateralized behavior. We propose that the left flipper would be more flexible and preferably used in sensory or tactile activities that involve the serrations, whereas the right flipper would be more responsible for actions requiring a larger muscular exercise, possibly related to the maintenance of stability during swimming.
... The genus Cephalorhynchus includes four dolphin species widely distributed in cool temperate waters of the Southern Hemisphere, with each species endemic to a different region 30 . Among them, Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii), has the largest distribution and comprises two subspecies: C. commersonii commersonii (South America) and C. commersonii kerguelenssi (Kerguelen Islands), which differ from each other both morphologically and genetically 29,31 . Along the southeastern coast of South America, the species is distributed between 40° and 56° S, including Strait of Magellan and the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands 32,33 . ...
A key in species conservation is understanding the amount and distribution of genetic diversity and how environmental changes that occurred in the recent past may have influenced current patterns of population structure. Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, has two subspecies, one of which is endemic to South America (C. commersonii commersonii) and little is known about its population genetics. Our objective was to investigate the population genetics of this subspecies throughout its distribution. Using 70 skin samples and information available in GenBank, 308 mitochondrial DNA sequences and 28 species-specific microsatellites were analyzed. The species presented low genetic diversity when compared to other dolphin species, but was consistent with other species within the genus. Strong population structure based on mitochondrial DNA was exhibited throughout its entire distribution, a pattern consistent with female philopatry. However, this pattern was not detected when using microsatellites, suggesting male-mediated gene flow. Demographic tests suggested a population expansion beginning approximately 15,000 years ago, after the Last Glacial Maximum. In a climate change scenario, we recommended considering each sampling location as an independent population management unit in order to evaluate the impact of possible environmental changes on the distribution of genetic information within the species.
... The Indian Ocean (IO) is home to more than 30 species of marine mammals. 1 Some of these species are regionally dependent [Robineau et al., 2007;Minton et al., 2020] and others undergo very long migrations from summer feeding grounds to winter breeding grounds [Leroy et al., 2016;Double et al., 2014;Bestley et al., 2019]. The IO also has the particularity of hosting more blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus) sub-species and acoustic populations than any other ocean [McDonald et al., 2006;Branch et al., 2007]. ...
Many observations collected from whaling logbooks or more recent satellite tags and acoustic surveys report that the Indian Ocean is a very important place for large baleen whales. They undergo long seasonal migrations from Southern feeding grounds to tropical and subtropical mating and breeding grounds. However, whether and where they stop to rest or feed during their long travels are poorly known. The Indian Ocean is also home to many odontocete species such as sperm whales, killer whales and multiple delphinid species. In this paper, we analyze passive acoustic data collected by an electric glider around two steep bathymetric features located in the Western sub-tropical Indian Ocean (Walters Shoal) and in the mid sub-tropical Indian Ocean (St. Paul and Amsterdam islands), both included in Important Marine Mammal Areas (IMMAs). The acoustic data were manually reviewed and annotated by two analysts. The aim of this experiment was to improve the knowledge on marine mammal presence in these little studied IMMAs. We found that bioacoustic activity was quite high in both monitored areas with 40% of the records containing marine mammal sounds in Walters Shoal and 70% in St. Paul and Amsterdam islands. Calls from Antarctic blue whales, Southwestern and Southeastern Indian Ocean pygmy blue whales, fin whales and an unidentified baleen whale were detected at one or both sites. Odontocete clicks and whistles were also recorded at both sites. The discussion puts these marine mammal acoustic detections back into the context of their seasonal and geographical presence already described by other studies in the Indian Ocean and makes hypotheses about the role of the two studied areas for marine mammals.
... Five wild specimens belonging to four extant fully marine species were studied. They consist of five regional heterotherms, three dolphins (two specimens of Delphinus delphis delphis Linnaeus, 1758 (M.1162 and MNHN-ZM-AC-1876-275) and one specimen of Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelensis Robineau et al., 2007(MNHN-ZM-AC-1983) and two endothermic fishes (one specimen of Thunnus thynnus Linnaeus, 1758; one specimen of Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758). All three dolphin specimens sampled in our study are adult. ...
Strategies used by marine vertebrates to regulate their body temperature can result in local variations, and the knowledge of these regional heterothermies is crucial for better understanding the thermophysiologies of extant and extinct organisms. In order to investigate regional heterothermies in vertebrates, we analysed the oxygen isotope composition of phosphatic skeletal elements (δ18Op) of two endothermic fishes (Thunnus thynnus and Xiphias gladius) and three dolphins (two Delphinus delphis delphis and one Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelensis). We observed a consistent link between δ18Op variations and temperature heterogeneities recorded by classical methods. Our δ18Op data indicate that: (i) bone hydroxylapatite of the axial skeleton of dolphins mineralise at a warmer temperature than that of the appendicular one, (ii) the skull is the warmest body region in X. gladius, and (iii) T. thynnus possesses high body temperature in the skull and visceral mass region. These results demonstrate the possibility of tracking regional heterothermies in extant marine vertebrates using the δ18Op, paving the way to direct assessment of thermophysiological specificities of both living and extinct vertebrates. From a palaeoenvironmental perspective, the significant observed δ18Op variability questions the use of some taxa or random skeletal elements for the reconstruction of palaeoceanographic parameters such as seawater temperature and δ18O.
... Five wild specimens belonging to four extant fully marine species were studied. They consist of five regional heterotherms, three dolphins (two specimens of Delphinus delphis delphis Linnaeus, 1758 (M.1162 and MNHN-ZM-AC-1876-275) and one specimen of Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelensis Robineau et al., 2007(MNHN-ZM-AC-1983) and two endothermic fishes (one specimen of Thunnus thynnus Linnaeus, 1758; one specimen of Xiphias gladius Linnaeus, 1758). All three dolphin specimens sampled in our study are adult. ...
Strategies used by marine vertebrates to regulate their body temperature can result in local variations, and the knowledge of these regional heterothermies is crucial for better understanding the thermophysiologies of extant and extinct organisms. In order to investigate regional heterothermy in vertebrates, we analysed the oxygen isotope composition of phosphatic skeletal elements (δ18Op) of two poikilothermic (Atlantic bluefin tuna and swordfish) and three homeothermic endotherms (dolphins). We observed a consistent link between δ18Op variations and temperature heterogeneities recorded by classical methods. Our δ18Op data indicate that: (i) bone hydroxyapatite of the axial skeleton of dolphins mineralize at a warmer temperature than that of the appendicular one, (ii) the skull is the warmest body region in swordfish, and (iii) Atlantic bluefin tuna possesses high body temperature in the skull and visceral mass region. These results demonstrate the possibility of tracking regional heterothermies in extant marine vertebrates using the δ18Op, paving the way to direct assessment of thermophysiological specificities of both living and extinct vertebrates. From a paleoenvironmental perspective, the significant observed δ18Op variability questions the use of some taxa or random skeletal elements for the reconstruction of paleoceanographic parameters such as seawater temperature and δ18O.
... There was one sighting of the Kerguelen Commerson's dolphin, which is thought to be endemic to the waters of the Kerguelen Islands (Pichler et al. 2001;Robineau et al. 2007). This species was observed in a mixed pod of dusky dolphin, which to the best of our knowledge, has not been observed before, although dusky dolphin are often observed associating with other species (e.g., Weir et al. 2018). ...
The Kerguelen Plateau in the south-eastern Indian Ocean is one of the most isolated and understudied regions on earth. As part of the Kerguelen Plateau Drifts project, Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) data were collected during a seismic survey in the austral summer (January–February 2020). Relationships between observation effort, cetacean sightings, seismic operations, and oceanographic variables—including bathymetry (depth and slope), nutrient concentrations, and indices of primary productivity—were investigated using Generalized Additive Models (GAMs). In total, 354 h and 45 min of observation effort resulted in 191 cetaceans (178 adults and at least 13 juveniles) of nine species observed on 48 occasions, over 14 days along the transect line. Marine mammal sightings occurred in water depths of 624–4699 m, with a hotspot of sightings recorded along the northern flank of the Kerguelen Plateau, in proximity to shelf edges. There was one sighting of a mixed pod of Kerguelen Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelenensis) and dusky dolphins (Lagenorhynchus obscurus), which to the best of our knowledge, is the first confirmed sighting of dusky dolphins in the Kerguelen Islands. Of the nine cetacean species observed, no niche separation was apparent, and all species were observed throughout the survey area. Dissolved oxygen and chlorophyll-a were the most significant predictors of cetacean occurrence. Systematic MMO data combined with synoptic satellite-derived/empirical oceanographic metadata have great potential to facilitate understanding of behaviour, geographical range, and population-status monitoring of cetaceans. This is especially important for cetacean stock assessment and minimising potential acoustic disturbance in Antarctic ecosystems.
... Morphology plays an important role in the ecology and life history of all animals, including cetaceans (Perrin 1975;Heyning and Lento 2002;Galatius 2010). Historically, morphological information presented the primary data utilised by taxonomists to investigate the status of species and subspecies (Robineau et al. 2007;Zinetti et al. 2013). Analysis of morphology has been used frequently, together with molecular analysis, to clarify the taxonomic status of a variety of animals (Galatius and Gol'din 2011;Jacquet et al. 2013;Mendez et al. 2013;Jefferson and Rosenbaum 2014). ...
The common dolphins (genus Delphinus) are widely distributed in all temperate and tropical oceans. Over this wide geographical distribution they show considerable range in morphological variation, which has led to descriptions of several species in the genus. Until recently, only two species of Delphinus were accepted, but this classification has become contentious. This study investigated the occurrence of morphologically different types of Delphinus in South African waters and assessed geographic and morphometric variations within each type. A total of 296 skulls of Delphinus spp., obtained from the Port Elizabeth Museum and the Iziko South African Museum, were photographed in their dorsal and ventral aspects for geometric morphometric analysis. Our results revealed three clusters of specimens based on analysis of the dorsal aspect of the skull, and two clusters for the ventral aspect. Significant differences in cranial size were found between clusters. Both cranial aspects showed that the main variations in skull shape occurred in the rostral region and braincase area, indicating divergent adaptations relating to these features. There was a substantial difference between the composition of the dorsal-aspect and ventral- aspect clusters, suggesting the presence of only one species in South African waters. Significant differences between morphological clusters associated with the three regions within the study area (cold-temperate, warm-temperate and subtropical) are probably mediated through differences in local environmental conditions (e.g. different water temperatures and productivity).
... Shaped like a teardrop in males, this patch completely covers the genital slit. In females, the patch has 2 lateral lobed projections and only partially covers the genital slit , Robineau et al. 2007). The total number of vertebrae in Cephalo rhynchus c. commersonii varies between 63 and 66, including 7 cervical, 12 to 14 thoracic, 13 to 15 lumbar and 26 to 32 caudal vertebrae. ...
Though Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii, is the small cetacean most frequently found stranded along the coast of Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, little is known about their pathologies. We examined the postcranial axial skeletons of 425 Commerson’s dolphins collected in the period 1974-2011 for the presence of macroscopic lesions. Miscellaneous lesions were detected in 107 (25.2%) of the specimens. Among them idiopathic hyperostosis was the most frequent pathology (73.8%), followed by spondyloarthropathy (40.2%). Traumata (25.2%), spondylitis (10.3%) and osteoarthritis (11.2%) occurred less frequently. The type of lesions was statistically associated with the region of the vertebral column. Thus, idiopathic hyperostosis occurred significantly more frequently in the lumbar vertebrae than in other parts of the vertebral column while spondyloarthropathy was more frequent in the thoracic and caudal vertebrae. Both conditions were predominantly seen in mature dolphins. Osteoarthritis affected the transverse processes of the thoracic vertebrae of six males, three females and three individuals of undetermined sex, all mature. Healed and unhealed fractures were observed in the ribs of 27 specimens and in the transverse processes of three others. Spondylitis of various degrees of severity affected the cervical, thoracic, lumbar and caudal regions of 11 individuals. Together these data indicate that bone lesions and traumata commonly occur in Commerson’s dolphins, likely causing pain and morbidity in severe cases.
... The knowledge of these mysterious animals has yet substantially increased with the improvement of technologies, such as in acoustics, bio-logging, or molecular biology. With these progresses researcher have recently described unobserved populations or even new species of marine mammals (Robineau et al. 2007, Pitman et al. 2011, Morin et al. 2016 or assessed new insights of diving behaviour by some odontocetes (Schorr et al. 2014, Reisinger et al. 2015. These studies revealed how much we still have to learn about marine mammals and especially about their underwater behaviours. ...
Many marine predator species feed on fish caught by fishers directly from the fishing gear. Known as depredation this interaction issue has substantial socio-economic consequences for fishermen and conservation implications for the wildlife. Costs for fishers include damages to the fishing gear and increased fishing effort to complete quotas. For marine predators, depredation increases risks of mortality (lethal retaliation from fishers or bycatch on the gear). Longline fisheries are the most impacted worldwide, primarily by odontocetes (toothed whales) depredation, urging the need for mitigation solutions to be developed. Most of studies assessing depredation have primarily relied on surface observation data, thus the way odontocetes interact with longlines underwater remains unclear. Besides, the way fishermen respond to depredation during fishing operations, or can influence their detectability to odontocetes, have been poorly investigated. This thesis therefore aimed at investigating these aspects through a passive acoustic monitoring, bio-logging and human ecology approaches, focusing on the French Patagonian toothfish (Dissostichus eleginoides) longline fisheries impacted by killer whales (Orcinus orca) and sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus). Firstly, this thesis reveals that captains behave as optimal foragers but with different personal perception of competition and fishing fulfilment. Some captains would thus be more likely to stay within a patch or to haul closest longline even in presence of competition, suggesting these captains would show higher interaction rates. Additionally, the propagation of vessels’ acoustics varied depending on the type of manoeuvre (e.g. going backward vs. forward). The way captains use their vessels to navigate may therefore influence their detectability and so their depredation level. Secondly, loggers deployed on both the longlines (accelerometers) and odontocetes (GPS-TDR) revealed that killer whales and sperm whales are able to depredate on longlines while soaking on the seafloor. These observations suggest, therefore, that odontocetes can localise fishing activity before the hauling, which could be partially explained by specific acoustic signatures recorded during the setting process. Altogether, the results of the thesis suggest that depredation rates on demersal longlines are most likely underestimated. The thesis also brings some important insights for mitigation measures, suggesting that countermeasures should start from setting to hauling.
... In the last decades, rapid advancements in the field of marine mammal research, and in particular the introduction of molecular methods, have resulted in changes of cetacean taxonomy (Moura et al. 2013). Few new species and subspecies have been identified, such as the species Sousa sahulensis (Jefferson and Rosenbaum 2014), and the subspecies Cephalorhynchus commersonii kerguelensis (Robineau et al. 2007). Other accepted species have been invalidated such as the Delphinus capensis (Cunha et al. 2015;Gatesy et al. 2013). ...
The number of cetacean species present in the Red Sea is unknown. Navigation and associated exploration of Red Sea waters dates back thousands of years, but despite relatively high levels of human activity in the basin, observations of cetaceans in the Red Sea remain sparse. However, the absence of a comprehensive record of these marine mammals in the Red Sea is not due to the absence of cetaceans. The first published report of cetaceans in the Red Sea was made by Forskål at the end of the 18th century and information about encounters with both live and stranded dolphins and whales continued throughout the 19th century. During the first 80 years of the 20th century a number of new sightings confirmed previous observations, suggesting some additions to the list. Following establishment of the Indian Ocean Whale Sanctuary in 1979, a renewed interest arose about cetacean conservation and dedicated surveys finally commenced. Information from smaller-scale projects was then collected in the waters off Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Sudan, Eritrea, Yemen and Israel, further raising the tally of cetacean species recorded in the Red Sea. The timely review presented in this chapter notes that at least 17 species of cetaceans have been observed in the Red Sea, including: Balaenoptera edeni, B. musculus, B. omurai, Megaptera novaeangliae, Delphinus delphis cfr. tropicalis, Grampus griseus, Globicephala macrorhynchus, Kogia sima, Orcinus orca, Pseudorca crassidens, Steno bredanensis, Stenella attenuata, S. coeruleoalba, S. longirostris, Sousa plumbea, Tursiops aduncus, and T. truncatus. Whilst the cetacean populations of the northern Red Sea have been recently assessed, it is a matter of concern that much less is known about the presence of cetaceans in the central and southern parts of the basin. Given the accelerating growth of human populations, together with the associated degradation of the marine environment, there is an urgent need for a more up-to-date appraisal of cetaceans, including the presence, abundance, distribution and behaviour of represented species throughout the Red Sea. The effectiveness of cetacean stock management and conservation depends on such information and there is a duty of care for governments, NGOs and academic institutions within the region to support and facilitate the research required to acquire a better understanding of the Red Sea’s whales and dolphins.
... However, the distance measure (dl) 2 was developed specifically for microsatellite data. The percentage of "private alleles" at microsatellite or SNP markers (Robineau et al. 2007, Wolf et al. 2007 or unique bands for AFLP markers (e.g., Wang et al. 2003) can also be used as estimates of genetic distance. The remaining measures we discuss apply only to sequence data. ...
The vast and remote distributions and large body size of most cetaceans make it difficult to obtain and maintain morphological collections adequate for advancing sound taxonomic arguments. Consequently, genetic data are playing an increasingly important role in cetacean species and subspecies delimitation. We review seven categories of analytical methods useful in delimiting subspecies based on genetic data. For each category, we summarize its utility in evaluating putative subspecies, the types of markers to which it can be applied, and potential challenges in interpreting results in a taxonomic context. We focus on the utility of each type of method to evaluate the critical features distinguishing subspecies from populations and species: the degree of diagnosability between putative taxa and the extent to which the putative taxa have diverged along separate evolutionary pathways. We conclude that diagnosability is best estimated with either assignment tests or multivariate methods, while evaluating the degree of divergence requires a synthesis of multiple lines of evidence derived from different analytical methods and different data types, including nongenetic data.
... Three of the four species in this genus (Commerson's dolphin, C. commersonii; Hector's dolphin, C. hectori; and Chilean dolphin, C. eutropia) have demonstrated genetically divergent and structured populations. In the Commerson's dolphin, genetic differen- tiation has been described for populations found along the southeastern coast of South America and around the Kerguelen Islands in the southern Indian Ocean (currently recognized as separate subspecies 44 ), where geo- graphical isolation has likely had a strong influence on the genetic structure. On a smaller geographical scale, the Hector's dolphin shows a strong genetic differentiation between the North and South Island of New Zealand 43,45 , which are separated by the Cook Strait. ...
The complementarity of historical and contemporary processes contributes to understanding the genetic structure of continuously distributed marine species with high dispersal capabilities. Cephalorhynchus eutropia, has a continuous coastal distribution with strong genetic differentiation identified by nuclear DNA markers. We explored the historical dimension of this genetic differentiation between northern and southern populations to evaluate phylogeographic structure. Additionally, we conducted mtDNA and microsatellite analyses to detect past and recent demographic changes. The southern population was characterized by lower genetic diversity with a signal of population expansion, likely associated with ice retreat and habitat extension after the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). In contrast, structure within the northern population was more consistent with stable historical population size. Approximate Bayesian Computation analyses suggested that during the LGM, C. eutropia persisted in the northern area; while the south was colonized by dispersal ~11,000 years ago followed by population expansion. This study shows that Chilean dolphin population structure is consistent with predictions from the Expansion-Contraction biogeographic model, with a poleward post-glacial shift revealed in current genetic structure. The results also confirm the validity of the population units previously identified, demonstrating their historical origin and highlighting the utility of integrating genetic markers with different temporal scale resolutions.
... Age determinations by dentinal Growth Layer Groups (Perrin and Myrick 1980) were available for 91 specimens (Dellabianca et al. 2012), whose ages were observed between 0 and 18 years. Our sample was entirely composed by specimens of the subspecies C. c. commersonii (we did not include specimens of the subspecies C. commersonii kerguelensis, which inhabits exclusively the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean- Robineau et al. 2007). Our smallest male specimen was 236 mm in condylobasal length (RNP773), whereas the largest male specimen was 291 mm (RNP1497). ...
Commerson's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, is one of the smallest species of odontocete cetaceans. We aimed to study the postnatal cranial ontogeny of C. commersonii through geometric morphometric technique, analyzing the postnatal ontogeny of the symmetric and asymmetric components of shape and providing information about sexual dimorphism affecting cranial shape and size. We digitized 57 landmarks in a sample of 139 crania of an ontogenetic series. Our results indicate that C. commersonii presents sexual size dimorphism of cranium in adults, but not shape dimorphism. Major changes between juveniles and adults were associated with lengthening of the rostrum and accentuation of telescoping, as observed in other odontocetes. We found that the degree of asymmetry has a very subtle but still significant change during ontogeny, which may have functional implications. We also observed little general variation in skull shape during postnatal development, supporting the idea of the conservatism of young-like characters in adults of C. commersonii. In accordance with this, we detect a very early attainment of stability of shape and size, being statistically similar in males and females. Differences in overall cranial shape and growth patterns in C. commersonii and Pontoporia blainvillei can be functionally associated to specific modes of feeding, suggesting also differences in the melon morphology.
... [1] Based on geographic, morphological and genetic data, a separate subspecies was determined at the Kerguelen Islands. [34] The Franciscana dolphin also inhabits the coastal waters of southern South America, from Espírito Santo, Brazil (18°25 ′ S, 30°42 ′ W) to Chubut, Argentina (42°35 ′ S, 64°48 ′ W). [20] The skull and postcranial skeletons of the Commerson's dolphins analysed are deposited in the RNP Goodall collection at the Museo Acatushun de Aves y Mamíferos Marinos Australes, Estancia Harberton, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. These specimens were recovered from by-catch or stranding events along the coasts of Tierra del Fuego Island ( Figure 1) throughout four decades . ...
We explored the potential of using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), a non-destructive technique, to assess elemental contents in dolphin bones. Specimens were deposited in museum collections, and prepared by different methodologies. Fifty eight Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) chevron bones and 24 Franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) were analysed. The EDX allowed us to detect the following elements: Ca, P, Na, Mg, Fe, K, Zn, S, Cl and Al; and quantify their proportion (weight percent of element). Principal components analysis differentiates two groups according to the cleaning procedures applied, supporting that cleaning methods could influence the chemical integrity of bone. No significant age-dependent increase was found for elements analysed in species, and no significant differences were found between sex and physical maturity stages. Alternative assessment was made through atomic absorption spectrophotometry, providing quantitative information on the principal elements in bones (Ca, P, Mg, Na, Fe and Zn) and allowing comparisons with other studies. A standard protocol for bone cleaning and conditioning is needed to exclude any effect on the mineral integrity of calcified tissue. This would enable future comparative studies on the bone mineral matrix over time housed in natural history museums or other scientific collections.
... [1] Based on geographic, morphological and genetic data, a separate subspecies was determined at the Kerguelen Islands. [34] The Franciscana dolphin also inhabits the coastal waters of southern South America, from Espírito Santo, Brazil (18°25 ′ S, 30°42 ′ W) to Chubut, Argentina (42°35 ′ S, 64°48 ′ W). [20] The skull and postcranial skeletons of the Commerson's dolphins analysed are deposited in the RNP Goodall collection at the Museo Acatushun de Aves y Mamíferos Marinos Australes, Estancia Harberton, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina. These specimens were recovered from by-catch or stranding events along the coasts of Tierra del Fuego Island ( Figure 1) throughout four decades . ...
We explored the potential of using energy-dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), a non-destructive technique, to assess elemental contents in dolphin bones. Specimens were deposited in museum collections,
and prepared by different methodologies. Fifty eight Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus c. commersonii) chevron bones and 24 Franciscana dolphins (Pontoporia blainvillei) were analysed. The EDX allowed us to detect the following elements: Ca, P, Na, Mg, Fe, K, Zn, S, Cl and Al; and quantify their proportion (weight percent of element). Principal components analysis differentiates two groups according to the cleaning procedures applied, supporting that cleaning methods could influence the chemical integrity of bone. No significant age-dependent increase was found for elements
analysed in species, and no significant differences were found between sex and physical maturity stages. Alternative assessment was made through atomic absorption spectrophotometry,
providing quantitative information on the principal elements in bones (Ca, P, Mg, Na, Fe and Zn) and allowing comparisons with other studies. A standard protocol for bone cleaning and
conditioning is needed to exclude any effect on the mineral integrity of calcified tissue. This would enable future comparative studies on the bone mineral matrix over time housed in natural
history museums or other scientific collections.
... Laboratorio de Mamíferos Marinos (LAMAMA) -CENPATEs una especie muy común en el litoral argentino y existe una población endémica de las costas de Patagonia y otra de las Islas Kerguelen, las cuales han sido nombradas como subespecies(Robineau et al. 2007). Sobre el litoral patagónico el límite de su distribución se encuentra en Punta Norte (Península de Valdés, Chubut), aunque se pueden encontrar, ocasionalmente, individuos más al norte y dentro de los Golfos San Matías, San José y eventualmente en el Golfo Nuevo. ...
El Mar Argentino cuenta con una importante diversidad de mamíferos marinos que totalizan aproximadamente 50 especies. Si bien en nuestro país no existe en la actualidad captura intencional de mamíferos marinos, se han identificado otras amenazas que pueden afectar su estado de conservación, entre las cuales se destacan la captura incidental por las artes de pesca.
El 3 de diciembre de 2015 el Consejo Federal Pesquero aprobó mediante Resolución CFP Nº 11/2015 el “Plan de Acción Nacional para Reducir la Interacción de Mamíferos Marinos con Pesquerías en la República Argentina (PAN Mamíferos Marinos)”, cuyo objetivo principal es contribuir al manejo ecosistémico de las pesquerías del Mar Argentino, evaluando las interacciones entre éstas y los mamíferos marinos a fin de disminuir los impactos negativos sobre ambos. Dicho PAN fue elaborado en forma conjunta por la Subsecretaría de Pesca y Acuicultura de la Nación y esta Secretaría, con la participación de organismos provinciales, instituciones científicas y académicas y ONGs.
La preparación final de este PAN fue realizada por María Laura Tombesi y Débora Winter (Secretaría de Ambiente y Desarrollo Sustentable). El capítulo “Pesquerías en Argentina” fue elaborado por Ramiro P. Sánchez, Gabriela Navarro, Mariano Monsalvo y Gustavo Martínez Puljak (Subsecretaría de Pesca y Acuicultura de la Nación) y contó con la colaboración de Laura Prosdocimi. El capítulo “Introducción a la captura incidental y los impactos de las interacciones operacionales y específicas” fue elaborado por Enrique Alberto Crespo, Silvana Laura Dans, Susana Noemí Pedraza, Néstor Aníbal García (Centro Nacional Patagónico y Universidad Nacional de la Patagonia) y Mariano Koen Alonso (Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Saint John’s, Newfoundland, Canada). El capítulo “Captura incidental de franciscana” fue elaborado por Luis Cappozzo (Museo de Ciencias Naturales Bernardino Rivadavia) y el capítulo “Mitigación de la captura incidental de mamíferos marinos” por Pablo Bordino (Fundación Aquamarina).
... One isolate, a subspecies of Commerson's dolphin (C. commersonii kerguelenensis; Robineau et al., 2007) is found at the Kerguelen Islands (see later) and probably arose via a founder event, perhaps 10,000 years ago. The other, a subspecies of Hector's dolphin (C. ...
This chapter discusses characteristics, taxonomy, distribution, abundance, and ecology of Cephalorhynchus Dolphins. The four dolphins of the genus Cephalorhynchus are small coastal species. They are blunt-headed, chunky dolphins with rounded, almost paddle-shaped flippers. The most characteristic feature of the genus is the dorsal fin, which is proportionately large, either with a shallowly sloping leading edge and a rounded, convex trailing edge [like a Mickey Mouse ear: Hector's (. C. hectori), Commerson's (. C. commersonii), and Chilean dolphins (. C. eutropia)] or upright and roughly triangular (Heaviside's dolphin, C. heavisidii). In color pattern, Chilean dolphins and Hector's dolphins are most similar. Cephalorhynchus dolphins are found only in Southern Hemisphere waters. Heaviside's dolphin occurs off the west coast of South Africa and Namibia. Hector's dolphin is found solely off New Zealand. The Chilean dolphin is found in the coastal waterways of Chile and along the exposed west coast. All four species feed on a wide variety of coastal prey, focusing on benthic and small pelagic schooling fish and squid.
... Two of the Cephalorhynchus species have genetically isolated populations. One isolate, a subspecies of Commerson's dolphin ( C. commersonii kerguelenensis ; Robineau et al. , 2007 ) is found at the Kerguelen Islands (see later) and probably arose via a founder event, perhaps ten thousand years ago. The other, a subspecies of Hector's dolphin, ( C. hectori maui ;Baker et al ., 2002 ) probably arose via this species ' extreme site fi delity and a population bottleneck. ...
This species is considered to be Endangered A4d due to an ongoing and projected decline of greater than 50% over 3 generations (approx. 39 years, Slooten et al. 2000) considering both the past and the future. It is also important to consider that although its extent of occurrence and area of occupancy likely exceed the thresholds for criteria B1, B2 and D2, Hector’s Dolphin has the most limited range of any marine cetacean other than the Vaquita (Phocoena sinus). In a population viability analysis, the estimated rate of decline was 74% over 3 generations where the time period under consideration was from 1970-2009 (Slooten 2007). The main cause of population decline is ongoing bycatch in fisheries.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4162/0
... C. c. subsp. nova -Shallow coastal waters around all of the Îles Kerguélen in the southern Indian Ocean (Rice 1998;Robineau et al. 2007). No sightings or specimens have yet been reported from islands between South America and Kerguélen, such as Crozet, Heard, Amsterdam or St Paul (Goodall 1994). ...
Although some progress has been made towards increasing what is known about this species since the previous 1996 listing as Data Deficient, the information is still insufficient for evaluation against the criteria, particularly with regard to population size, trends, and threats. There is reason to suspect that the species overall, and at least the South American subspecies, is continuing to decline in portions of its range. Further research is needed, especially to address the question of population structure within Argentina. In the future, separate assessments of the two recognized subspecies should be a priority. Similarly, population structure within South America may justify separate assessments of geographical populations. Further research is also needed to provide current abundance estimates for a larger proportion of the species’ total range, and quantitative information on recent and current human-caused mortality.
http://www.iucnredlist.org/details/full/4159/0
... Colouration differences are important taxonomic characters for many species including cetaceans (e.g. Perrin 1972Perrin , 1975Perrin , 1990Perrin et al. 1987;Heyning and Perrin 1994;Rosenbaum et al. 1995;Perrin 2009;Amano and Hayano 2007;Robineau et al. 2007). Complex colouration patterns (such as stripes and spotting) on individual cetaceans are The dolphins in this table are individuals with obvious spotting on their bodies (score = 2, 3 or 4 in Wang et al. (2008a)). ...
Background:
Subspecies recognition can affect how people (scientists and non-scientists alike) view organisms and thus has important implications for research on, as well as the conservation of, these entities. Recently, a small group of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins was discovered inhabiting the waters off central western Taiwan. This geographically isolated population possesses pigmentation patterns that are subtly, but noticeably, different from their nearest conspecifics in the neighbouring waters of the Jiulong River Estuary and Pearl River Estuary of mainland China. Due to this population's low and declining numbers and the numerous threats it faces, it was assessed as critically endangered by the Red List of Threatened Species of the International Union for Conservation of Nature. The purpose of this study is to examine the degree of differentiation of the Taiwanese population to determine if subspecies recognition iswarranted.
Results:
Analysis of the degree of differentiation in pigmentation patterns revealed nearly non-overlapping distributions between dolphins from Taiwanese waters and those from the Jiulong River + Pearl River estuaries of mainland China (the nearest known populations). The Taiwanese dolphins were clearly diagnosable from those of the Jiulong River + Pearl Riverestuaries under the most commonly accepted '75%rule' for subspecies delimitation (with 94% of one group being separable from 99+% of the other). Evidence of geographical isolation and behavioural differences also provided additional support for the distinctiveness of the Taiwanese dolphins.
Conclusions:
Together, the evidence strongly demonstrated that the Taiwanese humpback dolphin population is differentiated at the subspecies level and on an evolutionary trajectory that is independent from that of dolphins from adjacent waters of mainland China (i.e. Jiulong River + Pearl River estuaries). As a result, the taxonomy of Sousa chinensis was revised to include two subspecies: the Taiwanese humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis taiwanensis subsp. nov., and the Chinese humpback dolphin, Sousa chinensis chinensis (the nominotypical subspecies). These subspecies are described, and the holotype and paratype specimens for S. c. taiwanensis are established.
... It is considered a coastal species that ranges along the coast of Patagonia from Río Negro (40°30' S) to the Strait of Magellan, Cape Horn, and the Falkland/ Malvinas Islands (Best 2007). Based on geographic, morphological, and genetic data, it was determined that a separate subspecies exists at Kerguelen Island (Robineau et al. 2007). There are several studies on trophic habits along the range of the South American subspecies (Bastida et al. 1988, Clarke & Goodall 1994, Berón Vera et al. 2001. ...
We used stable carbon (delta C-13) and nitrogen (delta N-15) isotope analysis to investigate the trophic ecology of 8 small cetacean species of the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean: 6 delphinids (Grampus griseus, Lagenorhynchus cruciger, L. australis, Lissodelphis peronii, Pseudorca crassidens, and Cephalorhynchus commersonii) and 2 phocoenids (Phocoena dioptrica and P. spinipinnis). We also analyzed samples of possible prey collected from oceanic and coastal habitats adjacent to Tierra del Fuego. Cetacean bone-collagen delta C-13 and delta N-15 data revealed information on both habitat and prey preferences. We observed an isotopic continuum in which coastal species had the highest values of delta C-13 and delta N-15 (L. australis), while oceanic and southern species had the lowest values (L. cruciger and P. dioptrica), indicative of offshore foraging in cold oceanic waters near the Antarctic Convergence. Overlap in mean isotope values between C. commersonii and P. spinipinnis suggests that these species may have similar habitat and/or prey preferences. Isotope results for L. peronii, P. crassidens, and G. griseus suggest that at these latitudes (similar to 54 degrees S) they forage on the outer continental shelf. G. griseus show bimodal isotopic patterns, suggesting that 2 ecotypes that forage in different habitats and/or consume different prey items occur in this region of the southwestern Atlantic Ocean. The isotopic data presented here provide insight into the ecology of these cetaceans, with relevant implications for their successful management and conservation.
... Las crías al nacer miden cerca de 62,1-62,2 cm y con un peso aproximado de 7,5 kg. Presenta entre 29 y 30 pares de dientes en cada mandíbula (Cornell et al. 1988, Goodall et al. 1988a, Lockyer et al. 1988, Robineau et al. 2007). ...
Las actividades de turismo de intereses especiales, entre las cuales destaca la observación de glaciares, de paisajes remotos y mamíferos marinos con muy baja intervención antrópica, muestran las más altas tasas de crecimiento en el turismo total alrededor del mundo. Sin embargo, y a pesar del creciente interés de los visitantes por el turismo de naturaleza e intereses especiales, en Magallanes esto no ha estado acompañado por una oferta suficiente y atrayente de servicios y productos turísticos de alto valor.
La observación de cetáceos (o “whale-watching” como es conocida internacionalmente) es una actividad turística reciente que ha tenido un creciente interés en la Región. A pesar de las grandes diferencias en la conformación costera en relación a la industria Turística Argentina, el desarrollo de la investigación científica enfocada a cetáceos en la región de Magallanes ha progresado lo suficiente para identificar especies y áreas potenciales para sustentar la observación de cetáceos. Es así como investigaciones científicas desarrolladas en los últimos años han permitido impulsar un desarrollo productivo pero aún incipiente de la observación de ballenas jorobadas en las aguas del Área Marina Costera Protegida Francisco Coloane, específicamente alrededor de isla Carlos III, o situar a la foca elefante de seno Almirantazgo como parte de un atractivo dentro de un circuito turístico mayor. Sin embargo, el acceso a estas áreas obligadamente debe realizarse vía marítima, requiriéndose para ello de muchas horas para llegar a este espectacular lugar de belleza, haciendo de ella por tanto, imposible ofrecer y satisfacer una rápida demanda para turistas en tránsito y de cruceros, que normalmente permanecen desde unas pocas horas a unos pocos días. En este sentido, por tanto, es posible pensar junto al esfuerzo científico y empresarial en la posibilidad de desarrollar otras actividades de observación de mamíferos marinos alternativo, de manera de incorporar nuevas ofertas atrayentes en las cercanías de Punta Arenas, el cual permitiría capturar una creciente demanda por servicios y productos de calidad rápidos para quién deba decidir su viaje a estas latitudes.
En el área de referencia del proyecto, el canal Fitz Roy posee condiciones muy particulares y escasas a nivel regional, como es la presencia simultánea en un área geográfica relativamente reducida de algunas especies de delfines. En dicho canal se ha informado, por literatura, la presencia de toninas overas (Cephalorhynchus commersonii), delfín chileno (C. eutropia) y delfín austral (Lagenorhynchus australis). Dada la cercanía de canal Fitz Roy con la ciudad de Punta Arenas, hace de este territorio un potencial destino en el mercado turístico de intereses especiales (“dolphin-watching”), especialmente para aquellos turistas en tránsito y de cruceros, que normalmente permanecen desde unas pocas horas a unos pocos días. Sin embargo, la identificación de lugares de distribución, áreas de mayor ocurrencia y la posible estacionalidad o residencia de estas tres especies de cetáceos menores en canal Fitz Roy no han sido abordados científicamente.
Por lo indicado se hace necesario generar información sobre la ocurrencia y distribución espacio-temporal de los delfínidos en canal Fitz Roy, que permita identificar los sitios o zonas usadas preferentemente por la(s) especie(s) y los cambios temporales en el uso de sitios para definir medidas de manejo orientadas al turismo de avistamiento de la(s) especie(s) en el área.
... Based on geographic, morphological, and genetic data, a new subspecies (C. c. kerguelensis) was determined for animals at the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean (Robineau et al. 2007). Externally, the sex of both subspecies of Commerson's dolphin can be determined from differences in the genital patch (Robineau 1984. ...
... There are 2 subspecies of Commerson's dolphin, one in southern South America and the other at Ile Kerguelen, which are separated by 8,500 km (Robineau et al. 2007). ...
An evaluation of the stranding record for the period 1866 to September 2012 confirms that the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands cetacean community is composed of 7 species of baleen whale, 7 beaked whale species, sperm whale, 8 species of dolphin and 1 of porpoise. The stranding record supports the species composition based on at-sea surveys, but also confirms the presence of some rare, vessel-shy and/or offshore and deepwater species. Five species - long-finned pilot whale, Peale's dolphin, Commerson's dolphin, hourglass dolphin and sperm whale - are considered to have a regular presence in the Islands. Six species are considered infrequent, 11 are considered rare and 2 species had a historic presence but have not been recorded in recent years. The stranding record suggests potential temporal changes for some of these species, reflecting perhaps a recovery of their population from over-exploitation and/or changes in oceanographic conditions and/or prey availability.
... Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) occurs all along the Patagonian coast of Argentina in the southwestern Atlantic 41º30'S to 55º00'S, including waters around the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands (Goodall, 1994). A separate subspecies is found off the Kergüelen Islands in the Indian Ocean (Robineau et al., 2007). Commerson's dolphin inhabits coastal waters, including fiords, bays, river outlets, and occasionally they swim upstream rivers. ...
Commerson's dolphins, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, suffer bycatch in fisheries and are target of dolphin-watching activities along Patagonia. Here we described dolphins' habitat use and behavioural pattern at the estuary of Santa Cruz River. Behavioural observations were made from vantage points using a spotting scope. Boat surveys were conducted randomly from Puerto Santa Cruz to the mouth of the river to analyze the habitat use. The survey area was divided into 1 km² cells and characterized with depth and benthic slope. The described behaviours for the Commerson's dolphin were: travelling, slow travelling, milling, resting, socializing, stationary swimming and diving. A new behavioural context was assigned to diving, a behaviour that showed a high frequency during downing tide, suggesting a benthic foraging strategy. Additionally, we found a strong influence of the tide on Commerson's dolphin behaviour. Habitat use models indicated that dolphins prefer shallow water inside the estuary. The knowledge of the behavioural patterns and the habitat use of these endemic species, in this unexplored area, provide tools for management and conservation purposes.
... Commerson's dolphins Cephalorhynchus commersonii are found in shallow waters along the southeastern coast of South America (40°S-56°S), including in the central and eastern Strait of Magellan and waters around the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands ( Goodall et al. 1988Goodall et al. , 1994). An isolated population in the Kerguelen Islands in the Indian Ocean (about 8000km away from the South American populations) differs in morphology, pigmentation and genetic data (Robineau 1984) and has been proposed as a new subspecies C. c. kerguelensis ( Robineau et al. 2007). Consequently, the populations of Commerson's dolphin endemic to South America should become the subspecies C. c. commersonii. ...
Most aquatic mammals have high dispersal potential, and there are often severe conservation concerns related to their legal or illegal harvesting. Therefore, economic, social and forensic factors often arise in decisions relating to their population management. Molecular markers are essential tools in modern conservation genetics, revealing previously unknown aspects of aquatic mammal behaviour, natural history, population structure and demography. Molecular markers also have been used to define management units, to recognize taxonomic units, to conduct forensic analyses and to control illegal wildlife trade, providing valuable information for decision‐making in wildlife conservation and management.
We review studies published in peer‐reviewed journals between 1993 and 2010, in which genetic approaches have been applied to conservation‐related issues involving natural populations of 25 species of aquatic mammals in South America. These studies cover just 34% of the 70 aquatic mammal species recorded in South America.
Most of the studies are related to population structure, phylogeography, gene flow and dispersal movements. In addition, recent findings relate to evolutionarily significant units, management units, forensics and conservation policy.
Finally, we look to the future and, based on numbers of studies and conservation concerns, suggest which species, geographic areas and genetic studies should be prioritized. Moreover, we discuss constraints on research and suggest collaborative works that would provide critical information towards the effective conservation and management of aquatic mammals in South America.
... This includes opportunistic observations and dedicated studies at the islands themselves, and obser vations from the ships servicing the islands. The population of Commerson's dolphin that occurs at the Kerguelen Islands has recently been described as a subspecies by Robineau et al. (2007). This population has been relatively well studied, especially during a productive period during the 1980s. ...
Cetacean research, in terms of the number of papers, and areas for which data are available, has expanded considerably in the southern African subregion in the past decade, especially in the South-West Indian Ocean. We review cetacean research within this subregion from the 1800s to the present to provide an overview of findings, investigate trends and identify knowledge gaps. Data are presented separately for large whales (those subject to commercial whaling) and smaller cetaceans, and are separated by era and ocean basin. Over 550 peer-reviewed papers and books were identified relating to research on cetaceans within the subregion. More than half (284) have been produced since 1990 and 193 relate specifically to South African waters. The most-studied species are those that are most accessible due to their coastal distributions (southern right whale Eubalaena australis: 45 papers, humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae: 31 papers, killer whales Orcinus orca: 27 papers, Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin Tursiops aduncus: 30 papers, Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin Sousa chinensis (plumbea form): 25 papers) and/or were hunted commercially (sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus: 25 papers). Identified conservation concerns vary throughout the subregion, but include bycatch and directed hunts, oil and gas development, ecotourism activities, shifts in prey resources, and noise and chemical pollution. The inshore stocks of Bryde's whales Balaenoptera edeni, the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and the Atlantic humpback dolphin S. teuszii were identified as the populations of highest conservation concern, although there are considerable knowledge gaps relating to deep-water species and almost no data (even on species occurrence) are available for several areas and countries.
... Within the South American coastal sample, C.com-M (unique to TDF-A2) was the only haplotype shared between the Kerguelen Island and the South American samples. Haplotype C.com-M, previously thought to be restricted to the Kerguelen subspecies Robineau et al. 2007), was detected in only one female of the South American subspecies, found dead on the beach due to by-catch. This single specimen could be explained by a 'return' dispersal from Kerguelen Islands or from other unsampled regions where the haplotype is shared, including the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands. ...
The Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, is found in shallow waters of the continental shelf off the eastern coast of South America between 40°S and 56°S. This species is taken incidentally in artisanal gillnet fisheries, especially along the shallow coastline of northern Tierra del Fuego and southern Patagonia. The biological importance of by-catch is likely to be underestimated if the boundaries of subpopulations are not properly defined. Here, we report on the sequence variation of the mitochondrial DNA control region of the Commerson’s dolphin from five areas defined in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina and Chile, to provide a preliminary assessment of population structure where conservation efforts are most needed. A 466 bp fragment of the mitochondrial DNA control region was sequenced from 196 samples of skin, teeth and bone, defining 20 haplotypes from 17 polymorphic sites. Nucleotide (π = 0.40%) and haplotype (h = 0.807) diversity were low compared to some other odontocete populations, but similar to that of other species of this genus. Genetic differentiation evaluated through analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) showed significant overall differences among areas within Tierra del Fuego (Φ
ST
= 0.059, P < 0.01). An analysis of sex-specific population structure suggested that the dispersal rates of both females and males are low, indicative of females displaying greater site fidelity. The results from mtDNA control region sequences alone revealed significant differentiation among studied areas, which should be considered as independent management units. We recommend that the impact of localized gillnet mortalities should be managed on a local scale in these areas of Tierra del Fuego.
... Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) is a coastal species ranging from 41°30 0 S to 55°S in the southwestern South Atlantic Ocean, including the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands (Goodall 1994). A separate subspecies occurs off the Kerguelen Islands (Indian Ocean) (Robineau et al. 2007). Although the species mainly inhabits shallow coastal waters, there have been several sightings as far as 200 nm from the shore (Pedraza 2008 ). ...
Commerson’s dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) along the Patagonian coast of South America suffer incidental mortality in fisheries and are the target of a dolphin-watching
industry. We describe the daily activity patterns and assess the variation in the relative abundance of the species near the
northern boundary of its range. Information was gathered with a spotting scope from a cliff-top vantage point applying the
method of scan sampling. Behaviors were categorized as individual feeding, cooperative feeding, directional swimming, socializing,
and resting. These behaviors are similar to those observed in other species of small cetacean, but differences were found
regarding the patterns of directional swimming and feeding techniques. Hunting tactics favored the association of terns with
dolphin groups. No clear dial behavioral pattern was observed, but seasonal changes in the frequency of behaviors were recorded.
Group and school sizes were larger during periods with colder sea surface temperature (SST). Seasonal abundance was correlated
with SST, suggesting that at higher SST the species forsakes the area, probably in favor of coastal areas to the south with
lower SST.
KeywordsCommerson’s dolphin-Behavioral ecology-Patagonia-Terns-Sea surface temperature
Arqueología histórica en Rey Don Felipe (Puerto del Hambre).
Rey Don Felipe fue la ciudad más austral de todo el orbe en el siglo XVI, proyectada por la Corona española a fines de 1580 con el objetivo de controlar el estrecho de Magallanes. Felipe II, rey de España en aquel entonces, libraba una guerra con los Países Bajos e Inglaterra, dos potencias navales que acechaban continuamente sus colonias. El estrecho estaba en la mira de ambas.
Libro completo:
https://banco.santander.cl/nuestro-banco/santander-y-la-cultura/coleccion/archivos/estrecho-de-magallanes
Obtaining the representative morphological data required for traditional taxonomy is difficult, and sometimes impossible, for cetaceans, especially large ones. As a result, three quarters of the 88 currently recognized extant species have no subspecies and 40 taxa likely have additional unnamed taxa. Conservation needs give urgency to improving taxonomy because unnamed taxa are unlikely to receive protection equivalent to that received by named taxa. Genetic data can improve efforts to delimit subspecies, but the markers and methods used have varied and the magnitude of genetic difference used to justify subspecies distinctions across studies has also varied. Here, we define the concepts of populations, subspecies, and species to establish a foundation for developing guidelines (data to include and analyses to conduct) and quantitative standards (the magnitude of differentiation expected at different taxonomic levels) for using genetic data to support taxonomic recognition. Our definition is particularly applicable to data-poor groups because it allows for naming a subspecies when there is uncertainty about whether lineages have diverged sufficiently for species-level recognition. This allows a species that lacks convincing data for lineage divergence to be recognized as a subspecies while sufficient data are accrued, which could take decades for some cetaceans.
Cetacean taxonomy continues to be in flux and molecular genetic analyses examining alpha taxonomy in cetaceans have relied heavily on the mitochondrial DNA control region. However, there has been little consistency across studies; a variety of metrics and levels of divergence have been invoked when delimiting new cetacean species and subspecies. Using control region sequences, we explored, across pairs of well-recognized cetacean populations, subspecies, and species, a suite of metrics measuring molecular genetic differentiation to examine which metrics best categorize these taxonomic units. Nei's estimate of net divergence (dA) and percent diagnosability performed best. All but a single, recently diverged species were unambiguously identified using these metrics. Many subspecies were found at intermediate values as expected, allowing separation from both populations and species, but several had levels of divergence equivalent to populations, resulting in underclassification errors using this single marker. Coupling dA with additional measures, such as percent diagnosability, examining appropriate nuclear genetic markers, and interpreting results in a broader biological context will improve taxonomic investigations in cetaceans.
This chapter focuses on geographic variation in morphology. When morphological variation and range are discontinuous, i.e., the populations or metapopulations are allopatric and can be diagnosed from one or, more commonly, a few characters, they are usually recognized as species, with the inference that they have diverged irrevocably in their evolutionary paths. Mammal species tend to vary geographically most in those features that vary most within a population. If, as for most mammals, body size varies broadly within a population, then geographic variants will usually differ in average body size. In another example, odontocete cetaceans are unusual among mammals in that they vary greatly in the number of teeth and vertebrae within a species, and, as expected, these features differ sharply between geographic forms. It is likely that most geographic variation in morphology in marine mammals is due to differential selection rather than genetic drift. By saying that two populations belong to the same species, we are implying that there is, or recently has been, gene flow between them. Populations can diverge sharply morphologically in the presence of even substantial gene flow if the ecologically engendered differential selection is strong enough.
Much has been written about dolphins and whales, and excellent books exist especially on the charismatic bottlenose dolphins; and killer, humpback, and sperm whales. But detailed studies have been carried out on a handful of other species, and this book summarizes our state of knowledge of a little dolphin - the southern hemisphere "dusky", and compares its behavioral strategies in different environs. The editors, Bernd and Mel Würsig, began studying duskies in Patagonia Argentina in 1972. Although they have been to many parts of the Earth since then including work on Amazon and Yangtze river dolphins, Hawai'i for the delicate lovely spinner dolphin, the Arctic for bowhead and gray whale work, and bottlenose dolphins in several milieusthey have always returned to their fist love of unraveling the social patterns and life strategies of duskies that exist in small groups in semi-enclosed bays and as herds of well over 1,000 in the open ocean. This book documents the latest research, from their feeding paterns to their acrobatic skills. It is full of scientific facts, with a sense of poetry and wonder of the unknown. - Only book fully devoted to the southern hemisphere "dusky" dolphin - Heavily illustrated with charts, figures, tables, and all color photos - Written by a cadre of experts intimately familiar with dolphin field work - Each chapter begins with a personal vignette, giving a poetic interlude to what is essentially a scientific work.
An evaluation of the stranding record for the period 1866 to September 2012 confirms that the Falkland (Malvinas) Islands cetacean community is composed of 7 species of baleen whale, 7 beaked whale species, sperm whale, 8 species of dolphin and 1 of porpoise. The stranding record supports the species composition based on at-sea surveys, but also confirms the presence of some rare, vessel-shy and/or offshore and deepwater species. Five species - long-finned pilot whale, Peale's dolphin, Commerson's dolphin, hourglass dolphin and sperm whale - are considered to have a regular presence in the Islands. Six species are considered infrequent, 11 are considered rare and 2 species had a historic presence but have not been recorded in recent years. The stranding record suggests potential temporal changes for some of these species, reflecting perhaps a recovery of their population from over-exploitation and/or changes in oceanographic conditions and/or prey availability.
Marine Mammals: Evolutionary Biology, Third Edition is a succinct, yet comprehensive text devoted to the systematics, evolution, morphology, ecology, physiology, and behavior of marine mammals. Earlier editions of this valuable work are considered required reading for all marine biologists concerned with marine mammals, and this text continues that tradition of excellence with updated citations and an expansion of nearly every chapter that includes full color photographs and distribution maps. • Comprehensive, up-to-date coverage of the biology of all marine mammals • Provides a phylogenetic framework that integrates phylogeny with behavior and ecology • Features chapter summaries, further readings, an appendix, glossary and an extensive bibliography • Exciting new color photographs and additional distribution maps.
Comparisons of sympatric species in different habitats indicate that dolphins seem to avoid resource competition by using dietary, behavioral, and habitat-related specializations. Sympatric ecology can provide interesting insights into the behavioral flexibility, social dynamics, and habitat preferences of different species and how they adapt to different environmental conditions. Species occupying a variety of niches and exhibiting greater behavioral plasticity are likely to be better equipped to adapt to environmental changes. Sympatric mammal species have adopted a variety of strategies to promote coexistence, including differential use of space, temporal separation in space use, and differences in activity patterns and diet. Dusky dolphins show the greatest behavioral plasticity and occur in more disparate habitats than other members of the Lagenorhynchus or Cephalorhynchus genera. Dusky dolphins range widely, form larger groups, and use varied foraging tactics to exploit relatively unpredictable but profitable resources. When prey resources are sparsely distributed but locally abundant, such as schooling fish in the open ocean, larger groups yield benefits to individual dolphins by increasing individual foraging efficiency through cooperative behaviors and reducing predation risk. Behavioral strategies and grouping patterns of dusky dolphins seem to vary in relation to the openness of the habitat and the behavior of preferred prey species in that area. In contrast, Cephalorhynchus dolphins have relatively small movement ranges, small group sizes, and an affinity for coastal shallow waters.
Understanding genetic differentiation and speciation processes in marine species with high dispersal capabilities is challenging. The Chilean dolphin, Cephalorhynchus eutropia, is the only endemic cetacean of Chile and is found in two different coastal habitats: a northern habitat with exposed coastlines, bays and estuaries from Valparaíso (33°02'S) to Chiloé(42°00'S), and a southern habitat with highly fragmented inshore coastline, channels and fjords between Chiloé and Navarino Island (55°14'S). With the aim of evaluating the potential existence of conservation units for this species, we analyzed the genetic diversity and population structure of the Chilean dolphin along its entire range. We genotyped 21 dinucleotide microsatellites for 53 skin samples collected between 1998 and 2012 (swab: n = 8, biopsy: n = 38, entanglement n = 7). Bayesian clustering and spatial model analyses identified two genetically distinct populations corresponding to the northern and southern habitats. Genetic diversity levels were similar in the two populations (He: 0.42 v/s 0.45 for southern and northern populations, respectively), while effective size population was higher in the southern area (Ne: 101 v/s 39). Genetic differentiation between these two populations was high and significant (FST = 0.15 and RST = 0.19), indicating little or no current gene flow. Because of the absence of evident geographical barriers between the northern and southern populations, we propose that genetic differentiation may reflect ecological adaptation to the different habitat conditions and resource uses. Therefore, the two genetic populations of this endemic and Near Threatened species should be considered as different conservation units with independent management strategies.
Commerson’s dolphins, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, suffer bycatch in fisheries and are
target of dolphin-watching activities along Patagonia. Here we described dolphins’ habitat use and behavioural pattern at the estuary of Santa Cruz River. Behavioural observations were made from vantage points using a spotting scope. Boat surveys were conducted randomly from Puerto Santa Cruz to the mouth of the river to
analyze the habitat use. The survey area was divided into 1 km2 cells and characterized with depth and benthic slope. The described behaviours for the Commerson’s dolphin were: travelling, slow travelling, milling, resting, socializing, stationary swimming and diving. A new behavioural context was assigned to diving, a behaviour that showed a high frequency during downing tide, suggesting a benthic foraging strategy. Additionally, we found a strong influence of the tide on Commerson's dolphin behaviour. Habitat use models indicated that dolphins prefer shallow water inside the estuary. The knowledge of the behavioural patterns and the habitat use of these endemic species, in this unexplored area, provide tools for management and conservation purposes.
We reviewed the subspecies listed by Rice (1998) and those described since (a total of 49, in 19 species), assessing them against the criteria recommended by the recent Workshop on Shortcomings of Cetacean Taxonomy in Relation to Needs of Conservation and Management (Reeves et al., 2004). The workshop suggested that the subspecies concept can be construed to cover two types of entities: a) lineages diverging but not quite far along the continuum of divergence (still having significant gene flow with another lineage or lineages) to be judged as species, and b) lineages that may well be species but for which not enough evidence is yet available to justify their designation as such. As a criterion for support of a subspecies, the workshop suggested as a guideline that there be at least one good line of either morphological or appropriate genetic evidence. "Appropriate" was not defined; the recommendation was that that be left up to the taxonomist authors of subspecies and to their professional peers. A further recommendation was that evidence on distribution, behavior and ecology should be considered not as primary but as supporting evidence, as there was not agreement at the workshop that such characters are necessarily stable (in the case of distribution) or inherent (behavior and ecology).
The Commerson’s dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii, is perhaps the cetacean species most impacted by fisheries in the coastal waters of southern South America, south of 41oS. Between January 1999 and February 2000, 66 Commerson ́s dolphins were found dead on the coasts of La Angelina and Ría Gallegos3, and at least 37 of the ones at La Angelina beach (51o20’S, 069o02’W) were caught incidentally. These captures occurred in gill nets that were set in waters shallower than 15m and mainly for Patagonian blenny (Eleginops maclovinus), silversides (Odonthestes nigricans) and parona leatherjack (Parona signata). The season for set net fishing, extending from the end of August to mid February, overlaps with the breeding season (November- February) of Commerson’s dolphins, which is also when this species moves inshore. The estimated catch per unit of effort (CPUE) for gillnets in the area of La Angelina was 0.229 dolphins x (1,000m of net x set)-1. By extrapolation, the estimated total by-catch during the 1999/2000 fishing season in the region of La Angelina and Ría Gallegos was 179 dolphins (SD = 18.8; CI = 141 - 212). Although no abundance estimation of Commerson’s dolphins in this region is available, the estimated level of by- catch is concerning. Recommendations for action to mitigate and further document the impact of set gillnets are presented.
An open access copy of this article is available from the publishers website. The endemic New Zealand dolphin Cephalorhynchus hectori has been shown through genetic analyses to consist of four regional populations separated to various degrees both geographically and reproductively. A morphological study of skull and mandible features was undertaken to examine variation between the most genetically distinct population, occurring on the west coast of the North Island, and the populations around the South Island. Univariate and principal component analyses demonstrate that the North Island population can be differentiated from the southern populations on the basis of several skeletal characters. These characters, plus the genetic evidence of haplotype differences and absence of gene-flow between populations, enable us to formally describe the North Island population of Hector's dolphin as a new subspecies, C. hectori maui, and the nominate South Island populations as C. hectori hectori.
Microsatellites are one of the most important classes of nuclear genetic markers and offer many advantages for the study of marine mammals. Here we describe the isolation and characterization of 12 cetacean microsatellites which are then tested across 30 different cetacean species. For around half the species tested, five or more polymorphic loci were identified. Since many species were represented by only one or two specimens, this figure is likely to underestimate the usefulness of these markers. No relationship was found between microsatellite repeat length and proportion of species which gave polymorphic products.
Desirable external measurements are defined, and important natural history data relating to reproduction, food habits and parasites are listed, in an attempt to standardize the recording of this vital information for use both by cetologists and by zoologists lacking previous experience with the smaller cetaceans.
U n isolat geographique du dauphin de Commerson a pu etre mis en evidence aux Ties Kerguelen. La taille plus importante des individus de cette population semble (en accord avec la regie d'Allen) etre reliee ä la temperature plus basse des eaux. La difference de pigmentation notee pourrait etre en rapport avec une reconnaissance intraspecifique plus aisee des animaux, dans un milieu aux eaux plus transparentes que celles frequentees ä Porigine par Pespece. Un Statut de sous-espece est propose pour cette population.
Commerson's dolphin is found along the north, east and southeast coasts of Kerguelen Islands. It is a very common species in the north and south parts of the Morbihan Gulf where an important decrease of the population was observed there from June to December. The species seems to be confined to the coastal waters inside the 100m line. These results are based on more than a hundred recent sightings concerning some 600 individuals.
L'étude du squelette complet de onze dauphins de Commerson des îles Kerguelen a fourni des données ostéologiques et ostéométriques qui faisaient presque totalement défaut dans cette espèce. La comparaison de ces données avec celles d'un échantillon de dauphins d'Amérique du Sud et des Malouines (Falkland) a mis en évidence des différences parfois notables quant à la taille des spécimens, aux proportions de certaines parties du crâne et au nombre des dents. Ces éléments confirment ceux tirés de la morphologie externe et de la pigmentation. Les différences morphologiques observées entre les deux populations permettent de penser que la population des Kerguelen, très éloignée du domaine principal de l'espèce, constitue un isolat géographique.
Length polymorphisms within simple-sequence loci occur ubiquitously in non-coding eukaryotic DNA and can be highly informative in the analysis of natural populations. Simple-sequence length polymorphisms (SSLP) in the long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas (Delphinidae) have provided useful information on the mating system as well as on the genetic structure of populations. We have therefore tested whether the polymerase chain reaction primers designed for Globicephala could also be used to uncover variability in other whale species. Homologous loci could indeed be amplified from a diverse range of whales, including all toothed (Odontoceti) and baleen whales (Mysticeti) tested. Cloning and sequencing these loci from 11 different species revealed an unusually high conservation of sequences flanking the simple-sequence stretches, averaging 3.2% difference over 35-40 Myr. This represents the lowest divergence rate for neutral nucleotide positions found for any species group so far and raises the possible need for a re-evaluation of the age of the modern whales. On the other hand, the high conservation of non-coding sequences in whales simplifies the application of SSLP DNA fingerprinting in cetacean species, as primers designed for one species will often uncover variability in other species.
The genus Cephalorhynchus (Gray 1846) consists of four species of small coastal dolphins distributed in cool temperate waters around the Southern Hemisphere. Each species is sympatric with other members of the subfamily Lissodelphininae but widely separated from other congeners. To describe the origin and radiation of these species, we examined 442 bp of mitochondrial DNA control region sequences of 307 individuals from the genus Cephalorhynchus and compared these to sequences from other members of the subfamily Lissodelphininae. We investigate the hypotheses that Cephalorhynchus is a monophyletic genus or, alternatively, that the four species have arisen separately from pelagic Lissodelphine species and have converged morphologically. Our results support the monophyly of Cephalorhynchus within the Lissodelphininae and a pattern of radiation by colonization. We confirm a pattern of shallow but diagnosable species clades with Heaviside's dolphin as the basal branch. We further examine the monophyly of maternal haplotypes represented by our large population sample for each species. Based on this phylogeographic pattern, we propose that Cephalorhynchus originated in the waters of South Africa and, following the West Wind Drift, colonized New Zealand and then South America. The Chilean and Commerson's dolphins then speciated along the two coasts of South America, during the glaciation of Tierra del Fuego. Secondary radiations resulted in genetically isolated populations for both the Kerguelen Island Commerson's dolphin and the North Island Hector's dolphin. Our results suggest that coastal, depth-limited odontocetes are prone to population fragmentation, isolation and occasionally long-distance movements, perhaps following periods of climatic change.
Manuel de Zoologie ou histoire naturelle des mammifè res. Roret, Paris. pp. 442. Lockyer, C Examination of teeth of Commerson's dolphin Cephalorhyunchus commersonii, for age determination
- R P Lesson
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Lesson, R.P. 1827. Manuel de Zoologie ou histoire naturelle des mammifè res. Roret, Paris. pp. 442. Lockyer, C., C.G. Smellie, R.N.P. Goodall and I.S. Cameron. 1981. Examination of teeth of Commerson's dolphin Cephalorhyunchus commersonii, for age determination. J. Zool. Lond. 195: 123–131.
The Jacobita, or Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
- W Gewalt
Gewalt, W. 1990. The Jacobita, or Commerson's dolphin
(Cephalorhynchus commersonii). Aquat. Mamm. 16: 53-64.
Histoire naturelle des cé tacé es, II. Plassan, Paris
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Donné es sur l'e ´ cologie du dauphin de Commerson aux ı ˆles Kerguelen. In: Colloque sur l'e ´ cologie marine des ı ˆles subantarctiques et antarctiques
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Robineau, D. 1987. Donné es sur l'e ´ cologie du dauphin de Commerson aux ı ˆles Kerguelen. In: Colloque sur l'e ´ cologie marine des ı ˆles subantarctiques et antarctiques, Paris, 25 juin 1985, CNFRA no. 57: 37–45.
Report on the workshop on shortcomings of cetacean taxonomy in relation to needs of conservation and management Marine mammals of the world: systematics and distribution. Society for Marine Mammalogy
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Note on Commerson's dolphin in captivity
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Spotte, S., C.W. Radcliff and J.L. Dunn. 1979. Note on
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Description of a new subspecies of Commerson's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii Article in press -uncorrected proof Appendix A. Taxonomy Order Cetacea Brisson, 1762. Family Delphinidae Gray, 1821. Genus Cephalorhynchus Gray, 1846. Species: Cephalorhynchus commersonii
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D. Robineau et al.: Description of a new subspecies of Commerson's dolphin, Cephalorhynchus commersonii Article in press -uncorrected proof Appendix A. Taxonomy Order Cetacea Brisson, 1762. Family Delphinidae Gray, 1821. Genus Cephalorhynchus Gray, 1846. Species: Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacé pè de, 1804).
Flipper serration in Cephalorhynchus commersonii
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Histoire naturelle des cé tacé s. Roret, Paris
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Report of the International Whaling Com-mission, Special Issue 9. International Whaling Commis-sion, Cambridge, Great Britain
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Donovan, eds) Report of the International Whaling Com-mission, Special Issue 9. International Whaling Commis-sion, Cambridge, Great Britain. pp. 119–141.
Data on the genital tract and reproduction in Commerson's dolphin (Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacé pè de, 1804))
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Collet, A. and D. Robineau. 1986. Data on the genital tract and
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Age and body length characteristics of Cephalorhynchus commersonii from incidentally-caught specimens off Tierra del Fuego
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Die Forschungsreise SMS Gazelle in den Jahren 1874 bis 1876
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Genetic divergence and delimitation criteria for sub-species of Commerson's and Hector's dolphins
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Some observations on Antarctic Cetacea
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Records of Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) in South American waters and around South Georgia
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Donné es sur la maturation du squelette post crâ nien chez le dauphin de Commerson (Cephalorhynchus commersonii (Lacé pè de, 1804)) des îles Kerguelen
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Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii) live-captured from the Strait of Magellan
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Commerson's dolphins (Cephalorhynchus commersonii)
live-captured from the Strait of Magellan, Chile. In: (R.L.
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Histoire naturelle des cé tacé es, II
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Noticias sobre algunos cetaceos fosiles y actuales de la Republica Argentina
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From a dolphin (adult female, 174 cm, 9 GLGs) collected in the Gulf of Morbihan (708 E/498309 S), Kerguelen Islands
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