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Kok ACM, Hildebrand MJ, MacArdle M, Martinez A, Garrison LP, Soldevilla MS, Hildebrand JA. Kinematics and energetics of foraging behavior in Rice's whales of the Gulf of Mexico. Sci Rep 2023; 13:8996. [PMID: 37268677 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-35049-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2022] [Accepted: 05/11/2023] [Indexed: 06/04/2023] Open
Abstract
Rorqual foraging behavior varies with species, prey type and foraging conditions, and can be a determining factor for their fitness. Little is known about the foraging ecology of Rice's whales (Balaenoptera ricei), an endangered species with a population of fewer than 100 individuals. Suction cup tags were attached to two Rice's whales to collect information on their diving kinematics and foraging behavior. The tagged whales primarily exhibited lunge-feeding near the sea bottom and to a lesser extent in the water-column and at the sea surface. During 6-10 min foraging dives, the whales typically circled their prey before executing one or two feeding lunges. Longer duration dives and dives with more feeding-lunges were followed by an increase in their breathing rate. The median lunge rate of one lunge per dive of both animals was much lower than expected based on comparative research on other lunge-feeding baleen whales, and may be associated with foraging on fish instead of krill or may be an indication of different foraging conditions. Both animals spent extended periods of the night near the sea surface, increasing the risk for ship strike. Furthermore, their circling before lunging may increase the risk for entanglement in bottom-longline fishing gear. Overall, these data show that Rice's whale foraging behavior differs from other lunge feeding rorqual species and may be a significant factor in shaping our understanding of their foraging ecology. Efforts to mitigate threats to Rice's whales will benefit from improved understanding of patterns in their habitat use and fine-scale ecology.
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Affiliation(s)
- Annebelle C M Kok
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA.
| | - Maya J Hildebrand
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Maria MacArdle
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
| | - Anthony Martinez
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Lance P Garrison
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL, USA
| | - Melissa S Soldevilla
- Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southeast Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, Miami, FL, USA
| | - John A Hildebrand
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California San Diego, La Jolla, CA, 92093, USA
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2
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Cade DE, Kahane-Rapport SR, Gough WT, Bierlich KC, Linsky JMJ, Calambokidis J, Johnston DW, Goldbogen JA, Friedlaender AS. Minke whale feeding rate limitations suggest constraints on the minimum body size for engulfment filtration feeding. Nat Ecol Evol 2023; 7:535-546. [PMID: 36914772 DOI: 10.1038/s41559-023-01993-2] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2022] [Accepted: 01/05/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
Bulk filter feeding has enabled gigantism throughout evolutionary history. The largest animals, extant rorqual whales, utilize intermittent engulfment filtration feeding (lunge feeding), which increases in efficiency with body size, enabling their gigantism. The smallest extant rorquals (7-10 m minke whales), however, still exhibit short-term foraging efficiencies several times greater than smaller non-filter-feeding cetaceans, raising the question of why smaller animals do not utilize this foraging modality. We collected 437 h of bio-logging data from 23 Antarctic minke whales (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) to test the relationship of feeding rates (λf) to body size. Here, we show that while ultra-high nighttime λf (mean ± s.d.: 165 ± 40 lunges h-1; max: 236 lunges h-1; mean depth: 28 ± 46 m) were indistinguishable from predictions from observations of larger species, daytime λf (mean depth: 72 ± 72 m) were only 25-40% of predicted rates. Both λf were near the maxima allowed by calculated biomechanical, physiological and environmental constraints, but these temporal constraints meant that maximum λf was below the expected λf for animals smaller than ~5 m-the length of weaned minke whales. Our findings suggest that minimum size for specific filter-feeding body plans may relate broadly to temporal restrictions on filtration rate and have implications for the evolution of filter feeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- David E Cade
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA.
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA.
| | | | - William T Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA, USA
| | - K C Bierlich
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
- Marine Mammal Institute, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon State University, Newport, OR, USA
| | - Jacob M J Linsky
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
| | | | - David W Johnston
- Division of Marine Science and Conservation, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, USA
| | | | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Institute of Marine Science, University of California, Santa Cruz, CA, USA
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3
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Reidy R, Gauthier S, Doniol-Valcroze T, Lemay MA, Clemente-Carvalho RBG, Cowen LLE, Juanes F. Integrating technologies provides insight into the subsurface foraging behaviour of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) feeding on walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) in Juan de Fuca Strait, Canada. PLoS One 2023; 18:e0282651. [PMID: 36877706 PMCID: PMC9987809 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0282651] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/27/2022] [Accepted: 02/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Subsurface foraging is an important proportion of the activity budget of rorqual whales, yet information on their behaviour underwater remains challenging to obtain. Rorquals are assumed to feed throughout the water column and to select prey as a function of depth, availability and density, but there remain limitations in the precise identification of targeted prey. Current data on rorqual foraging in western Canadian waters have thus been limited to observations of prey species amenable to surface feeding, such as euphausiids and Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii), with no information on deeper alternative prey sources. We measured the foraging behaviour of a humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) in Juan de Fuca Strait, British Columbia, using three complimentary methods: whale-borne tag data, acoustic prey mapping, and fecal sub-sampling. Acoustically detected prey layers were near the seafloor and consistent with dense schools of walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus) distributed above more diffuse aggregations of pollock. Analysis of a fecal sample from the tagged whale confirmed that it had been feeding on pollock. Integrating the dive profile with the prey data revealed that the whale's foraging effort followed the general pattern of areal prey density, wherein the whale had a higher lunge-feeding rate at the highest prey abundance and stopped feeding when prey became limited. Our findings of a humpback whale feeding on seasonally energy-dense fish like walleye pollock, which are potentially abundant in British Columbia, suggests that pollock may be an important prey source for this rapidly growing whale population. This result is informative when assessing regional fishing activities for semi-pelagic species as well as the whales' vulnerability to fishing gear entanglements and feeding disturbances during a narrow window of prey acquisition.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rhonda Reidy
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Stéphane Gauthier
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
- Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Thomas Doniol-Valcroze
- Pacific Biological Station, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Matthew A. Lemay
- Hakai Institute Genomics Laboratory, Quadra Island, British Columbia, Canada
| | | | - Laura L. E. Cowen
- Department of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
| | - Francis Juanes
- Department of Biology, University of Victoria, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
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4
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Field measurements reveal exposure risk to microplastic ingestion by filter-feeding megafauna. Nat Commun 2022; 13:6327. [PMID: 36319629 PMCID: PMC9626449 DOI: 10.1038/s41467-022-33334-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/14/2022] [Accepted: 09/13/2022] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Microparticles, such as microplastics and microfibers, are ubiquitous in marine food webs. Filter-feeding megafauna may be at extreme risk of exposure to microplastics, but neither the amount nor pathway of microplastic ingestion are well understood. Here, we combine depth-integrated microplastic data from the California Current Ecosystem with high-resolution foraging measurements from 191 tag deployments on blue, fin, and humpback whales to quantify plastic ingestion rates and routes of exposure. We find that baleen whales predominantly feed at depths of 50-250 m, coinciding with the highest measured microplastic concentrations in the pelagic ecosystem. Nearly all (99%) microplastic ingestion is predicted to occur via trophic transfer. We predict that fish-feeding whales are less exposed to microplastic ingestion than krill-feeding whales. Per day, a krill-obligate blue whale may ingest 10 million pieces of microplastic, while a fish-feeding humpback whale likely ingests 200,000 pieces of microplastic. For species struggling to recover from historical whaling alongside other anthropogenic pressures, our findings suggest that the cumulative impacts of multiple stressors require further attention.
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Segre PS, di Clemente J, Kahane‐Rapport SR, Gough WT, Meÿer MA, Lombard AT, Goldbogen JA, Penry GS. High‐speed chases along the seafloor put Bryde's whales at risk of entanglement. CONSERVATION SCIENCE AND PRACTICE 2022. [DOI: 10.1111/csp2.12646] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Paolo S. Segre
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
| | - Jacopo di Clemente
- Department of Biology University of Copenhagen Copenhagen Denmark
- Department of Biology University of Southern Denmark Odense Denmark
- Department of Ecoscience Aarhus University Aarhus Denmark
| | - Shirel R. Kahane‐Rapport
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
- Department of Biological Science California State University Fullerton California USA
| | - William T. Gough
- Hopkins Marine Station of Stanford University Pacific Grove California USA
| | - Michael A. Meÿer
- Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment, Branch: Oceans and Coasts Cape Town South Africa
- South African Whale Disentanglement Network (SAWDN) Cape Town South Africa
| | - Amanda T. Lombard
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University Gqeberha South Africa
| | | | - Gwenith S. Penry
- Institute for Coastal and Marine Research, Nelson Mandela University Gqeberha South Africa
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6
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The First Attempt of Satellite Tracking on Occurrence and Migration of Bryde’s Whale (Balaenoptera edeni) in the Beibu Gulf. JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING 2021. [DOI: 10.3390/jmse9080796] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Satellite-tagging is increasingly becoming a powerful biotelemetry approach to obtain remote measurement through tracking free-living cetaceans, which can fill knowledge gaps on cetaceans and facilitate conservation management. Here, we made a first biologging attempt on baleen whales in Chinese waters. An adult Bryde’s whale in the Beibu Gulf was tagged to investigate potential occurrence areas and migration routes of this poorly studied species. The whale was satellite-tracked for ~6 days with 71 filtered Argos satellite locations, resulting in a linear movement distance of 464 km. At each satellite-tracking location, the water depth was measured as 42.1 ± 24.8 m on average. During the satellite-tracking period, the whale’s moving speed was estimated at 5.33 ± 4.01 km/h. These findings expanded the known distribution areas of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf and provided an important scientific basis for the regional protection of this species. We suggest that fine-scale movements, habitat use, and migratory behavior of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf need more biotelemetry research, using long-term satellite-tracking tags and involving enough individuals. Furthermore, the genetic relationship and possible connectivity of Bryde’s whales in the Beibu Gulf and adjacent waters should be examined.
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7
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Wang X, Kittiwattanawong K, Junchompoo C, Sakornwimon W, Chen M, Wu F, Jutapruet S, Huang S. Mapping habitat protection priority over a marine ecoregion under information gaps. DIVERS DISTRIB 2020. [DOI: 10.1111/ddi.13190] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Xianyan Wang
- Laboratory of Marine Biology and Ecology Third Institute of Oceanography Ministry of Natural Resources Xiamen China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration Xiamen China
| | | | - Chalatip Junchompoo
- The Eastern Gulf of Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center Rayong Thailand
| | - Watchara Sakornwimon
- The Middle Gulf of Thailand Marine and Coastal Resources Research Center Chumphon Thailand
| | - Mo Chen
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center Guangxi Academy of Sciences Nanning China
| | - Fuxing Wu
- Laboratory of Marine Biology and Ecology Third Institute of Oceanography Ministry of Natural Resources Xiamen China
- Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration Xiamen China
| | - Suwat Jutapruet
- Faculty of Science and Industrial Technology Prince of Songkla University Surat Thani Thailand
| | - Shiang‐Lin Huang
- Guangxi Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science Guangxi Beibu Gulf Marine Research Center Guangxi Academy of Sciences Nanning China
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8
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Okamura T, Fujiwara S. The range of atlanto-occipital joint motion in cetaceans reflects their feeding behavior. J Anat 2020; 236:434-447. [PMID: 31702831 PMCID: PMC7018632 DOI: 10.1111/joa.13111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2019] [Revised: 10/02/2019] [Accepted: 10/03/2019] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
The cetaceans display a wide variety of lifestyles, especially with regard to their feeding behavior. However, the evolutionary process of the feeding behavior in cetaceans is still poorly understood, in part because reconstructing the feeding behavior of extinct taxa remains difficult. In cetaceans, cranium mobility relative to the trunk largely depends on the range of motion permitted by the atlanto-occipital joint, given the lack of flexibility of the cervical series. In this study, we examined 56 extant cetacean skeletal specimens from 30 species in 25 genera and nine families in order to investigate the relationships between anatomical traits and feeding behavior. Our results suggest that the range of dorso-ventral motion allowed by the atlanto-occipital joint (ROM) depends on prey habitat and the feeding technique of cetaceans. Cetaceans feeding on benthic/demersal prey had a relatively large ROM compared with those feeding on pelagic prey. In addition, ROM was largest in raptorial feeders, intermediate in suction feeders, and smallest in ram-filter feeders. Among raptorial feeders, ROM tended to be larger in taxa that facultatively tear off the prey's flesh compared with taxa that swallow their prey whole. Therefore, we conclude that ROM is a powerful tool to reliably reconstruct the feeding behavior of extinct cetacean taxa.
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Affiliation(s)
- Taro Okamura
- Department of Earth and Planetary SciencesFaculty of ScienceNagoya UniversityNagoyaJapan
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9
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Carroll EL, Gallego R, Sewell MA, Zeldis J, Ranjard L, Ross HA, Tooman LK, O'Rorke R, Newcomb RD, Constantine R. Multi-locus DNA metabarcoding of zooplankton communities and scat reveal trophic interactions of a generalist predator. Sci Rep 2019; 9:281. [PMID: 30670720 PMCID: PMC6342929 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-018-36478-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2018] [Accepted: 11/22/2018] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
To understand the ecosystem dynamics that underpin the year-round presence of a large generalist consumer, the Bryde's whale (Balaenoptera edeni brydei), we use a DNA metabarcoding approach and systematic zooplankton surveys to investigate seasonal and regional changes in zooplankton communities and if whale diet reflects such changes. Twenty-four zooplankton community samples were collected from three regions throughout the Hauraki Gulf, New Zealand, over two temperature regimes (warm and cool seasons), as well as 20 samples of opportunistically collected Bryde's whale scat. Multi-locus DNA barcode libraries were constructed from 18S and COI gene fragments, representing a trade-off between identification and resolution of metazoan taxa. Zooplankton community OTU occurrence and relative read abundance showed regional and seasonal differences based on permutational analyses of variance in both DNA barcodes, with significant changes in biodiversity indices linked to season in COI only. In contrast, we did not find evidence that Bryde's whale diet shows seasonal or regional trends, but instead indicated clear prey preferences for krill-like crustaceans, copepods, salps and ray-finned fishes independent of prey availability. The year-round presence of Bryde's whales in the Hauraki Gulf is likely associated with the patterns of distribution and abundance of these key prey items.
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Affiliation(s)
- E L Carroll
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
| | - R Gallego
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - M A Sewell
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - J Zeldis
- National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, Christchurch, New Zealand
| | - L Ranjard
- Research School of Biology, the Australian National University, Canberra, ACT, Australia
| | - H A Ross
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - L K Tooman
- The Institute for Plant & Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - R O'Rorke
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - R D Newcomb
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- The Institute for Plant & Food Research, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - R Constantine
- School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Institute of Marine Science, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
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Kahane‐Rapport SR, Goldbogen JA. Allometric scaling of morphology and engulfment capacity in rorqual whales. J Morphol 2018; 279:1256-1268. [DOI: 10.1002/jmor.20846] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2018] [Revised: 05/16/2018] [Accepted: 05/17/2018] [Indexed: 11/10/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Shirel R. Kahane‐Rapport
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove California
| | - Jeremy A. Goldbogen
- Department of Biology, Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University 120 Ocean View Blvd, Pacific Grove California
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11
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Tsai CH, Fordyce RE. A new archaic baleen whale Toipahautea waitaki (early Late Oligocene, New Zealand) and the origins of crown Mysticeti. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2018; 5:172453. [PMID: 29765689 PMCID: PMC5936954 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.172453] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/31/2017] [Accepted: 03/13/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
A new genus and species of extinct baleen whale †Toipahautea waitaki (Late Oligocene, New Zealand) is based on a skull and associated bones, from the lower Kokoamu Greensand, about 27.5 Ma (local upper Whaingaroan Stage, early Chattian). The upper jaw includes a thin, elongate and apparently toothless maxilla, with evidence of arterial supply for baleen. Open sutures with the premaxilla suggest a flexible (kinetic) upper jaw. The blowhole is well forward. The mandible is bowed laterally and slightly dorsally; unlike the Eomysticetidae, there are no mandibular alveoli, and the coronoid process is tapered and curved laterally. Jaw structure is consistent with baleen-assisted gulp-feeding. The age of early Chattian makes †Toipahautea a very early, if not the oldest named, toothless and baleen-bearing mysticete, suggesting that the full transition from toothed to baleen-bearing probably occurred in the Early Oligocene. Late Oligocene mysticetes vary considerably in jaw form and kinesis, tooth form and function, and development of baleen, implying a wide range of raptorial, suctorial and filter-feeding behaviour. More study may elucidate the function of jaws, teeth and baleen in terms of opportunist/generalist feeding, as in modern gray whales, versus specialized feeding. We here propose that early mysticetes, when transitioned from toothed to baleen-bearing, were generalists and opportunists instead of specializing in any forms of feeding strategies. In addition, two different phylogenetic analyses placed †Toipahautea either in a polytomy including crown Mysticeti, or immediately basal to the crown, and above †Eomysticetidae in both cases. Because the †Toipahautea waitaki holotype is an immature individual, it may plot more basally in phylogeny than its true position.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cheng-Hsiu Tsai
- Department of Geology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Department of Geology and Paleontology, National Museum of Nature and Science, 4-1-1 Amakubo, Tsukuba 305-0005, Japan
| | - R. Ewan Fordyce
- Department of Geology, University of Otago, PO Box 56, Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
- Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7013, USA
- Department of Vertebrate Zoology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7013, USA
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