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de Oliveira-Ferreira N, Santos-Neto EB, Manhães BMR, Domit C, Secchi ER, Botta S, Cunha HA, Azevedo AF, Bisi TL, Lailson-Brito J. An additional threat to populations predicted to collapse: Organobromine compounds of natural and anthropogenic sources in rough-toothed dolphins from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean. CHEMOSPHERE 2023; 323:138237. [PMID: 36863632 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2023.138237] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/14/2023] [Accepted: 02/22/2023] [Indexed: 06/18/2023]
Abstract
Organic contaminants with toxic effects, like the conventional brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and BFRs of emergent concern, and their synergistic effects with other micropollutants, can be an additional threat to delphinids. Rough-toothed dolphins (Steno bredanensis) populations strongly associated with coastal environments already face a potential risk of decline due to high exposure to organochlorine pollutants. Moreover, natural organobromine compounds are important indicators of the environment's health. Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), hexabromobenzene (HBB) and the methoxylated PBDEs (MeO-BDEs) were determined in the blubber of rough-toothed dolphins from three ecological populations from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (Southeastern, Southern and Outer Continental Shelf/Southern populations, SE, S, and OCS/S, respectively). The profile was dominated by the naturally produced MeO-BDEs (mainly 2'-MeO-BDE 68 and 6-MeO-BDE 47), followed by the anthropogenic BFRs PBDEs (mainly BDE 47). Median ΣMeO-BDE concentrations varied between 705.4 and 3346.0 ng g-1 lw among populations and ΣPBDE from 89.4 until 538.0 ng g-1 lw. Concentrations of anthropogenic organobromine compounds (ΣPBDE, BDE 99 and BDE 100) were higher in SE population than in OCS/S, indicating a coast - ocean gradient of contamination. Negative correlations were found between the concentration of the natural compounds and age, suggesting their metabolization and/or biodilution and maternal transference. Conversely, positive correlations were found between the concentrations of BDE 153 and BDE 154 and age, indicating low biotransformation capability of these heavy congeners. The levels of PBDEs found are concerning, particularly for SE population, because they are similar to concentrations known for the onset of endocrine disruption in other marine mammals and may be an additional threat to a population in a hotspot for chemical pollution.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara de Oliveira-Ferreira
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Biofísica, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Postal Code: 21941-590; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
| | - Elitieri B Santos-Neto
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Bárbara M R Manhães
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Camila Domit
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LEC), Centro de Estudos do Mar (CEM), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Avenida Beira Mar s/n, Postal Code: 83255-000, Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brazil
| | - Eduardo R Secchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Avenida Itália, km 8, Postal Code: 96203-900, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Silvina Botta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Avenida Itália, km 8, Postal Code: 96203-900, Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
| | - Haydée A Cunha
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Departamento de Genética, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Alexandre F Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - Tatiana L Bisi
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
| | - José Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, Postal Code: 20550-013, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ciências Biológicas - Biofísica, Instituto de Biofísica Carlos Chagas Filho, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho, 373, Postal Code: 21941-590; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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Onoufriou AB, Gaggiotti OE, Aguilar de Soto N, McCarthy ML, Morin PA, Rosso M, Dalebout M, Davison N, Baird RW, Baker CS, Berrow S, Brownlow A, Burns D, Caurant F, Claridge D, Constantine R, Demaret F, Dreyer S, Ðuras M, Durban JW, Frantzis A, Freitas L, Genty G, Galov A, Hansen SS, Kitchener AC, Martin V, Mignucci-Giannoni AA, Montano V, Moulins A, Olavarría C, Poole MM, Reyes Suárez C, Rogan E, Ryan C, Schiavi A, Tepsich P, Urban R. J, West K, Olsen MT, Carroll EL. Biogeography in the deep: Hierarchical population genomic structure of two beaked whale species. Glob Ecol Conserv 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.gecco.2022.e02308] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/06/2022] Open
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3
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do Amaral KB, Barragán-Barrera DC, Mesa-Gutiérrez RA, Farías-Curtidor N, Caballero Gaitán SJ, Méndez-Fernandez P, Santos MCO, Rinaldi C, Rinaldi R, Siciliano S, Martín V, Carrillo M, de Meirelles ACO, Franco-Trecu V, Fagundes NJR, Moreno IB, Lacey Knowles L, Amaral AR. Seascape Genetics of the Atlantic Spotted Dolphin (Stenella frontalis) Based on Mitochondrial DNA. J Hered 2021; 112:646-662. [PMID: 34453543 DOI: 10.1093/jhered/esab050] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2020] [Accepted: 08/20/2021] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) is endemic to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Throughout its distribution, both geographic distance and environmental variation may contribute to population structure of the species. In this study, we follow a seascape genetics approach to investigate population differentiation of Atlantic spotted dolphins based on a large worldwide dataset and the relationship with marine environmental variables. The results revealed that the Atlantic spotted dolphin exhibits population genetic structure across its distribution based on mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA-CR) data. Analyses based on the contemporary landscape suggested, at both the individual and population level, that the population genetic structure is consistent with the isolation-by-distance model. However, because geography and environmental matrices were correlated, and because in some, but not all analyses, we found a significant effect for the environment, we cannot rule out the addition contribution of environmental factors in structuring genetic variation. Future analyses based on nuclear data are needed to evaluate whether local processes, such as social structure and some level of philopatry within populations, may be contributing to the associations among genetic structure, geographic, and environmental distance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Karina Bohrer do Amaral
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos (LABSMAR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, 91501-70 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Dalia C Barragán-Barrera
- Centro de Investigaciones Oceanográficas de Hidrográficas del Caribe CIOH-DIMAR, Barrio Bosque, Sector Manzanillo Escuela Naval de Cadetes "Almirante Padilla," Cartagena, Colombia.,Fundación Macuáticos Colombia, Colombia, Medellín, Colombia.,Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos (LEMVA), Departmento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | | | | | - Susana Josefina Caballero Gaitán
- Laboratorio de Ecología Molecular de Vertebrados Acuáticos (LEMVA), Departmento de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1E No 18A-12, Bogotá, Colombia
| | - Paula Méndez-Fernandez
- Observatoire PELAGIS, UMS 3462 La Rochelle Université / CNRS, Pôle Analytique, 5 allées de l'Océan, 17000 La Rochelle, France
| | - Marcos C Oliveira Santos
- Laboratório de Biologia da Conservação de Mamíferos Aquáticos (LABCMA), Departamento de Oceanografia Biológica, Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, Sala 145-A, 05508-120 São Paulo, SP, Brazil
| | - Caroline Rinaldi
- Association Evasion Tropicale (AET), 1 Rue des Palétuviers, Pigeon Bouillante, 97125 Guadeloupe, France
| | - Renato Rinaldi
- Association Evasion Tropicale (AET), 1 Rue des Palétuviers, Pigeon Bouillante, 97125 Guadeloupe, France
| | - Salvatore Siciliano
- Fundação Oswaldo Cruz (Fiocruz), Av. Brasil 4.365, Manguinhos, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 21040-360, Brazil
| | - Vidal Martín
- Sociedad para el Estudio de Cetáceos del Archipélago Canario (SECAC), Casa de los Arroyo, Avda. Coll n.6, 35500 Arrecife, Lanzarote, Spain
| | - Manuel Carrillo
- Tenerife Conservación, C/Maya No. 8, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
| | - Ana Carolina O de Meirelles
- AQUASIS-Associação de Pesquisa e Preservação de Ecossistemas Aquáticos, Praia de Iparana, s/no, SESC Iparana, 61600-000 Caucaia, CE, Brazil
| | - Valentina Franco-Trecu
- Departamento de Ecología y Evolución, Facultad de Ciencias, UdelaR, Iguá 4225, 11400, Montevideo, Uruguay
| | - Nelson J R Fagundes
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, 91501-70 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Laboratório de Genética Médica e Evolução, Departamento de Genética, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul. Avenida Bento Gonçalves 9500, Prédio 43312, sala 113, Agronomia, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Genética e Biologia Molecular, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco III, Prédio 43312, 91501-970 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil
| | - Ignacio Benites Moreno
- Laboratório de Sistemática e Ecologia de Aves e Mamíferos Marinhos (LABSMAR), Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Programa de Pós-Graduação em Biologia Animal, Instituto de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Bento Gonçalves, 9500, Bloco IV, Prédio 43435, 91501-70 Porto Alegre, RS, Brazil.,Centro de Estudos Costeiros, Limnológicos e Marinhos (CECLIMAR), Campus Litoral Norte, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Avenida Tramandaí, 976, Imbé, Rio Grande do Sul, 95625-000, Brazil
| | - L Lacey Knowles
- Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan, 1105 North University Avenue, Ann Arbor, MI
| | - Ana Rita Amaral
- Centre for Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Changes, Faculdade de Ciências, Universidade de Lisboa, Campo Grande, 1749-016, Lisboa, Portugal.,Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, American Museum of Natural History, 79th Street and Central Park West, New York, NY 10024
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de Oliveira-Ferreira N, Carvalho RR, Santos-Neto EB, Manhães BMR, Guari EB, Domit C, Secchi ER, Botta S, Cunha HA, Azevedo AF, Bisi TL, Lailson-Brito J. Long-Term Consequences of High Polychlorinated Biphenyl Exposure: Projected Decline of Delphinid Populations in a Hotspot for Chemical Pollution. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 2021; 55:15149-15161. [PMID: 34726395 DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.1c03837] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Rough-toothed dolphins, Steno bredanensis, are closely associated with coastal waters in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean, increasing the exposure to multiple stressors, such as chemical pollution. Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are known to affect the health of cetacean species. To comprehend the potential impacts of POPs on populations' viability, it is necessary to distinguish populations and predict their risk of long-term exposure. Blubbers of rough-toothed dolphins (n = 28) collected along the southeastern (SE) and southern (S) Brazilian coast were screened for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and pesticides in a gas chromatograph coupled to a mass spectrometer. Based on the contamination profile, a discriminant function analysis separated the rough-toothed dolphins into three ecological populations: two coastal and one offshore. POP concentrations were the highest reported for the species worldwide and highest among the delphinids in Brazilian waters, reaching 647.9 μg g-1 lw for PCBs. The SE population presented 212.9 ± 163.0, S population presented 101.0 ± 96.7, and OCS/S population presented 183.3 ± 85.3 μg g-1 lw (mean ± SD) of PCBs. The potential risk of effects triggered by elevated PCB concentrations was assessed in an individual-based model. A risk of severe decline in population size is projected for the three populations in the next 100 years, especially in SE Brazil, varying between 67 and 99%.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nara de Oliveira-Ferreira
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
- Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Evolução (PPGEE), Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Rafael R Carvalho
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Elitieri B Santos-Neto
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Bárbara M R Manhães
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Emi B Guari
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Camila Domit
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação (LEC), Centro de Estudos do Mar (CEM), Universidade Federal do Paraná (UFPR), Avenida Beira Mar s/n, 83255-000 Pontal do Paraná, Paraná, Brasil
| | - Eduardo R Secchi
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Avenida Itália, km 8, 96203-900 Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Silvina Botta
- Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha (ECOMEGA), Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG), Avenida Itália, km 8, 96203-900 Rio Grande, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil
| | - Haydée A Cunha
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Alexandre F Azevedo
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - Tatiana L Bisi
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
| | - José Lailson-Brito
- Laboratório de Mamíferos Aquáticos e Bioindicadores (MAQUA), Faculdade de Oceanografia, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), Rua São Francisco Xavier, 524, 20550-013 Rio de Janeiro, Brasil
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Donato A, Siciliano S, Weksler M, Silva D, Carvalho E, Loiola S, Amaral C. Population structure and the conservation status of the rough-toothed dolphins based on the analysis of the mitochondrial control region. FORENSIC SCIENCE INTERNATIONAL GENETICS SUPPLEMENT SERIES 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.fsigss.2019.09.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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6
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Park SY, Cho Y, Lee J, Lee K, Lim SR, Seo S, Han W, Kim HK, Han JE, Kim JH. Determination of the haplotype and complete mitochondrial genome of the rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis (Cetacea: Delphinidae) stranded in Korea. MITOCHONDRIAL DNA PART B 2019. [DOI: 10.1080/23802359.2019.1602010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/27/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Seon Young Park
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
- Division of Animal and Dairy Sciences, College of Agriculture and Life Science, Chungnam National University, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Yuna Cho
- Cetacean Research Institute, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - JunMo Lee
- Department of Biochemistry and Microbiology, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ, USA
| | - Kyunglee Lee
- Cetacean Research Institute, National Institute of Fisheries Science, Ulsan, Republic of Korea
| | - Se Ra Lim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
| | - Seunghyun Seo
- Hanwha Marine Biology Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Wonmin Han
- Hanwha Marine Biology Research Center, Seoul, Republic of Korea
| | - Hye Kwon Kim
- Department of Microbiology, College of Natural Sciences, Chungbuk National University, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
| | - Jee Eun Han
- Laboratory of Aquatic Biomedicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Kyungpook National University, Daegu, Republic of Korea
| | - Ji Hyung Kim
- Infectious Disease Research Center, Korea Research Institute of Bioscience and Biotechnology, Daejeon, Republic of Korea
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Albertson GR, Baird RW, Oremus M, Poole MM, Martien KK, Baker CS. Staying close to home? Genetic differentiation of rough-toothed dolphins near oceanic islands in the central Pacific Ocean. CONSERV GENET 2016. [DOI: 10.1007/s10592-016-0880-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
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Kerem D, Goffman O, Elasar M, Hadar N, Scheinin A, Lewis T. The Rough-Toothed Dolphin, Steno bredanensis, in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: A Relict Population? ADVANCES IN MARINE BIOLOGY 2016; 75:233-258. [PMID: 27770986 DOI: 10.1016/bs.amb.2016.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/06/2023]
Abstract
Only recently included among the cetacean species thought to regularly occur in the Mediterranean, the rough-toothed dolphin (Steno bredanensis) is an obscure and enigmatic member of this ensemble. Preliminary genetic evidence strongly indicates an Atlantic origin, yet the Mediterranean distribution for this species is conspicuously detached from the Atlantic, with all authenticated records during the last three decades being east of the Sicilian Channel and most within the bounds of the Levantine Basin. These dolphins are apparently a small, relict population, probably the remnant of a larger one, contiguous with that in the Atlantic and nowadays entrapped in the easternmost and warmest province. Abundance data are lacking for the species in the Mediterranean. Configuring acoustic detection software to recognise the apparently idiosyncratic vocalisations of rough-toothed dolphins in past and future acoustic recordings may prove useful for potential acoustic monitoring. Evidence accumulated so far, though scant, points to seasonal occupation of shallow coastal waters. Vulnerability to entanglement in gill-nets, contaminants in the region, and the occurrence of mass strandings (possibly in response to anthropogenic noise), are major conservation concerns for the population in the Mediterranean Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- D Kerem
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center (IMMRAC), Haifa, Israel.
| | - O Goffman
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center (IMMRAC), Haifa, Israel
| | - M Elasar
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center (IMMRAC), Haifa, Israel
| | - N Hadar
- Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center (IMMRAC), Haifa, Israel
| | - A Scheinin
- School of Marine Sciences, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel; Israel Marine Mammal Research & Assistance Center (IMMRAC), Haifa, Israel
| | - T Lewis
- North Atlantic & Mediterranean Sperm Whale Catalogue (NAMSC), London, United Kingdom
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