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Morin PA, McCarthy ML, Fung CW, Durban JW, Parsons KM, Perrin WF, Taylor BL, Jefferson TA, Archer FI. Revised taxonomy of eastern North Pacific killer whales ( Orcinus orca): Bigg's and resident ecotypes deserve species status. ROYAL SOCIETY OPEN SCIENCE 2024; 11:231368. [PMID: 38545612 PMCID: PMC10966402 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.231368] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/11/2023] [Revised: 01/29/2024] [Accepted: 02/10/2024] [Indexed: 04/26/2024]
Abstract
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are currently recognized as a single ecologically and morphologically diverse, globally distributed species. Multiple morphotypes or ecotypes have been described, often associated with feeding specialization, and several studies have suggested taxonomic revision to include multiple subspecies or species in the genus. We review the ecological, morphological and genetic data for the well-studied 'resident' and Bigg's (aka 'transient') ecotypes in the eastern North Pacific and use quantitative taxonomic guidelines and standards to determine whether the taxonomic status of these killer whale ecotypes should be revised. Our review and new analyses indicate that species-level status is justified in both cases, and we conclude that eastern North Pacific Bigg's killer whales should be recognized as Orcinus rectipinnus (Cope in Scammon, 1869) and resident killer whales should be recognized as Orcinus ater (Cope in Scammon, 1869).
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Affiliation(s)
- Phillip A. Morin
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
| | - Morgan L. McCarthy
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
| | - Charissa W. Fung
- University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British ColumbiaV6T 1Z4, Canada
| | - John W. Durban
- Marine Mammal Institute, Oregon State University, Newport, OR97365, USA
| | - Kim M. Parsons
- Northwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, Seattle, WA98112, USA
| | - William F. Perrin
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
| | - Barbara L. Taylor
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
| | - Thomas A. Jefferson
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
| | - Frederick I. Archer
- Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, La Jolla, CA92037, USA
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Stafford KM, Melling H, Moore SE, Berchok CL, Braen EK, Brewer AM, Kimber BM. Marine mammal detections on the Chukchi Plateau 2009-2020. THE JOURNAL OF THE ACOUSTICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA 2022; 151:2521. [PMID: 35461500 DOI: 10.1121/10.0010208] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/20/2021] [Accepted: 03/28/2022] [Indexed: 06/14/2023]
Abstract
The Arctic Ice Monitoring (AIM) observatory has been maintained on the Chukchi Plateau at 75.1° N 168.0° W nearly continuously since 2003. The AIM site consists of a submerged mooring that, since October 2008, has been instrumented with a passive acoustic recorder to sample ambient sound, with a focus on marine mammal detections in the High Arctic. Year-long data sets for 2009, 2012, and 2014-2020 were analyzed for the presence of signals from Arctic species including bowhead and beluga whales, bearded seals, and walrus. Calls from subarctic ribbon seals were commonly detected in autumn months, suggesting they have expanded their distribution much further northward. Killer whale calls were detected in recent years providing evidence that they have moved further north into the Pacific Arctic. No other subarctic cetaceans were heard. Year-round passive acoustic sampling of sounds produced by marine mammals over a decadal timescale has enhanced our understanding of how climate-driven changes in biodiversity are affecting even the very High Arctic.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kathleen M Stafford
- Applied Physics Laboratory, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Humfrey Melling
- Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Institute of Ocean Sciences, Victoria, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada
| | - Sue E Moore
- Center for Ecosystem Sentinels, Department of Biology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Catherine L Berchok
- Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, Seattle, Washington 98115, USA
| | - Eric K Braen
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean & Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Arial M Brewer
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean & Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
| | - Brynn M Kimber
- Cooperative Institute for Climate, Ocean & Ecosystem Studies, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, USA
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Willoughby AL, Stimmelmayr R, Brower AA, Clarke JT, Ferguson MC. Gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus) and killer whale (Orcinus orca) co-occurrence in the eastern Chukchi Sea, 2009–2019: evidence from gray whale carcasses observed during aerial surveys. Polar Biol 2022. [DOI: 10.1007/s00300-022-03015-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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