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Aulich MG, Miller BS, Samaran F, McCauley RD, Saunders BJ, Erbe C. Diel patterns of fin whale 20 Hz acoustic presence in Eastern Antarctic waters. R Soc Open Sci 2023; 10:220499. [PMID: 37090960 PMCID: PMC10113811 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/17/2022] [Accepted: 03/24/2023] [Indexed: 05/03/2023]
Abstract
This study presents evidence of diel patterns in fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) 20 Hz acoustic presence in Eastern Antarctic waters. Passive acoustic recordings were collected at four sites in Eastern Antarctica from 2013 to 2019. A generalized linear model fitted by a generalized estimating equation was used to test the hypothesis that fin whale 20 Hz acoustic presence shows significant variation between light regimes dawn, day, dusk and night. In the Indian sector of Antarctica, at the Prydz and Southern Kerguelen Plateau sites, fin whale acoustic presence was significantly more common during the night and dawn before declining during the day and dusk periods. A different diel pattern was observed in the Pacific sector, at the Dumont d'Urville site: fin whale acoustic presence was significantly more common during the day than dusk and night periods. No diel pattern was identified at the Casey site. The identified diel patterns in the Indian sector of Eastern Antarctica correlate with previously identified diel patterns of the fin whales' prey. We suggest an indirect association between fin whale acoustic presence and foraging, with the animals more likely to produce the 20 Hz pulse during the night when not foraging and less likely to vocalize when foraging during the day.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meghan G. Aulich
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Brian S. Miller
- Australian Antarctic Division, 203 Channel Highway, Kingston, TAS 7050, Australia
| | - Flore Samaran
- Lab-STICC CNRS UMR 6285, ENSTA Bretagne, Brest 29802, France
| | - Robert D. McCauley
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Benjamin J. Saunders
- School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
| | - Christine Erbe
- Centre for Marine Science and Technology, Curtin University, Bentley, WA 6102, Australia
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Manfrini V, Pierantonio N, Giuliani A, De Pascalis F, Maio N, Mancia A. Fin Whale ( Balaenoptera physalus) Mortality along the Italian Coast between 1624 and 2021. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12. [PMID: 36428339 DOI: 10.3390/ani12223111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2022] [Revised: 11/04/2022] [Accepted: 11/08/2022] [Indexed: 11/12/2022] Open
Abstract
The Mediterranean Sea hosts a population of fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the only species of Mysticete regularly occurring in the basin. Observed and inferred mortality suggests that the population is likely declining. Accordingly, understanding the causes of mortality and assessing the health status is pivotal to the survival of this endangered population. While such studies are inherently difficult for a highly roaming species with a pelagic distribution, mortality events provide the opportunity to investigate biological and epidemiological traits linked to these events, and evaluate the footprint of human activity, especially when long-term data series exist. We present a comprehensive spatial-temporal overview of fin whale mortality events along the Italian coast encompassing four centuries (1624-2021). Time series analysis was used to highlight structural changes in the evolution of mortality through time, while spatial-temporal patterns in the distribution of mortality events were assessed through emerging hot spot analysis methods. Recent mortality events (1964-2021) were further explored to evaluate, where possible, the primary causes of mortality and to identify anthropogenic threats of conservation concerns. This long-term survey offers the basis for an understanding of the health status of this B. physalus population and provides much-needed information for developing an effective management and conservation plan for the species in the region.
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Herr H, Hickmott L, Viquerat S, Panigada S. First evidence for fin whale migration into the Pacific from Antarctic feeding grounds at Elephant Island. R Soc Open Sci 2022; 9:220721. [PMID: 36147939 PMCID: PMC9490345 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.220721] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/02/2022] [Accepted: 09/05/2022] [Indexed: 06/16/2023]
Abstract
This study presents the first long-distance tracks of fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) equipped with satellite transmitters off the Antarctic Peninsula. Southern Hemisphere fin whales were severely depleted by twentieth century industrial whaling, yet recently, they have returned to historical feeding grounds off the northern Antarctic Peninsula, forming large aggregations in austral summers. To date, our knowledge only extended to summer behaviour, while information regarding migration routes and the location of breeding and wintering grounds are lacking. During the austral autumn of 2021, we deployed nsatellite transmitters on four fin whales at Elephant Island. Two transmitters stopped working while the animals were still at the feeding grounds, while two continued to transmit during the transition from feeding activity to migration. Both migrating animals left the feeding ground on 15 April 2021, travelling northward into the Pacific and up along the Chilean coast. The most northerly position received before all tags stopped transmitting on 1 May 2021 was at 48°S. These tracks provide initial evidence of seasonal migratory routes and a first indication toward possible locations of winter destinations. This information, even if preliminary, is critical for investigations of population connectivity, population structure and the identification of breeding grounds of Southern Hemisphere fin whales.
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Affiliation(s)
- H. Herr
- Institute of Marine Ecosystem and Fishery Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, Große Elbstraße 133, Hamburg 22767, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, Bremerhaven 27570, Germany
| | - L. Hickmott
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB, UK
- Open Ocean Consulting, 3b Oaklands Road, Petersfield, Hampshire GU32 2EY, UK
| | - S. Viquerat
- Institute of Marine Ecosystem and Fishery Science, Center for Earth System Research and Sustainability, University of Hamburg, Große Elbstraße 133, Hamburg 22767, Germany
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, Bremerhaven 27570, Germany
| | - S. Panigada
- Tethys Research Institute, Viale G.B. Gadio 2, Milan 20121, Italy
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Santoro M, Palomba M, Gili C, Marcer F, Marchiori E, Mattiucci S. Molecular and morphological characterization of Bolbosoma balaenae (Acanthocephala: Polymorphidae), a neglected intestinal parasite of the fin whale Balaenoptera physalus. Parasitology 2021; 148:1293-1302. [PMID: 34100350 PMCID: PMC11010206 DOI: 10.1017/s0031182021000925] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/20/2021] [Revised: 05/10/2021] [Accepted: 05/29/2021] [Indexed: 11/06/2022]
Abstract
Post-mortem examination of a fin whale Balaenoptera physalus stranded in the Mediterranean Sea led to the finding of Bolbosoma balaenae for the first time in this basin. In this work, we describe new structural characteristics of this parasite using light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy approaches. Moreover, the molecular and phylogenetic data as inferred from both ribosomal RNA 18S-28S and the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase c subunit 1 (cox1) for adult specimens of B. balaenae are also reported for the first time. Details of the surface topography such as proboscis's hooks, trunked trunk spines of the prebulbar foretrunk, ultrastructure of proboscis's hooks and micropores of the tegument are shown. The 18S + 28S rRNA Bayesian tree (BI) as inferred from the phylogenetic analysis showed poorly resolved relationships among the species of Bolbosoma. In contrast, the combined 18S + 28S + mtDNA cox1 BI tree topology showed that the present sequences clustered with the species of Bolbosoma in a well-supported clade. The comparison of cox1 and 18S sequences revealed that the present specimens are conspecific with the cystacanths of B. balaenae previously collected in the euphausiid Nyctiphanes couchii from the North Eastern Atlantic Ocean. This study provided taxonomic, molecular and phylogenetic data that allow for a better characterization of this poor known parasite.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mario Santoro
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121Naples, Italy
| | - Marialetizia Palomba
- Department of Integrative Marine Ecology, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale 1, 80121Naples, Italy
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Parasitology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185Rome, Italy
| | - Claudia Gili
- Department of Animal Welfare and Care, Stazione Zoologica Anton Dohrn, Villa Comunale, 1, 80121Naples, Italy
| | - Federica Marcer
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - Erica Marchiori
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020Legnaro, Padova, Italy
| | - Simonetta Mattiucci
- Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Section of Parasitology, Sapienza University of Rome, 00185Rome, Italy
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Garcia-Garin O, Aguilar A, Vighi M, Víkingsson GA, Chosson V, Borrell A. Ingestion of synthetic particles by fin whales feeding off western Iceland in summer. Chemosphere 2021; 279:130564. [PMID: 33895676 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2021.130564] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/30/2021] [Revised: 03/19/2021] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 06/12/2023]
Abstract
In this study we aim to assess the daily ingestion rates of synthetic particles by the fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) that feed off the western coast of Iceland. To do so, we collected and analysed samples from the stomach content of 25 fin whales, consisting solely of northern krill (Meganyctiphanes norvegica). The particles found consisted of fibres and fragments, mainly blue, black and red, with an average size of 1.2 ± 1.3 mm. To confirm the synthetic nature of these particles, we used Micro-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and comparison with a polymer library. The mean concentration of synthetic particles in the krill samples found in the stomachs of whales was 0.057 particles per gram, a value much lower than that previously reported for particle uptake by krill. From this concentration in krill, we estimated that the daily intake of synthetic particles for the North Atlantic fin whale would be ranging from 38,646 ± 43,392 to 77,292 ± 86,784 particles per day. Although at this level it is not possible to assess the impact of synthetic particles and their associated chemicals on the North Atlantic fin whale population, concentrations of these contaminants are likely to increase in the future, potentially causing adverse effects on whales and other marine mammals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odei Garcia-Garin
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex Aguilar
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Morgana Vighi
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gísli A Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Fornubuðir 5, 220, Hafnafjörður, Iceland
| | - Valérie Chosson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Fornubuðir 5, 220, Hafnafjörður, Iceland
| | - Asunción Borrell
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) and Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain.
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Burkhardt E, Van Opzeeland I, Cisewski B, Mattmüller R, Meister M, Schall E, Spiesecke S, Thomisch K, Zwicker S, Boebel O. Seasonal and diel cycles of fin whale acoustic occurrence near Elephant Island, Antarctica. R Soc Open Sci 2021; 8:201142. [PMID: 34084537 PMCID: PMC8150045 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.201142] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2020] [Accepted: 04/28/2021] [Indexed: 05/09/2023]
Abstract
This study investigates the relevance of the Elephant Island (EI) region for Southern Hemisphere fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) in their annual life cycle. We collected 3 years of passive acoustic recordings (January 2013 to February 2016) northwest of EI to calculate time series of fin whale acoustic indices, daily acoustic occurrence, spectrograms, as well as the abundance of their 20 Hz pulses. Acoustic backscatter strength, sea ice concentration and chlorophyll-a composites provided concurrent environmental information for graphic comparisons. Acoustic interannual, seasonal and diel patterns together with visual information and literature resources were used to define the period of occupancy and to infer potential drivers for their behaviour. Spectral results suggest that these fin whales migrate annually to and from offshore central Chile. Acoustic data and visual information reveal their arrival at EI in December to feed without producing their typical 20 Hz pulse. For all 3 years, acoustic activity commences in February, peaks in May and decreases in August, in phase with the onset of their breeding season. Our results emphasize the importance of EI for fin whales throughout most of the year. Our recommendation is to consider EI for establishing a marine protected area to expedite the recovery of this vulnerable species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Elke Burkhardt
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Ilse Van Opzeeland
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
- Helmholtz Institute for Functional Marine Biodiversity (HIFMB), Carl von Ossietzky University, Ammerländer Heerstraße 231, 26129 Oldenburg, Germany
| | - Boris Cisewski
- Thünen Institute of Sea Fisheries, Herwigstraße 31, 27572 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Ramona Mattmüller
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Marlene Meister
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Elena Schall
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Stefanie Spiesecke
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Karolin Thomisch
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Sarah Zwicker
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
| | - Olaf Boebel
- Alfred Wegener Institute Helmholtz Centre for Polar and Marine Research, Am Handelshafen 12, 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany
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Garcia-Garin O, Sala B, Aguilar A, Vighi M, Víkingsson GA, Chosson V, Eljarrat E, Borrell A. Organophosphate contaminants in North Atlantic fin whales. Sci Total Environ 2020; 721:137768. [PMID: 32197282 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.137768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/09/2020] [Revised: 02/25/2020] [Accepted: 03/05/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Pollution of the marine environment by litter composed of plastics is a growing concern. Chemical additives such as organophosphate flame retardants (OPFRs), which are added to plastics to improve their qualities, are in focus because they allegedly cause adverse effects on marine fauna. Here we analyse OPFR levels in the muscle of fin whales because, as a mysticete, this cetacean obtains its food by filter-feeding and is thus highly vulnerable to marine litter. Moreover, the fin whale performs long-range migrations from low-latitude areas in winter to high-latitude areas in summer, a trait that makes it a potentially good large-scale biomonitor of pollution. We also analyse OPFR levels in its main prey, the krill Meganyctiphanes norvegica, to assess transfer through diet. The samples analysed consisted of muscle tissue from 20 fin whales and whole-body homogenates of 10 krill samples, all collected off West Iceland. From the 19 OPFRs analysed, we detected 7 in the fin whale and 5 in the krill samples. Tri-n-butyl phosphate (TNBP), Isopropylated triphenyl phosphate (IPPP) and Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) were the most abundant compounds found in both species. Mean ∑OPFR concentration, expressed on a lipid weight basis, was 985 (SD = 2239) ng g-1 in fin whale muscle, and 949 (SD = 1090) ng g-1 in krill homogenates. These results constitute the first evidence of the presence of OPFRs in the tissues of fin whales. Furthermore, they seem to support the non-significance of bioaccumulation of OPFRs through lifespan and of biomagnification trough the food web.
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Affiliation(s)
- Odei Garcia-Garin
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Berta Sala
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry, Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Alex Aguilar
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Morgana Vighi
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Gísli A Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, P. O. Box 1390, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Valerie Chosson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, P. O. Box 1390, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Ethel Eljarrat
- Water, Environmental and Food Chemistry, Department of Environmental Chemistry, Institute of Environmental Assessment and Water Research (IDAEA-CSIC), Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Asunción Borrell
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Universitat de Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain
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Gauffier P, Borrell A, Silva MA, Víkingsson GA, López A, Giménez J, Colaço A, Halldórsson SD, Vighi M, Prieto R, de Stephanis R, Aguilar A. Wait your turn, North Atlantic fin whales share a common feeding ground sequentially. Mar Environ Res 2020; 155:104884. [PMID: 32072986 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2020.104884] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2019] [Revised: 01/10/2020] [Accepted: 01/19/2020] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Highly migratory marine species pose a challenge for the identification of management units due to the absence of clear oceanographic barriers. The population structure of North Atlantic fin whales has been investigated since the start of whaling operations but is still the subject of an ongoing scientific debate. Here we measured stable isotopes of carbon, nitrogen and oxygen in skin samples collected from 151 individuals from western Iceland, Galicia (NW Spain), the Azores archipelago and the Strait of Gibraltar (SoG). We found spatiotemporal differences in stable isotope ratios suggesting that fin whales sampled in these four areas may share a common feeding ground within the Northeast Atlantic at different times during the year. Our results also suggest that SoG whales use this common feeding ground in summer but exploit Mediterranean resources during the winter months, further supporting the existence of a limited but current exchange of individuals between these two basins.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pauline Gauffier
- CIRCE, Cabeza de Manzaneda, 3, 11390, Pelayo, Algeciras, Spain; Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain.
| | - Asunción Borrell
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Mónica A Silva
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal; Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA, 02543, USA
| | - Gísli A Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 101, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Alfredo López
- Departamento de Biologia & CESAM, Universidade de Aveiro, Campus Universitário de Santiago, 3810-193, Aveiro, Portugal; Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamíferos Mariños (CEMMA), P.O. Box 15, 36380, Pontevedra, Gondomar, Spain
| | - Joan Giménez
- Institut de Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC), Passeig Maritim 37-49, 08003, Barcelona, Spain; MaREI Centre for Marine and Renewable Energy, Environmental Research Institute, Beaufort Building, University College Cork, Ringaskiddy, P43 C573 Cork, Ireland; School of Biological, Earth, and Environmental Sciences (BEES), University College Cork, Distillery Fields, North Mall, T23 N73K Cork, Ireland
| | - Ana Colaço
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
| | | | - Morgana Vighi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rui Prieto
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal; MARE - Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre and IMAR, Institute of Marine Research, University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal
| | - Renaud de Stephanis
- CIRCE, Cabeza de Manzaneda, 3, 11390, Pelayo, Algeciras, Spain; Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Puerto Pesquero s/n, 29640 Fuengirola, Málaga, Spain
| | - Alex Aguilar
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028, Barcelona, Spain
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Flores-Cascante L, Gómez-Gutiérrez J, Gómez Del Prado-Rosas MDC, Gendron D. Helminth Load in Feces of Free-Ranging Blue and Fin Whales from the Gulf of California. Acta Parasitol 2019; 64:625-37. [PMID: 31165986 DOI: 10.2478/s11686-019-00069-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2018] [Accepted: 05/06/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION This is the first worldwide systematic and quantitative study to count and identify helminth parasites from 100 blue and 44 fin whale fecal samples collected in the Gulf of California during winter (1993-2014). RESULTS Blue and fin whale feces had similar prevalence of adult acanthocephalans (Bolbosoma sp.) in feces (18.2% and 14.6%, respectively), but blue whales had significantly higher helminth egg prevalence in feces (100%) and mean intensity (443 ± 318 eggs/g) compared to fin whales (61%, 252 ± 327 eggs/g). Diphyllobothrium sp. eggs were identified in blue whale feces and Diphyllobothridae, Ogmogaster sp. and Crassicauda sp. eggs were identified in fin whale feces. We tested the hypothesis that egg intensity in blue whale's feces varies as a function of age class, reproductive status, sex, preservation and sampling years using a Generalized Linear Model. This model explained 61% of the variance in the helminth egg intensity, but it was not significant. Eighteen blue whale individuals were resampled over time without significant difference between consecutive samples. CONCLUSIONS Thus, all individual blue whales that migrate to the Gulf of California during winter are permanently parasitized with helminths, while the resident fin whales showed lower prevalence and intensity. This helminth load difference is likely due to their different diets duringsummer-fall, when blue whales feed on other krill species in the California Current System and fin whales shift to school fish prey types in the Gulf of California.
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Taniguchi S, Colabuono FI, Dalla Rosa L, Secchi ER, da Silva J, Maia DA, Montone RC. Persistent organic pollutants in blubber of fin whales ( Balaenoptera physalus) from the Southern Ocean. Mar Pollut Bull 2019; 145:148-152. [PMID: 31590771 DOI: 10.1016/j.marpolbul.2019.05.045] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/22/2019] [Revised: 05/09/2019] [Accepted: 05/20/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) were analyzed in eighteen blubber samples biopsied from fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) during the feeding season near the Antarctic Peninsula in the summer of 2013. POP content (in ng g-1 lipid weight) ranged from 46.4 to 708 for polychlorinated biphenyls (∑PCBs), 6.77 to 123 for hexachlorobenzene (HCB), 10.1 to 489 for dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane and derivatives (∑DDTs), 5.38 to 52.8 for hexachlorocyclohexanes (∑HCH) and <0.40 to 2.54 for polybrominated diphenyl ethers (∑PBDEs). The presence of those compounds in Southern Ocean fin whales is related to long-range transport and their diet based mainly on euphausiids (krill). Their contents were much lower compared to the same species in other locations, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, presumably due to differences in trophic position and the proximity of POP sources and contamination of prey items.
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Affiliation(s)
- Satie Taniguchi
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil.
| | - Fernanda I Colabuono
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Luciano Dalla Rosa
- Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, RS 96203-000, Brazil
| | - Eduardo R Secchi
- Instituto de Oceanografia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande - FURG, Rio Grande, RS 96203-000, Brazil
| | - Josilene da Silva
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Daniela A Maia
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil
| | - Rosalinda C Montone
- Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo, Praça do Oceanográfico, 191, São Paulo, SP 05508-120, Brazil
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11
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Silva MA, Borrell A, Prieto R, Gauffier P, Bérubé M, Palsbøl PJ, Colaço A. Stable isotopes reveal winter feeding in different habitats in blue, fin and sei whales migrating through the Azores. R Soc Open Sci 2019; 6:181800. [PMID: 31598219 PMCID: PMC6731742 DOI: 10.1098/rsos.181800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/23/2018] [Accepted: 07/23/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
Knowing the migratory movements and behaviour of baleen whales is fundamental to understanding their ecology. We compared δ15N and δ13C values in the skin of blue (Balaenoptera musculus), fin (Balaenoptera physalus) and sei (Balaenoptera borealis) whales sighted in the Azores in spring with the values of potential prey from different regions within the North Atlantic using Bayesian mixing models to investigate their trophic ecology and migration patterns. Fin whale δ15N values were higher than those recorded in blue and sei whales, reflecting feeding at higher trophic levels. Whales' skin δ15N and δ13C values did not reflect prey from high-latitude summer foraging grounds; instead mixing models identified tropical or subtropical regions as the most likely feeding areas for all species during winter and spring. Yet, differences in δ13C values among whale species suggest use of different regions within this range. Blue and sei whales primarily used resources from the Northwest African upwelling and pelagic tropical/subtropical regions, while fin whales fed off Iberia. However, determining feeding habitats from stable isotope values remains difficult. In conclusion, winter feeding appears common among North Atlantic blue, fin and sei whales, and may play a crucial role in determining their winter distribution. A better understanding of winter feeding behaviour is therefore fundamental for the effective conservation of these species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mónica A. Silva
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
- Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543, USA
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Açores (MARE), Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Asunción Borrell
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) & Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Rui Prieto
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Açores (MARE), Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
| | - Pauline Gauffier
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio) & Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - Martine Bérubé
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Per J. Palsbøl
- Groningen Institute of Evolutionary Life Sciences, University of Groningen, 9747 AG Groningen, The Netherlands
- Centre for Coastal Studies, Provincetown, MA 02657, USA
| | - Ana Colaço
- Okeanos Centre & Institute of Marine Research (IMAR), University of the Azores, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
- Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre Açores (MARE), Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, 9901-862 Horta, Portugal
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Marcer F, Negrisolo E, Franzo G, Tessarin C, Pietrobelli M, Marchiori E. Morphological and molecular characterization of adults and larvae of Crassicauda spp . (Nematoda: Spirurida) from Mediterranean fin whales Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758). Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2019; 9:258-265. [PMID: 31341767 PMCID: PMC6580233 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijppaw.2019.06.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2019] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 06/07/2019] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Crassicauda boopis is known to infect the kidneys and vascular system of mysticetes included Balaenoptera physalus and has been recently reported in Mediterranean waters. Identification at the species level relies on the observation of morphological features of the adult parasites, but field conditions during necropsy and the massive reaction of the host's immune system often prevent optimal conservation of the extremities. Moreover, larval stages of Crassicauda have never been described and no sequences are available in public databases to help such identification. Adult and larvae of Crassicauda were isolated from four specimens of B. physalus and studied with morphological and molecular techniques. Specimens of C. anthonyi, C. grampicola and Crassicauda sp. isolated from Ziphius cavirostris, Grampus griseus, Stenella coeruleoalba and Tursiops truncatus respectively were studied as well. Sequences of nuclear markers 18S and ITS-2 and of mitochondrial gene cox1 were obtained and phylogenetic relationships within the genus Crassicauda were analysed. Analysis of the ITS2 grouped the different species in accordance with morphological identification, as already evidenced in literature for other Spirurida. A higher intra-specific variability was observed for the cox1 gene, for which two species (C. grampicola and C. anthonyi) did not appear as monophyletic in the tree. Well-developed non-attached larval specimens in the intestinal lumen of a whale calf were molecularly identified as C. boopis, allowing new insights on the life cycle of this species. This work broadens the genetic database on cetaceans parasites, allowing species identification even in challenging field conditions or in poor conservation of the samples; moreover, the first morphological description of C. boopis larvae is provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Marcer
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - E Negrisolo
- Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - G Franzo
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - C Tessarin
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - M Pietrobelli
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
| | - E Marchiori
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020, Legnaro (PD), Italy
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Torreblanca E, Camiñas JA, Macías D, García-Barcelona S, Real R, Báez JC. Using opportunistic sightings to infer differential spatio-temporal use of western Mediterranean waters by the fin whale. PeerJ 2019; 7:e6673. [PMID: 30956904 PMCID: PMC6442671 DOI: 10.7717/peerj.6673] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2018] [Accepted: 02/23/2019] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is a cosmopolitan species with a resident population in the Mediterranean Sea. Due to its habitat, open seas often far from ports and airfields, and its long-distance migratory behaviour, studying and monitoring its distribution is costly. Currently, many opportunistic sightings (OS) reports are available, which provide a source of potentially useful, low-cost information about the spatio-temporal distribution of this species. Since 1993, the Spanish Institute of Oceanography has compiled a dataset comprising 874 records of OS of nine species of cetaceans in the western Mediterranean Sea and adjacent waters. The aim of this study was to use this dataset to investigate the differential use of these waters by the fin whale when compared with other cetaceans. We compared the presence of fin whales with the presence of any other cetacean species in the dataset. Binary logistic regression was then used to model these occurrences according to several spatio-temporal variables expected to reflect their habitat use. Several significant models reveal that fin whales are more prone than other cetaceans to use the waters over the slope of the Gulf of Lion in summer. This finding confirms that the Gulf of Lion is an area of importance for this species and suggests that the slope of the continental shelf could be particularly important. Our study shows how OS can be a source of useful information when appropriately analyzed.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Juan Antonio Camiñas
- Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Fuengirola, Spain
| | - David Macías
- Centro Oceanográfico de Málaga, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Fuengirola, Spain
| | | | - Raimundo Real
- Departamento de Biología Animal, Universidad de Málaga, Málaga, Spain
| | - José Carlos Báez
- Centro Oceanográfico de Canarias, Instituto Español de Oceanografía, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain.,Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Autónoma de Chile, Santiago de Chile, Chile
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Cabrera AA, Hoekendijk JPA, Aguilar A, Barco SG, Berrow S, Bloch D, Borrell A, Cunha HA, Dalla Rosa L, Dias CP, Gauffier P, Hao W, Landry S, Larsen F, Martín V, Mizroch S, Oosting T, Øien N, Pampoulie C, Panigada S, Prieto R, Ramp C, Rivera-Léon V, Robbins J, Ryan C, Schall E, Sears R, Silva MA, Urbán J, Wenzel FW, Palsbøll PJ, Bérubé M. Fin whale ( Balaenoptera physalus) mitogenomics: A cautionary tale of defining sub-species from mitochondrial sequence monophyly. Mol Phylogenet Evol 2019; 135:86-97. [PMID: 30771513 DOI: 10.1016/j.ympev.2019.02.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/30/2018] [Revised: 01/30/2019] [Accepted: 02/04/2019] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The advent of massive parallel sequencing technologies has resulted in an increase of studies based upon complete mitochondrial genome DNA sequences that revisit the taxonomic status within and among species. Spatially distinct monophyly in such mitogenomic genealogies, i.e., the sharing of a recent common ancestor among con-specific samples collected in the same region has been viewed as evidence for subspecies. Several recent studies in cetaceans have employed this criterion to suggest subsequent intraspecific taxonomic revisions. We reason that employing intra-specific, spatially distinct monophyly at non-recombining, clonally inherited genomes is an unsatisfactory criterion for defining subspecies based upon theoretical (genetic drift) and practical (sampling effort) arguments. This point was illustrated by a re-analysis of a global mitogenomic assessment of fin whales, Balaenoptera physalus spp., published by Archer et al. (2013), which proposed to further subdivide the Northern Hemisphere fin whale subspecies, B. p. physalus. The proposed revision was based upon the detection of spatially distinct monophyly among North Atlantic and North Pacific fin whales in a genealogy based upon complete mitochondrial genome DNA sequences. The extended analysis conducted in this study (1676 mitochondrial control region, 162 complete mitochondrial genome DNA sequences and 20 microsatellite loci genotyped in 380 samples) revealed that the apparent monophyly among North Atlantic fin whales reported by Archer et al. (2013) to be due to low sample sizes. In conclusion, defining sub-species from monophyly (i.e., the absence of para- or polyphyly) can lead to erroneous conclusions due to relatively "trivial" aspects, such as sampling. Basic population genetic processes (i.e., genetic drift and migration) also affect the time to the most recent common ancestor and hence the probability that individuals in a sample are monophyletic.
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Vighi M, Borrell A, Víkingsson G, Gunnlaugsson T, Aguilar A. Strontium in fin whale baleen: A potential tracer of mysticete movements across the oceans? Sci Total Environ 2019; 650:1224-1230. [PMID: 30308810 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.103] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2018] [Revised: 09/05/2018] [Accepted: 09/08/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Strontium is a metal broadly distributed in oceanic waters, where its concentrations follow gradients mainly driven by oceanographic and biological factors. Studies on terrestrial vertebrates show that Sr can accumulate in mammalian hair in amounts mainly related to the external environment, a property that has been scarcely investigated in aquatic mammals. Cetaceans are marine mammals whose skin is generally hairless, but the species belonging to the mysticete group feed through a filtering apparatus made of keratinous baleen plates that, like hair, grow continuously. During their annual latitudinal migrations, mysticetes cross water masses with variable chemo-physical characteristics that may be reflected in these tissues. In the present study, baleen plates were sampled from 10 fin whales obtained from NW Spain (N = 5) and SW Iceland (N = 5) to investigate Sr concentrations along the plates growth axis. Samples were taken longitudinally at regular 1 cm-intervals on each plate. Sr concentrations, determined through mass spectrometry, ranged from 5 to 40 mg kg-1 and increased from proximal to distal positions along plates. These results suggest a progressive adsorption of Sr on the plate surface, a process that also occurs in mammalian hair. Increasing trends were similar in the two regions but overall concentrations were significantly higher in NW Spain, reflecting different Sr baseline concentrations in the two areas and indicating isolation between the two whale populations. Some oscillations in Sr longitudinal trends were also detected, likely indicating that whales migrate across water masses with different Sr baselines. These results suggest that Sr concentrations in keratinous tissues of marine mammals can be used as ecological tracers of their migrations and habitat use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgana Vighi
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences; IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - A Borrell
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences; IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - G Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Th Gunnlaugsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - A Aguilar
- Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences; IRBio, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Marcer F, Marchiori E, Centelleghe C, Ajzenberg D, Gustinelli A, Meroni V, Mazzariol S. Parasitological and pathological findings in fin whales Balaenoptera physalus stranded along Italian coastlines. Dis Aquat Organ 2019; 133:25-37. [PMID: 30997882 DOI: 10.3354/dao03327] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Mediterranean fin whales Balaenoptera physalus face many threats to their conservation, including both anthropogenic and natural issues. There are few records of the parasitic fauna of this species in this geographical area. To partially fill in this gap of knowledge, we investigated the presence and potential impact of parasitic diseases in Mediterranean fin whales. Seven animals stranded along Italian coastlines between 2006 and 2015 were submitted for necropsy and parasitological examination. The protozoan parasite Toxoplasma gondii was detected in 1 fin whale and, for the first time in mysticetes, it was successfully genotyped as a type II strain with 15 microsatellite markers. One crustacean (Pennella spp.) and 4 helminth taxa (Crassicauda boopis, Ogmogaster antarcticus, Tetrabothrius ruudi and Bolbosoma sp.) were detected and morphologically identified. Different degrees of ectoparasitism by adult P. balaenoptera were recorded. Immature stages of Pennella sp. were also detected in 2 animals and are described here for the first time in cetaceans. Infestation by C. boopis was confirmed or suspected in 5 cases. Parasitic thrombi, involving renal veins and caudal vena cava, and fibrosis of renal parenchyma were associated with C. boopis and likely resulted in some degree of renal dysfunction. Larval nematodes were found within foci of mesenteric endarteritis. Further research to evaluate the prevalence of this potentially fatal endoparasitosis in Mediterranean fin whales is warranted.
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Affiliation(s)
- F Marcer
- Department of Animal Medicine, Production and Health, University of Padova, 35020 Legnaro (PD), Italy
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17
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Rolbiecki L, Izdebska JN, Pawliczka I. Digenetic trematode Ogmogaster antarcticus (Notocotylidae) in a fin whale Balaenoptera physalus (Balaenopteridae) stranded in the Baltic Sea. Dis Aquat Organ 2019; 132:143-149. [PMID: 30628580 DOI: 10.3354/dao03315] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
On 28 August 2015, a dead fin whale Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) was collected from the waters of the Gulf of Gdan΄%%KERN_ERR%%sk (Baltic Sea). The individual was a male in a poor nutritional condition with an empty stomach. Over 34000 Ogmogaster antarcticus flukes were found in the colon and rectum. This is the first observation of O. antarcticus in the Baltic Sea.
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Affiliation(s)
- Leszek Rolbiecki
- Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Parasitology, Faculty of Biology, University of Gdansk, Wita Stwosza 59, 80-308 Gdansk, Poland
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Keen EM, Wray J, Pilkington JF, Thompson KL, Picard CR. Distinct habitat use strategies of sympatric rorqual whales within a fjord system. Mar Environ Res 2018; 140:180-189. [PMID: 29937199 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.06.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/14/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
We used ecosystem sampling during systematic surveys and opportunistic focal follows, comparison tests, and random forest models to evaluate fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) habitat associations within an inland feeding ground (Kitimat Fjord System, British Columbia, Canada). Though these species are sympatric and share a common prey source, they were attuned to different aspects of the local habitat. The fin whales were associated with habitat properties reminiscent of the open ocean. Humpback whales, in contrast, were associated with features more commonly associated with the inland waters of fjords. Fixed habitat features, such as seafloor depth and distance from the fjord mouth, were the most important predictors of fin whale presence, but fixed and dynamic variables, such as surface properties, predicted humpback whale presence with equal (moderate) success. With the exception of strong salinity gradients for humpback whales, habitat conditions were poor predictors of feeding state. Fin whales practiced a spatially confined, seasonally stable, and thus more predictable use of certain channels within the fjord system. These findings are compatible with site loyal behavior, which is interesting in light of the species' historical, unique use of this fjord system. The relatively lackluster performance of humpback-habitat models, coupled with the importance of oceanographic properties, makes the humpback's habitat use strategy more uncertain. The fact that two sympatric species sharing a common prey source exhibited different habitat use strategies suggests that at least one species was informed by something in addition to prey. Given that the two species are attuned to different aspects of the fjord habitat, their responses to habitat changes, including anthropogenic impacts, would likely be different in both nature and degree. Our findings highlight the value of comparative studies and the complexity of rorqual habitat use, which must be understood in order for critical habitat to be identified and protected.
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Affiliation(s)
- E M Keen
- Scripps Institution of Oceanography, La Jolla, CA, USA; North Coast Cetacean Society, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - J Wray
- North Coast Cetacean Society, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - J F Pilkington
- Cetacean Research Program, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - K L Thompson
- Gitga'at Oceans and Lands Department, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada.
| | - C R Picard
- Gitga'at Oceans and Lands Department, Hartley Bay, British Columbia, Canada.
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Borrell A, Saiz L, Víkingsson GA, Gaufier P, López Fernández A, Aguilar A. Fin whales as bioindicators of multi-decadal change in carbon and oxygen stable isotope shifts in the North Atlantic. Mar Environ Res 2018; 138:129-134. [PMID: 29724493 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.04.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/14/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/23/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Global changes, and particularly the massive release of CO2 to the atmosphere and subsequent global warming, have altered the baselines of carbon and oxygen stable isotopic ratios. Temporal shifts in these baselines can be advantageously monitored through cetacean skin samples because these animals are highly mobile and therefore integrate in their tissues the heterogeneity of local environmental signals. In this study, we examine variation of δ13C and δ18O values in the skin of fin whales sampled over three decades in two different North Atlantic feeding grounds: west Iceland and northwest Spain. These locations are situated about 2700 km apart and thus represent a wide latitudinal range within the North Atlantic Ocean. The δ13C decrease in both areas is attributed to the burning of fossil fuels and increased deforestation worldwide, the so-called Suess effect. The dissimilarity in the magnitude of the shift between the two areas is coincidental with previous information on local shifts and lies within the ranges of variation observed. δ18O values experienced a minimal, yet significant change in fin whales from W Iceland (a decline of -0.44‰ between 1986 and 2013) but not in those from NW Spain. This is in concordance with a higher rise in temperatures in the former area than in the latter. The study validates the use of cetacean skin to monitor temporal and geographical shifts in stable isotopic values and alerts that, when applying this tool to ecological research, comparisons between sample sets should take into account temporal and latitudinal scales.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Borrell
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - L Saiz
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - G A Víkingsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, P. O. Box 1390, Skúlagata 4, 121 Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - P Gaufier
- Conservation, Information and Research on Cetaceans (CIRCE), Cabeza de Manzaneda, 3, 11390 Pelayo-Algeciras (Cadiz), Spain
| | - A López Fernández
- Coordinadora para o Estudo dos Mamíferos Mariños (CEMMA), P.O. Box 15, 36380 Pontevedra, Gondomar, Spain
| | - A Aguilar
- Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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Das K, Holleville O, Ryan C, Berrow S, Gilles A, Ody D, Michel LN. Isotopic niches of fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea and the Celtic Sea (North Atlantic). Mar Environ Res 2017; 127:75-83. [PMID: 28390660 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2017.03.009] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2016] [Revised: 01/25/2017] [Accepted: 03/19/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
The fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) is the most abundant and widespread mysticete species in the Mediterranean Sea, found mostly in deep, offshore waters of the western and central portion of the region. In the Mediterranean, this species is known to feed mainly on krill, in contrast to its Atlantic counterpart, which displays a more diversified diet. The International Whaling Commission recognizes several managements units in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea and the connectivity between these populations is still being debated. Questions remain about inter-individual feeding strategies and trophic ecology. The goal of this study was to compare isotopic niches of fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea and the Celtic Sea (North Atlantic). δ13C and δ15N values were analysed in 136 skin biopsies from free-ranging Mediterranean fin whales sampled in 2010 and 2011 during campaigns at sea. δ13C and δ15N values ranged from -20.4 to -17.1‰ and from 5.9 to 8.9‰, respectively. These values are in good agreement with those estimated previously from baleen plates from Mediterranean and North Atlantic fin whales. The narrow isotopic niche width of the Mediterranean fin whale (Standard Ellipses area SEAc) compared to the North Atlantic fin whale raises many concerns in the context of global changes and long-term consequences. One could indeed expect that species displaying narrow niches would be more susceptible to ecosystem fragmentation and other anthropogenic impacts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Krishna Das
- Laboratory of Oceanology-MARE, University of Liege, Belgium.
| | | | - Conor Ryan
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland; Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Merchant's Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland
| | - Simon Berrow
- Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland; Irish Whale and Dolphin Group, Merchant's Quay, Kilrush, Co. Clare, Ireland
| | - Anita Gilles
- Institute for Terrestrial and Aquatic Wildlife Research, University of Veterinary Medicine Hannover, Foundation, Werftstraße 6, D-25761 Büsum, Germany
| | - Denis Ody
- WWF-France, 6 Rue des Fabres, 13001 Marseille, France
| | - Loïc N Michel
- Laboratory of Oceanology-MARE, University of Liege, Belgium
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Mazzariol S, Centelleghe C, Beffagna G, Povinelli M, Terracciano G, Cocumelli C, Pintore A, Denurra D, Casalone C, Pautasso A, Di Francesco CE, Di Guardo G. Mediterranean Fin Whales ( Balaenoptera physalus) Threatened by Dolphin MorbilliVirus. Emerg Infect Dis 2016. [PMID: 26812485 PMCID: PMC4734534 DOI: 10.3201/eid2202.150882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 31] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During 2011-2013, dolphin morbillivirus was molecularly identified in 4 stranded fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea. Nucleoprotein, phosphoprotein, and hemagglutinin gene sequences of the identified strain were highly homologous with those of a morbillivirus that caused a 2006-2007 epidemic in the Mediterranean. Dolphin morbillivirus represents a serious threat for fin whales.
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Mazzariol S, Centelleghe C, Beffagna G, Povinelli M, Terracciano G, Cocumelli C, Pintore A, Denurra D, Casalone C, Pautasso A, Di Francesco CE, Di Guardo G. Mediterranean Fin Whales ( Balaenoptera physalus) Threatened by Dolphin MorbilliVirus. Emerg Infect Dis 2016; 22:302-5. [PMID: 26812485 DOI: 10.3201/eid2202.15-0882] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
During 2011-2013, dolphin morbillivirus was molecularly identified in 4 stranded fin whales from the Mediterranean Sea. Nucleoprotein, phosphoprotein, and hemagglutinin gene sequences of the identified strain were highly homologous with those of a morbillivirus that caused a 2006-2007 epidemic in the Mediterranean. Dolphin morbillivirus represents a serious threat for fin whales.
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Allen AN, Goldbogen JA, Friedlaender AS, Calambokidis J. Development of an automated method of detecting stereotyped feeding events in multisensor data from tagged rorqual whales. Ecol Evol 2016; 6:7522-7535. [PMID: 28725418 PMCID: PMC5513260 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.2386] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/10/2016] [Revised: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 07/18/2016] [Indexed: 11/29/2022] Open
Abstract
The introduction of animal‐borne, multisensor tags has opened up many opportunities for ecological research, making previously inaccessible species and behaviors observable. The advancement of tag technology and the increasingly widespread use of bio‐logging tags are leading to large volumes of sometimes extremely detailed data. With the increasing quantity and duration of tag deployments, a set of tools needs to be developed to aid in facilitating and standardizing the analysis of movement sensor data. Here, we developed an observation‐based decision tree method to detect feeding events in data from multisensor movement tags attached to fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus). Fin whales exhibit an energetically costly and kinematically complex foraging behavior called lunge feeding, an intermittent ram filtration mechanism. Using this automated system, we identified feeding lunges in 19 fin whales tagged with multisensor tags, during a total of over 100 h of continuously sampled data. Using movement sensor and hydrophone data, the automated lunge detector correctly identified an average of 92.8% of all lunges, with a false‐positive rate of 9.5%. The strong performance of our automated feeding detector demonstrates an effective, straightforward method of activity identification in animal‐borne movement tag data. Our method employs a detection algorithm that utilizes a hierarchy of simple thresholds based on knowledge of observed features of feeding behavior, a technique that is readily modifiable to fit a variety of species and behaviors. Using automated methods to detect behavioral events in tag records will significantly decrease data analysis time and aid in standardizing analysis methods, crucial objectives with the rapidly increasing quantity and variety of on‐animal tag data. Furthermore, our results have implications for next‐generation tag design, especially long‐term tags that can be outfitted with on‐board processing algorithms that automatically detect kinematic events and transmit ethograms via acoustic or satellite telemetry.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ann N Allen
- Cascadia Research Collective 218 1/2 W. 4th Avenue Olympia Washington 98501
| | - Jeremy A Goldbogen
- Department of Biology Hopkins Marine Station Stanford University Pacific Grove California 93950
| | - Ari S Friedlaender
- Department of Fisheries and Wildlife Marine Mammal Institute Hatfield Marine Science Center Oregon State University Newport Oregon 97365
| | - John Calambokidis
- Cascadia Research Collective 218 1/2 W. 4th Avenue Olympia Washington 98501
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Vighi M, García-Nisa I, Borrell A, Aguilar A. The fin whale, a marine top consumer, exposes strengths and weaknesses of the use of fluoride as ecological tracer. Chemosphere 2015; 127:229-237. [PMID: 25746921 DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2015.02.023] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 02/05/2015] [Accepted: 02/07/2015] [Indexed: 06/04/2023]
Abstract
Fluoride is retained in bone tissues of animals and its availability in the environment varies between regions according to natural and anthropogenic sources. These properties suggest this element as a suitable tracer of origin, distribution or movements of animals. In marine environments, krill builds-up fluoride concentrations that are transferred to its predators. In this study we examine the ability of bone fluoride concentrations to discriminate two separate populations of a krill consumer, the fin whale. Background levels of the sampling areas (Western Iceland and North-Western Spain) were determined through the analysis of krill samples. As expected, due to the high load of volcanic-derived fluoride in Icelandic waters, krill from W Iceland showed much higher fluoride concentrations than that from NW Spain. Concentrations in whales' bone were correlated with sex and age, increasing linearly with age in females and showing significantly lower values and a different age-related pattern of accumulation in males. Fluoride concentrations in whales' bone were much higher than in krill, indicating accumulation of the element but, rather unexpectedly, the area of origin had no influence on concentrations. This apparent contradiction may be explained either by the integration in bone of food consumed in other areas, or by the activation of homeostatic responses at very high levels of fluoride exposure. It is concluded that fluoride can be a useful tracer only if age and sex data are integrated into the analysis, year-round information on diet is available and/or the investigated population is exposed to mild levels of this element.
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Affiliation(s)
- Morgana Vighi
- Department of Animal Biology and Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain.
| | - I García-Nisa
- Department of Animal Biology and Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Borrell
- Department of Animal Biology and Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
| | - A Aguilar
- Department of Animal Biology and Institute of Biodiversity Research (IRBio), Faculty of Biology, University of Barcelona, Av. Diagonal 643, 08028 Barcelona, Spain
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