Southernmost records of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus

Bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops spp. ) are cosmopolitan animals widely distributed in waters of both hemispheres. The taxonomy of Tursiops has long been controversial, with over 20 specific names being published, and subspecies and inshore/offshore forms being proposed. In the southwestern South Atla...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Polar biology 2011-07, Vol.34 (7), p.1085-1090
Main Authors: Goodall, R. Natalie P., Marchesi, M. Constanza, Pimper, Lida E., Dellabianca, Natalia, Benegas, Luis G., Torres, Mónica A., Riccialdelli, Luciana
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Aquatic mammals
Biogeography
Biological and medical sciences
Biomedical and Life Sciences
Climate change
Delphinidae
Dolphins
Dolphins & porpoises
Ecology
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Global warming
Life Sciences
Mammalia
Marine
Marine biology
Marine mammals
Microbiology
Oceanography
Pigmentation
Plant Sciences
Short Note
Taxonomy
Tursiops
Tursiops truncatus
Vertebrates: general zoology, morphology, phylogeny, systematics, cytogenetics, geographical distribution
Zoology
Citations: Items that this one cites
Items that cite this one
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Bottlenose dolphins ( Tursiops spp. ) are cosmopolitan animals widely distributed in waters of both hemispheres. The taxonomy of Tursiops has long been controversial, with over 20 specific names being published, and subspecies and inshore/offshore forms being proposed. In the southwestern South Atlantic, subspecies T. truncatus truncatus and T. truncatus gephyreus were proposed for specimens along the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay, and Argentina. Sightings of bottlenose dolphins are common along the coast of Argentina as far south as the Province of Chubut ( ca. 46°S). Here, we summarize and discuss the southernmost records of bottlenose dolphins. We cannot make inferences about the species or subspecies to which these animals belong given the small number of specimens. Future studies of external measurements, pigmentation, DNA, and isotopes from both sides of the continent should help clarify the situation off southern South America. Furthermore, research is needed to explore a possible link between an effect of general global warming and the Tursiops specimens found this far south. The sighting and specimens described here, at 53°S–nearly 55°S, are the southernmost records for the genus and extend the range of the species in the southern South Atlantic.
ISSN:0722-4060
1432-2056
DOI:10.1007/s00300-010-0954-1