| congenital toxoplasmosis in a indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | toxoplasma gondii was identified in tissues of a stillborn late-term fetus from an indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). myocardial necrosis and nonsuppurative inflammation in the heart and nonsuppurative necrotizing encephalitis were associated with tachyzoites and tissue cysts. the diagnosis was confirmed by immunohistochemical staining with anti-t. gondii-specific polyclonal rabbit serum. | 2002 | 12053968 |
| antibodies against toxoplasma gondii in the pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) from the solomon islands. | serum samples from 58 pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) from the solomon islands were tested for the igg antibody to toxoplasma gondii by the latex agglutination test (lat), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (elisa), and immunoblotting. the elisa cut-off value was taken as od > or = 0.276, and the final dilution ratio, recognized as positive, was represented by the end titer. in 25 of 58 samples, no antibody activity was detected by lat and elisa. in 8 of 58 samples, anti-t. gondii ... | 2005 | 17089778 |
| a case of stranded indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) with lobomycosis-like skin lesions in kinko-wan, kagoshima, japan. | lobomycosis is a chronic fungal disease caused by the etiologic agent, lacazia loboi, in the skin and subcutaneous tissues in humans and dolphins in tropical and transitional tropical climates. an indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) stranded in kagoshima, japan, had severe skin lesions characterized by granulomatous reactions and hyperkeratosis that were similar to those of the lobomycosis, but no fungal organism was observed in the skin lesion. in this paper, we report a stranded ... | 2015 | 25866402 |
| genetic identification of novel poxviruses of cetaceans and pinnipeds. | novel poxviruses were identified in skin lesions of several species of cetaceans and pinnipeds using polymerase chain reaction targeting dna polymerase and dna topoisomerase i genes of members of the subfamily chordopoxvirinae. with the exception of parapoxviruses, no molecular data of marine mammal poxviruses were available to infer genetic and evolutionary relatedness to terrestrial vertebrate poxviruses. viruses were assigned to a cetacean poxvirus 1 (cpv-1) group based on nucleotide and amin ... | 2006 | 16328132 |
| alliance membership and kinship in wild male bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) of southeastern australia. | bottlenose dolphins are one of only a few mammalian taxa where the males are known to cooperate within their social group in order to maintain mating access to single females against other males. male bonds in bottlenose dolphins have been hypothesized as evolving through kinship and associated inclusive fitness effects. in this study we tested whether individually identified male bottlenose dolphins preferentially associate and form alliances with kin in a small coastal resident population of s ... | 2001 | 11564352 |
| trawling and bottlenose dolphins' social structure. | human activities can affect the behaviour of mammals through the modification of habitats, changes in predation pressure or alterations in food distribution and availability. we analysed the association and ranging patterns of 242 individually identified bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in eastern moreton bay, queensland, australia, and distinguished two separate communities of dolphins. unlike bottlenose dolphins elsewhere, the communities' core areas overlapped substantially. there was a ... | 2001 | 11564345 |
| an insight into the epidemiology of dolphin morbillivirus worldwide. | serum samples from 288 cetaceans representing 25 species and originating from 11 different countries were collected between 1995 and 1999 and examined for the presence of dolphin morbillivirus (dmv)-specific antibodies by an indirect elisa (ielisa) (n = 267) or a plaque reduction assay (n = 21). a total of 35 odontocetes were seropositive: three harbour porpoises (phocoena phocoena) and a common dolphin (delphinus delphis) from the northeastern (ne) atlantic, a bottlenose dolphin (tursiops trunc ... | 2001 | 11390111 |
| towards a predictive framework for predator risk effects: the interaction of landscape features and prey escape tactics. | 1. risk effects of predators can profoundly affect community dynamics, but the nature of these effects is context dependent. 2. although context dependence has hindered the development of a general framework for predicting the nature and extent of risk effects, recent studies suggest that such a framework is attainable if the factors that shape anti-predator behaviour, and its effectiveness, in natural communities are well understood. 3. one of these factors, the interaction of prey escape tacti ... | 2009 | 19076259 |
| marine mammal strandings in the new caledonia region, southwest pacific. | four hundred twenty three marine mammals, in 72 stranding events, were recorded between 1877 and 2005 in new caledonia, the loyalty islands, and vanuatu in the southwest pacific. sixteen species were represented in this count, including: minke whale, balaenoptera acutorostrata (1 single stranding), sei whale, b. borealis (1 single stranding), blue whale, b. musculus (1 single stranding), humpback whale, megaptera novaeangliae (2 single strandings), giant sperm whale, physeter macrocephalus (18 s ... | 2006 | 16644500 |
| the assessment of lethal propeller strike injuries in sea mammals. | assessment of injuries in marine mammals may be required to help authorities determine whether human activity was involved. three cases of marine animal deaths involving propeller blade strikes are reported to demonstrate characteristic features of such cases and diagnostic difficulties that may occur. case 1: a juvenile new zealand fur seal (arctocephalus forsteri) suffered two parallel linear incised wounds of the flank and died following small intestinal herniation. case 2: an indo-pacific bo ... | 2012 | 22391002 |
| cetacean morbillivirus in coastal indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, western australia. | cetacean morbillivirus (cemv) has caused several epizootics in multiple species of cetaceans globally and is an emerging disease among cetaceans in australia. we detected cemv in 2 stranded coastal indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in western australia. preliminary phylogenetic data suggest that this virus variant is divergent from known strains. | 2014 | 24656203 |
| cetacean morbillivirus: current knowledge and future directions. | we review the molecular and epidemiological characteristics of cetacean morbillivirus (cemv) and the diagnosis and pathogenesis of associated disease, with six different strains detected in cetaceans worldwide. cemv has caused epidemics with high mortality in odontocetes in europe, the usa and australia. it represents a distinct species within the morbillivirus genus. although most cemv strains are phylogenetically closely related, recent data indicate that morbilliviruses recovered from indo-pa ... | 2014 | 25533660 |
| morbillivirus-associated unusual mortality event in south australian bottlenose dolphins is largest reported for the southern hemisphere. | cases of morbillivirus have been recorded in the southern hemisphere but have not been linked to significant marine mammal mortality. post-mortems were conducted on 58 carcasses (44 indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins, two common bottlenose dolphins, 12 short-beaked common dolphins) from south australia during 2005-2013, including an unusual mortality event (ume) in st vincent gulf bioregion (svg) during 2013. diagnostic pathology, circumstance of death, body condition, age and stomach contents wer ... | 2016 | 28083115 |
| discovery of a novel bottlenose dolphin coronavirus reveals a distinct species of marine mammal coronavirus in gammacoronavirus. | while gammacoronaviruses mainly comprise infectious bronchitis virus (ibv) and its closely related bird coronaviruses (covs), the only mammalian gammacoronavirus was discovered from a white beluga whale (beluga whale cov [bwcov] sw1) in 2008. in this study, we discovered a novel gammacoronavirus from fecal samples from three indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus), which we named bottlenose dolphin cov (bdcov) hku22. all the three bdcov hku22-positive samples were collected on the sa ... | 2014 | 24227844 |
| gastrointestinal parasites of free-living indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in the northern red sea, egypt. | the present study represents the first report on the gastrointestinal parasite fauna infecting the free-living and alive indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) inhabiting waters of the red sea at hurghada, egypt. a total of 94 individual faecal samples of the examined bottlenose dolphins were collected during several diving expeditions within their natural habitats. using classical parasitological techniques, such as sodium acetate acetic acid formalin method, carbol fuchsin-stained ... | 2014 | 24477747 |
| a systematic health assessment of indian ocean bottlenose (tursiops aduncus) and indo-pacific humpback (sousa plumbea) dolphins incidentally caught in shark nets off the kwazulu-natal coast, south africa. | coastal dolphins are regarded as indicators of changes in coastal marine ecosystem health that could impact humans utilizing the marine environment for food or recreation. necropsy and histology examinations were performed on 35 indian ocean bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) and five indo-pacific humpback dolphins (sousa plumbea) incidentally caught in shark nets off the kwazulu-natal coast, south africa, between 2010 and 2012. parasitic lesions included pneumonia (85%), abdominal and thora ... | 2014 | 25203143 |
| incidence of poxvirus-like lesions in two estuarine dolphin populations in australia: links to flood events. | we report on the incidence of poxvirus-like lesions assessed by photographic identification in two estuarine populations of bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in australia over a 3-year period. poxvirus infections of odontocetes are characterized by pinhole or ring-like skin lesions that appear as solitary or coalesced circular gray blemishes. environmental and physiological stressors are believed to contribute to their manifestation (van bressem et al., 2009b). a total of 187 boat-based sur ... | 2011 | 22177028 |
| historical and current records of aquarium cetaceans in china. | the number of cetaceans housed in aquariums in china is increasing. detailed information on the historical and current population status has not been reported, despite its importance for successful breeding and population management. questionnaires were conducted between december 2006 and may 2009, and the information was used to construct studbooks. our survey showed that 10 species had been introduced to aquariums since 1978, including 26 (with 15 in the current population) finless porpoises ( ... | 2011 | 21674602 |
| a comparison of pectoral fin contact behaviour for three distinct dolphin populations. | tactile exchanges involving the pectoral fin have been documented in a variety of dolphin species. several functions (e.g., social, hygienic) have been offered as possible explanations for when and why dolphins exchange pectoral fin contacts. in this study, we compared pectoral fin contact between dolphin dyads from three distinct dolphin populations: two groups of wild dolphins; atlantic spotted dolphins (stenella frontalis) from the bahamas and indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncu ... | 2010 | 20176094 |
| unusual causes of fatal upper aerodigestive tract obstruction in wild bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | necropsy examination of dolphins living in gulf st vincent, australia is routinely undertaken to enable the evaluation of disease processes and to provide rapid medicolegal assessment of any inflicted and/or accidental injuries. two indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) are reported to demonstrate conditions that may result in unexpected death involving upper airway compromise by quite unusual mechanisms. in the first case an adult male was found with extensive soft tissue trauma s ... | 2010 | 20165933 |
| lobomycosis-like disease and other skin conditions in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins tursiops aduncus from the indian ocean. | lobomycosis is a chronic mycotic disease of the skin and subdermal tissues caused by the yeast-like organism lacazia loboi, which affects humans and delphinidae. cases of lobomycosis and lobomycosis-like disease (lld), a disease very similar to lobomycosis but for which a histological diagnostic is missing, have been reported in small cetaceans from the americas and europe. here we report on lld in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins tursiops aduncus from the tropical lagoon of mayotte, between moz ... | 2009 | 19476285 |
| a comparison of pectoral fin contact between two different wild dolphin populations. | contact behaviour involving the pectoral fin has been documented in a number of dolphin species, and various explanations about its function have been offered. pectoral fin contact can take a variety of forms, and involves a number of body parts and movements, likely differing depending upon social or ecological context. for this study, we compare the pectoral fin contact behaviour of two species of wild dolphins: indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) from around mikura island, jap ... | 2009 | 19070654 |
| a worldwide perspective on the population structure and genetic diversity of bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) in new zealand. | bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus) occupy a wide range of coastal and pelagic habitats throughout tropical and temperate waters worldwide. in some regions, "inshore" and "offshore" forms or ecotypes differ genetically and morphologically, despite no obvious boundaries to interchange. around new zealand, bottlenose dolphins inhabit 3 coastal regions: northland, marlborough sounds, and fiordland. previous demographic studies showed no interchange of individuals among these populations. here, ... | 2009 | 18495650 |
| permanent genetic resources added to molecular ecology resources database 1 february 2012 - 31 march 2012. | this article documents the addition of 171 microsatellite marker loci and 27 pairs of single nucleotide polymorphism (snp) sequencing primers to the molecular ecology resources database. loci were developed for the following species: bombus pauloensis, cephalorhynchus heavisidii, cercospora sojina, harpyhaliaetus coronatus, hordeum vulgare, lachnolaimus maximus, oceanodroma monteiroi, puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, rhea americana, salmo salar, salmo trutta, schistocephalus solidus, sousa p ... | 2012 | 22642264 |
| caudal fin allometry in the white shark carcharodon carcharias: implications for locomotory performance and ecology. | allometric scaling analysis was employed to investigate the consequences of size evolution on hydrodynamic performance and ecology in the white shark carcharodon carcharias. discriminant analysis using the power equation y=ax(b) was negative for caudal fin span (s) versus fork length (fl) in c. carcharias. in contrast in two delphinid species, delphinus capensis and tursiops aduncus, the span of the flukes versus fork length rises in positive allometric fashion, and strong positive allometry of ... | 2005 | 15772806 |
| eighteen-year study of south australian dolphins shows variation in lung nematodes by season, year, age class, and location. | between 1990 and 2007, carcasses of opportunistically collected short-beaked common dolphins (delphinus delphis; n=238), indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus; n=167), and common bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus; n=15) were examined for parasites and life history data. three species of lung nematodes (halocercus lagenorhynchi, stenurus ovatus, pharurus alatus) were identified in surface nodules, subsurface lesions, or airways. nematode burdens were light to heavy and, in many ... | 2010 | 20688641 |
| metals and selenium in the liver and bone of three dolphin species from south australia, 1988-2004. | metal and selenium concentrations (wet weight) were determined in the liver (cd, hg, pb, zn, cu and se) and bone (pb and cd) of common dolphins (delphinus delphis, n=71) and bottlenose dolphins (tursiops truncatus, n=12, and tursiops aduncus, n=71) stranded or by-caught in south australia from 1988 to 2004. differences in metal burdens existed between species, stranding location, and relative age. t. aduncus had the greatest mean tissue burdens of liver pb (0.45 mg/kg), cd (6.45 mg/kg), hg (475. ... | 2008 | 18006044 |
| acute fatal sarcocystosis hepatitis in an indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) in hong kong. | unlike most species in the genus sarcocystis, sarcocystis canis has a broad intermediate host range. its life cycle is incompletely known and most reports are from the usa. here we report fatal hepatitis in a 4year old male indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) from hong kong associated with a s. canis-like infection. diagnosis was made based on clinical presentation, histopathology, transmission electron microscopy (tem), and molecular characterization. microscopically, s. canis-li ... | 2017 | 28215870 |
| indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) habitat preference in a heterogeneous, urban, coastal environment. | | 2013 | 23369354 |
| spatial and social sexual segregation patterns in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | sexual segregation seems to be common in bottlenose dolphins, whereby males and females live in different pods that mix mainly for mating. male dolphins often use aggressive behaviour to mate with females, while females with calves may have different activity and dietary requirements to males and different susceptibility to predation. we investigated the degree of spatial and social sexual segregation in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in a subtropical estuary in australia. b ... | 2013 | 23326370 |
| anesthetic management of an indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) requiring surgical debridement of a tail abscess. | this report describes the anesthetic management of a 14-yr-old, 160-kg, female indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin ( tursiops aduncus ) that underwent surgical debridement for a refractory subcutaneous abscess twice within a 6-mo interval. the animal was otherwise in good physical condition at each anesthetic procedure. following premedication with intramuscular midazolam and butorphanol, anesthesia was induced with propofol and maintained with sevoflurane by intubation. during surgery ventilation w ... | 2017 | 28363054 |
| mitogenomes and relatedness do not predict frequency of tool-use by sea otters. | many ecological aspects of tool-use in sea otters are similar to those in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins. within an area, most tool-using dolphins share a single mitochondrial haplotype and are more related to each other than to the population as a whole. we asked whether sea otters in california showed similar genetic patterns by sequencing mitogenomes of 43 otters and genotyping 154 otters at 38 microsatellite loci. there were six variable sites in the mitogenome that yielded three haplotype ... | 2017 | 28330975 |
| fine-scale genetic population structure in a mobile marine mammal: inshore bottlenose dolphins in moreton bay, australia. | highly mobile marine species in areas with no obvious geographic barriers are expected to show low levels of genetic differentiation. however, small-scale variation in habitat may lead to resource polymorphisms and drive local differentiation by adaptive divergence. using nuclear microsatellite genotyping at 20 loci, and mitochondrial control region sequencing, we investigated fine-scale population structuring of inshore bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) inhabiting a range of habitats in an ... | 2012 | 22882348 |
| piroxicam and doxycycline treatment for an oral squamous cell carcinoma in an inshore bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | the virus family papillomaviridae has been documented in a wide range of animal species and can cause benign and malignant proliferative lesions. the presence of concurrent lingual papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas (scc) in cetaceans has also been documented in both wild and captive populations, suggesting malignant transformation of benign papilloma to scc may occur in this species. | 2016 | 27169383 |
| a wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin adopts a socially and genetically distant neonate. | alloparental behaviour and adoption have been reported in many mammals and birds. such behaviours are energetically costly, and their causes and functions remain unclear. we observed the adoption behaviour of a wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) near mikura island, japan. a calf was seen with its mother on six observation days. following the mother's death, the calf was observed with a sub-adult female on all 18 observation days from may to september 2012. on three days, the ... | 2016 | 27049937 |
| genetic isolation between coastal and fishery-impacted, offshore bottlenose dolphin (tursiops spp.) populations. | the identification of species and population boundaries is important in both evolutionary and conservation biology. in recent years, new population genetic and computational methods for estimating population parameters and testing hypotheses in a quantitative manner have emerged. using a bayesian framework and a quantitative model-testing approach, we evaluated the species status and genetic connectedness of bottlenose dolphin (tursiops spp.) populations off remote northwestern australia, with a ... | 2016 | 27015516 |
| concentrations of metallic elements in kidney, liver, and lung tissue of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin tursiops aduncus from coastal waters of zanzibar, tanzania. | concentrations of metallic elements in kidney, liver and lung tissues of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins tursiops aduncus from coastal waters of zanzibar were determined using inductively coupled plasma - optical emission spectroscopy. cadmium, chromium, copper, and zinc were quantifiable in all tissues at concentration ranges of 0.10-150, 0.08-3.2, 1.1-88 and 14-210μg/g dry mass, respectively. copper and zinc was significantly higher in liver, and females had significantly higher cd in liver, ... | 2017 | 28662978 |
| identifying key demographic parameters of a small island-associated population of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (reunion, indian ocean). | photo-identification surveys of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins were conducted from 2009 to 2014 off reunion island (55°e33'/21°s07'), in the indian ocean. robust design models were applied to produce the most reliable estimate of population abundance and survival rate, while accounting for temporary emigration from the survey area (west coast). the sampling scheme consisted of a five-month (june-october) sampling period in each year of the study. the overall population size at reunion was esti ... | 2017 | 28640918 |
| increase in serum noradrenaline concentration by short dives with bradycardia in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin tursiops aduncus. | in cetaceans, diving behavior immediately induces a change in blood circulation to favor flow to the brain and heart; this is achieved by intense vasoconstriction of the blood vessels that serve other organs. this blood circulation response is allied to a decrease in heart rate in order to optimize oxygen usage during diving. vasoconstrictors are present in all mammals and stimulate the contraction of the smooth muscle in the walls of blood vessels. the most important of these vasoconstrictors a ... | 2017 | 28410968 |
| cultural transmission of tool use by indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops sp.) provides access to a novel foraging niche. | culturally transmitted tool use has important ecological and evolutionary consequences and has been proposed as a significant driver of human evolution. such evidence is still scarce in other animals. in cetaceans, tool use has been inferred using indirect evidence in one population of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops sp.), where particular dolphins ('spongers') use marine sponges during foraging. to date, evidence of whether this foraging tactic actually provides access to novel food ... | 2014 | 24759862 |
| can static habitat protection encompass critical areas for highly mobile marine top predators? insights from coastal east africa. | along the east african coast, marine top predators are facing an increasing number of anthropogenic threats which requires the implementation of effective and urgent conservation measures to protect essential habitats. understanding the role that habitat features play on the marine top predator' distribution and abundance is a crucial step to evaluate the suitability of an existing marine protected area (mpa), originally designated for the protection of coral reefs. we developed species distribu ... | 2015 | 26186438 |
| echolocation parameters of australian humpback dolphins (sousa sahulensis) and indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in the wild. | echolocation is a key sensory modality for toothed whale orientation, navigation, and foraging. however, a more comparative understanding of the biosonar properties of toothed whales is necessary to understand behavioral and evolutionary adaptions. to address this, two free-ranging sympatric delphinid species, australian humpback dolphins (sousa sahulensis) and indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus), were studied. biosonar clicks from both species were recorded within the same stret ... | 2015 | 26093395 |
| a novel mammalian social structure in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops sp.): complex male alliances in an open social network. | terrestrial mammals with differentiated social relationships live in 'semi-closed groups' that occasionally accept new members emigrating from other groups. bottlenose dolphins (tursiops sp.) in shark bay, western australia, exhibit a fission-fusion grouping pattern with strongly differentiated relationships, including nested male alliances. previous studies failed to detect a group membership 'boundary', suggesting that the dolphins live in an open social network. however, two alternative hypot ... | 2012 | 22456886 |
| an assessment of the effectiveness of high definition cameras as remote monitoring tools for dolphin ecology studies. | research involving marine mammals often requires costly field programs. this paper assessed whether the benefits of using cameras outweighs the implications of having personnel performing marine mammal detection in the field. the efficacy of video and still cameras to detect indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in the fremantle harbour (western australia) was evaluated, with consideration on how environmental conditions affect detectability. the cameras were set on a tower in the ... | 2015 | 25965856 |
| contrasted accumulation patterns of persistent organic pollutants and mercury in sympatric tropical dolphins from the south-western indian ocean. | due to their high trophic position and long life span, small cetaceans are considered as suitable bioindicators to monitor the presence of contaminants in marine ecosystems. here, we document the contamination with persistent organic pollutants (pops) and total mercury (t-hg) of spinner (stenella longirostris, n =21) and indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus, n=32) sampled from the coastal waters of la réunion (south-western indian ocean). in addition, seven co-occurring teleost fis ... | 2016 | 26775007 |
| organohalogen compounds in blubber of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) and spinner dolphin (stenella longirostris) from zanzibar, tanzania. | blubber samples of indo-pacific bottlenose (tursiops aduncus) and spinner (stenella longirostris) dolphins from zanzibar, east africa, were analyzed for a wide range of organohalogen compounds. methoxylated polybrominated diphenyl ethers (meo-bdes), presumably biogenic, were found at higher concentrations than anthropogenic organochlorine pesticides (ocps). only traces of industrial pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls, were detected. the ocp levels found off zanzibar were lower than th ... | 2010 | 20346556 |
| use of the robust design to estimate seasonal abundance and demographic parameters of a coastal bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) population. | as delphinid populations become increasingly exposed to human activities we rely on our capacity to produce accurate abundance estimates upon which to base management decisions. this study applied mark-recapture methods following the robust design to estimate abundance, demographic parameters, and temporary emigration rates of an indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) population off bunbury, western australia. boat-based photo-identification surveys were conducted year-round over thr ... | 2013 | 24130781 |
| spontaneous ejaculation in a wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | spontaneous ejaculation, which is defined as the release of seminal fluids without apparent sexual stimulation, has been documented in boreoeutherian mammals. here we report spontaneous ejaculation in a wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus), and present a video of this rare behavior. this is the first report of spontaneous ejaculation by an aquatic mammal, and the first video of this behavior in animals to be published in a scientific journal. | 2013 | 24015280 |
| underwater recordings of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins in fremantle inner harbour, western australia. | dolphins use frequency-modulated whistles for a variety of social functions. whistles vary in their characteristics according to context, such as activity state, group size, group composition, geographic location, and ambient noise levels. therefore, comparison of whistle characteristics can be used to address numerous research questions regarding dolphin populations and behaviour. however, logistical and economic constraints on dolphin research have resulted in data collection biases, inconsist ... | 2017 | 28895948 |
| a framework for the identification of long-term social avoidance in longitudinal datasets. | animal sociality is of significant interest to evolutionary and behavioural ecologists, with efforts focused on the patterns, causes and fitness outcomes of social preference. however, individual social patterns are the consequence of both attraction to (preference for) and avoidance of conspecifics. despite this, social avoidance has received far less attention than social preference. here, we detail the necessary steps to generate a spatially explicit, iterative null model which can be used to ... | 2017 | 28879006 |
| monitoring dolphins in an urban marine system: total and effective population size estimates of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins in moreton bay, australia. | moreton bay, queensland, australia is an area of high biodiversity and conservation value and home to two sympatric sub-populations of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). these dolphins live in close proximity to major urban developments. successful management requires information regarding their abundance. here, we estimate total and effective population sizes of bottlenose dolphins in moreton bay using photo-identification and genetic data collected during boat-based surveys i ... | 2013 | 23755197 |
| stereology of the thyroid gland in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) in comparison with human (homo sapiens): quantitative and functional implications. | the mammalian thyroid gland maintains basal metabolism in tissues for optimal function. determining thyroid volume is important in assessing growth and involution. volume estimation is also important in stereological studies. direct measurements of colloid volume and nuclear-to-cytoplasmic ratio of the follicular cells may provide important information about thyroid gland function such as hormone storage and secretion, which helps understand the changes at morphological and functional levels. th ... | 2013 | 23690927 |
| whistle vocalizations of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) inhabiting the south-west indian ocean. | populations of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) are distributed along coastal regions of the south-west indian ocean (swio), from south africa to kenya. an account of whistles from wild t. aduncus inhabiting the swio is provided here. recordings were made at plettenberg bay (south africa) and zanzibar island (tanzania) and the frequency trace of whistle contours (n = 1677) was extracted. multiple parameters were measured from each whistle and compared between regions and encoun ... | 2012 | 23231132 |
| ultrasonographic assessment of the thyroid gland and adjacent anatomic structures in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | to evaluate the use of ultrasonography for thyroid gland assessment in healthy indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus), describe the ultrasonographic appearance of the thyroid gland and adjacent anatomic structures, and identify potential associations between variations in thyroid gland morphology and demographic features in this species. | 2012 | 23106453 |
| sonographic evaluation of thyroid morphology during the normal estrous cycle in the indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | physiologic changes occurring in the thyroid in response to the estrous cycle have been noted in companion animals. however, in bottlenose dolphins, the influence of different reproductive states on thyroid morphology remains unclear. sonography was used to evaluate the variations of thyroid morphology for nine consecutive estrous cycles of four sexually mature, female indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). the estrous cycle was divided into two phases for evaluation: the follicula ... | 2012 | 22779228 |
| evaluation of two-dimensional and three-dimensional ultrasound in the assessment of thyroid volume of the indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | the assessment of thyroid volume plays an indispensable role in the diagnosis and management of different thyroid diseases. the present study evaluates the accuracy of dolphin thyroid volume measurement as determined by four two-dimensional (2d) ultrasound methods (a-d), with a standard of reference using three-dimensional (3d) ultrasound. the measurement accuracy for different recognized thyroid configuration is also evaluated. inter- and intraoperator variability of the measurement methods was ... | 2012 | 22448508 |
| secretory patterns of catecholamines in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins. | catecholamines (cas), namely adrenaline (a), noradrenaline (na), and dopamine (da), are secreted by the sympathoadrenal system and participate in a diverse array of functions, e.g., heat production, cardiovascular regulation, stress response and so on. however, little is known regarding peripheral ca fluctuations in cetaceans; nevertheless aquatic animals like them have needed to modify their physiological response especially for thermoregulation in water and oxygen economy during diving. to und ... | 2012 | 22405705 |
| how does australia's largest dolphin-watching industry affect the behaviour of a small and resident population of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins? | the small, genetically distinct population of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in port stephens, new south wales (nsw), is the target of the largest dolphin-watching industry in australia and is located within the port stephens - great lakes marine park that was created in 2005. the effects of this industry have been identified as of significant management importance by the marine parks authority nsw. accordingly, the impact of commercial dolphin-watching boats was investigate ... | 2012 | 22325578 |
| spatial and temporal variations in the occurrence and foraging activity of coastal dolphins in menai bay, zanzibar, tanzania. | understanding temporal patterns in distribution, occurrence and behaviour is vital for the effective conservation of cetaceans. this study used cetacean click detectors (c-pods) to investigate spatial and temporal variation in occurrence and foraging activity of the indo-pacific bottlenose (tursiops aduncus) and indian ocean humpback (sousa plumbea) dolphins resident in the menai bay conservation area (mbca), zanzibar, tanzania. occurrence was measured using detection positive minutes. inter-cli ... | 2016 | 26934473 |
| a community split among dolphins: the effect of social relationships on the membership of new communities. | little is known about community splitting among dolphins because such events are rare in dolphin populations. a case of a community split was confirmed in a population of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in japan, where a group of approximately 30 dolphins moved to a new habitat some 60 km from the original habitat. we examined the associations among the dolphins before the community split to determine whether the new community members were already socially different before th ... | 2015 | 26608473 |
| epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease in bottlenose dolphins tursiops spp. from south america and southern africa. | we report on the epidemiology of lobomycosis-like disease (lld), a cutaneous disorder evoking lobomycosis, in 658 common bottlenose dolphins tursiops truncatus from south america and 94 indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins t. aduncus from southern africa. photographs and stranding records of 387 inshore residents, 60 inshore non-residents and 305 specimens of undetermined origin (inshore and offshore) were examined for the presence of lld lesions from 2004 to 2015. seventeen residents, 3 non-residen ... | 2015 | 26575156 |
| a comparison of portable ultrasound and fully-equipped clinical ultrasound unit in the thyroid size measurement of the indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin. | measurement of thyroid size and volume is a useful clinical parameter in both human and veterinary medicine, particularly for diagnosing thyroid diseases and guiding corrective therapy. procuring a fully-equipped clinical ultrasound unit (fcus) may be difficult in most veterinary settings. the present study evaluated the inter-equipment variability in dolphin thyroid ultrasound measurements between a portable ultrasound unit (pus) and a fcus; for both units, repeatability was also assessed. thyr ... | 2012 | 22272311 |
| male reproductive success increases with alliance size in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | 1. determining the extent of variation in male mating strategies and reproductive success is necessary to understand the fitness benefits of social and cooperative behaviour. 2. this study assesses the reproductive success of male indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins in a small embayment population where different behavioural strategies of males have previously been identified. parentage for 44 sampled calves was examined using 23 microsatellite loci and one mitochondrial dna marker. our candidate p ... | 2012 | 21981240 |
| whistle emissions of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) differ with group composition and surface behaviors. | the intricate and highly developed acoustic communication system of bottlenose dolphins reflects the complexities of their social organization. indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) produce numerous types of acoustic emissions, including a diverse repertoire of whistles used for communicative purposes. the influence of group composition on whistle production and the function of different whistles produced by dolphins in wild contexts are relatively unknown. recordings of acoustic e ... | 2010 | 20370046 |
| fine-scale analysis of synchronous breathing in wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | we quantitatively analysed synchronous breathing for dyads in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins at mikura island, tokyo, japan. for most cases, we observed dyads swimming in the same direction (97%), in close proximity (i.e., less than 1.5m) and with their body axes parallel as they breathed synchronously. moreover, the pairs engaged in identical behaviour before and after the synchronous breathing episodes. these results suggest that the dolphins synchronize their movements, and that synchronous ... | 2010 | 19850113 |
| usage of high-performance mattresses for transport of indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin. | ground transport can be a stressful operation for dolphins if the long period of restraint causes damage to internal organs, especially to the lung, generated by their own weight. buoyancy is deprived from dolphins under moist transport, in which dolphins are transported on mattresses. upgrading mattresses is an effective way to modify the transportation method so as to compensate for the loss of buoyancy. in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus), we tried to find mattresses that p ... | 2008 | 19360628 |
| new polymorphic tetranucleotide microsatellites improve scoring accuracy in the bottlenose dolphin tursiops aduncus. | we isolated and characterized 19 novel tetranucleotide microsatellite markers in the indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) in order to improve genotyping accuracy in applications like large-scale population-wide paternity and relatedness assessments. one hundred t. aduncus from shark bay, western australia, were screened for polymorphism. cross-amplification was tested on four other small odontocete species. the new tetranucleotide microsatellite loci showed a more than fourfold hig ... | 2009 | 21564684 |
| reliability of 2d ultrasound measurements of testis size in dolphins taken under voluntary behavior. | this study was undertaken to evaluate the reliability of two-dimensional (2d) ultrasound in measuring testis size in dolphins, in vivo, with the subject presenting for examination under voluntary or trained behaviour. the testes of five bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) were measured once by two operators to test inter-operator variability (reproducibility) and repeatedly measured by the same operator to test intra-operator variability (repeatability). ultrasound examinations for each test ... | 2009 | 19171415 |
| semen collection and ejaculate characteristics in the indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus). | the testes of sexually mature dolphins produce large quantities of sperm. sperm are expelled in copious amounts of seminal fluid through repeated ejaculations that can occur within a short period of time. there is currently a lack of detail about the methodology of sequential ejaculate collection in dolphins and how the traits of individual ejaculates affect the assessment of reproductive capacity. the objectives of this study were to obtain series of ejaculates from 3 dolphins by following a we ... | 2009 | 19168446 |
| preparing the perfect cuttlefish meal: complex prey handling by dolphins. | dolphins are well known for their complex social and foraging behaviours. direct underwater observations of wild dolphin feeding behaviour however are rare. at mass spawning aggregations of giant cuttlefish (sepia apama) in the upper spencer gulf in south australia, a wild female indo-pacific bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) was observed and recorded repeatedly catching, killing and preparing cuttlefish for consumption using a specific and ordered sequence of behaviours. cuttlefish were her ... | 2009 | 19156212 |
| heavy metal toxicity of kidney and bone tissues in south australian adult bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | metallothioneins (mt) concentration, renal damage, and bone malformations were investigated in 38 adult tursiops aduncus carcasses to determine any associations with cadmium, copper, zinc, mercury, lead and selenium. significantly higher concentrations of cadmium, copper, and zinc in the liver were observed in dolphins showing evidence of more advanced renal damage. no significant differences in metal or selenium concentrations in the liver were observed between groups differing in level of bone ... | 2009 | 19012959 |
| laterality of flipper rubbing behaviour in wild bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus): caused by asymmetry of eye use? | to determine whether wild indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) at mikura island, japan, show asymmetry of eye or flipper use during a social behaviour, we investigated the laterality of flipper-to-body (f-b) rubbing, in which one dolphin ("rubber") rubs the body of another ("rubbee") with its flipper. we analysed 382 episodes of video-recorded f-b rubbings performed by identified individuals (n=111 rubbers). f-b rubbing was conducted significantly more frequently with the left fli ... | 2006 | 16569444 |
| genetic evidence for sex-biased dispersal in resident bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus). | in most mammals males usually disperse before breeding, while females remain in their natal group or area. however, in odontocete cetaceans behavioural and/or genetic evidence from populations of four species indicate that both males and females remain in their natal group or site. for coastal resident bottlenose dolphins field data suggest that both sexes are philopatric to their natal site. assignment tests and analyses of relatedness based on microsatellite markers were used to investigate th ... | 2004 | 15140103 |
| prediction from ultrasonographic measurements of the expected delivery date in two species of bottlenosed dolphin (tursiops truncatus and tursiops aduncus). | ultrasonographic measurements were made at least once a month during 14 gestations in seven tursiops truncatus and 12 gestations in five tursiops aduncus (bottlenosed dolphins). the 121 measurements of the fetal biparietal diameter and 139 measurements of the fetal thoracic diameter in t truncatus and the 97 measurements of the biparietal diameter and 97 measurements of the thoracic diameter in taduncus were used to establish regression lines for the increases in the diameter of the head and tho ... | 2004 | 15005447 |
| complex social structure, alliance stability and mating access in a bottlenose dolphin 'super-alliance'. | large brain size in mammals has been related to the number and complexity of social relationships, particularly social alliances within groups. the largest within-group male alliance known outside of humans is found in a social network (> 400) of indian ocean bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) in shark bay western australia. members of this dolphin 'super-alliance' cooperate against other alliances over access to females. males within the super-alliance form temporary trios and occasionally ... | 2001 | 11217896 |
| profiling and spatial variation analysis of persistent organic pollutants in south african delphinids. | the continuous disposal of persistent organic pollutants (pops) in south africa (sa) warrants concern about their detrimental effects on humans and wildlife. we surveyed six dolphin species (n = 90) incidentally captured in shark net installations or stranded off the sa east and south coast from 2005 to 2009 to study the pop exposure. sousa plumbea, an inshore and estuarine species, was found to be the most contaminated by total pops (21 100 ng g(-1) lw) of all the dolphins off sa, followed by t ... | 2016 | 26967261 |
| automatic classification of whistles from coastal dolphins of the southern african subregion. | passive acoustic monitoring (pam) is commonly used to generate information on the distribution, abundance, and behavior of cetacean species. in african waters, the utilization of pam lags behind most other continents. this study examines whether the whistles of three coastal delphinid species (delphinus delphis, tursiops truncatus, and tursiops aduncus) commonly encountered in the southern african subregion can be readily distinguished using both statistical analysis of standard whistle paramete ... | 2017 | 28464668 |
| diurnal and annual changes in serum cortisol concentrations in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins tursiops aduncus and killer whales orcinus orca. | until present, fundamental studies on cortisol secretory patterns have not been conducted in cetaceans. the objectives of this study were: (1) to examine diurnal changes in serum cortisol concentrations in indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins tursiops aduncus and killer whales orcinus orca, (2) to investigate annual cortisol changes in killer whales, and (3) to investigate the relationship between cortisol and sex steroids (testosterone and progesterone) concentrations in killer whales. diurnal chan ... | 2003 | 12849966 |
| source parameters of echolocation clicks from wild bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus and tursiops truncatus). | the indian ocean and atlantic bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus and tursiops truncatus) are among the best studied echolocating toothed whales. however, almost all echolocation studies on bottlenose dolphins have been made with captive animals, and the echolocation signals of free-ranging animals have not been quantified. here, biosonar source parameters from wild t. aduncus and t. truncatus were measured with linear three- and four-hydrophone arrays in four geographic locations. the two spe ... | 2011 | 21973382 |
| geographic variations in the whistles of bottlenose dolphins (tursiops aduncus) along the east and west coasts of australia. | macrogeographic variations in the structure and repertoire of whistles from four geographically separated bottlenose dolphin (tursiops aduncus) populations from the east and west coasts of australia were investigated. microgeographic variations were examined from two adjacent social groups from the same east coast population. whistles were divided into five different tonal classes; sine, rise, down-sweep, flat and concave. the acoustic parameters of whistles; start, end, low, high and carrier fr ... | 2010 | 20707463 |