July 2016 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New publication on passive acoustic monitoring of Hawaiian spinner dolphins
by Heather Heenehan 28 Jul '16

28 Jul '16

On behalf of my coauthors I would like to announce the following paper published in JASA earlier this month. Passive acoustic monitoring of coastally associated Hawaiian spinner dolphins, Stenella longirostris, ground-truthed through visual surveys Heather L. Heenehan, Julian A. Tyne, Lars Bejder, Sofie M. Van Parijs and David W. Johnston http://scitation.aip.org/content/asa/journal/jasa/140/1/10.1121/1.4955094 Abstract: Effective decision making to protect coastally associated dolphins relies on monitoring the presence of animals in areas that are critical to their survival. Hawaiian spinner dolphins forage at night and rest during the day in shallow bays. Due to their predictable presence, they are targeted by dolphin-tourism. In this study, comparisons of presence were made between passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) and vessel-based visual surveys in Hawaiian spinner dolphin resting bays. DSG-Ocean passive acoustic recording devices were deployed in four bays along the Kona Coast of Hawai‘i Island between January 8, 2011 and August 30, 2012. The devices sampled at 80 kHz, making 30-s recordings every four minutes. Overall, dolphins were acoustically detected on 37.1% to 89.6% of recording days depending on the bay. Vessel-based visual surveys overlapped with the PAM surveys on 202 days across the four bays. No significant differences were found between visual and acoustic detections suggesting acoustic surveys can be used as a proxy for visual surveys. Given the need to monitor dolphin presence across sites, PAM is the most suitable and efficient tool for monitoring long-term presence/absence. Concomitant photo-identification surveys are necessary to address changes in abundance over time. If you do not have access to JASA and/or the article please feel free to email me. Best, -Heather Heather Heenehan, Ph.D. http://sites.duke.edu/heatherheenehan/ @Spinnerheather <https://twitter.com/SpinnerHeather> Ph.D., Marine Science and Conservation, Duke University MEM, Master of Environmental Management, Coastal Environmental Management, Duke University BS, Bachelor of Science, Environmental Science, University of Connecticut "Let the beauty we love be what we do." -Jelaluddin Rumi

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New publication: Offshore and coastal bottlenose dolphins of the western South Atlantic and evidence for a new subspecies
by Ana Costa 28 Jul '16

28 Jul '16

Dear MARMAM members, We would like to announce the following new paper recently published in Marine Mammal Science (early view): Costa, A.P.B., Rosel, P.E., Daura-Jorge, F.G., and Simoes-Lopes, P.C. Offshore and coastal common bottlenose dolphins of the western South Atlantic face-to-face: What the skull and the spine can tell us. Marine Mammal Science (early view): < http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12342/abstract> The taxonomy of *Tursiops truncatus* in the western South Atlantic is not resolved. Two different hypotheses have been proposed: (1) offshore and coastal ecotypes with a parapatric distribution, and (2) two species, *T. truncatus* and *T. gephyreus*, living in sympatry. To test these hypotheses, we examined a total of 100 physically mature skulls and 35 vertebral columns from the suggested overlap zone in southern Brazil. In all skulls, 24 measurements, four alveoli counts and two categorical variables were analyzed. Vertebral formula was determined and five measurements were taken from selected vertebrae. Multivariate analyses were conducted for skull and vertebral data. Results revealed the presence of two well-separated groups. Specimens of Group1 had smaller skulls and shorter body lengths, but more vertebrae, than Group2. The morphological characteristics of each group corresponded well with two ecotypes of common bottlenose dolphins reported in other ocean basins. Therefore, we assigned the specimens of Group1 to the offshore ecotype, and Group2 to the coastal ecotype. Differences in the geographic locations and ratio of strandings supported the parapatric hypothesis. The significant morphological differentiation observed suggests the presence of different subspecies, but an additional independent line of evidence is needed to hypothesize whether they represent different species. The publication is available online < http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12342/abstract> or by request <abc2978(a)louisiana.edu> Regards, Ana.

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Job announcement-Veterinary technician (Clearwater Marine Aquarium)
by Shelly Marquardt 27 Jul '16

27 Jul '16

Clearwater Marine Aquarium's mission is to restore and preserve our marine environment. We accomplish our mission through leadership in education, research, and the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life. Everyone here plays an integral role in working toward the accomplishment of our mission. We are a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. POSITION TITLE: Veterinary Technician REPORTS TO: Veterinarian EXEMPT OR NON-EXEMPT: Non-exempt PERCENTAGE OF FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT: 100% PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: Able to work in adverse environmental conditions, lift and carry 50 lbs, must be able to stand for long periods of time. PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY: To assist the veterinarian and husbandry staff in the daily operations of maintaining the health and wellbeing of CMA’s resident and rehabilitating animals. ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS: • Participate in the rapid response to all resident and stranded animal events including those that occur during non-scheduled times of work or outside of CMA’s operating hours. • Collect, or assist with collection of, biological samples from resident and rehabilitating animals • Process all samples for evaluation by the Veterinarian and/or submission to outside laboratories. • Participate in some or all aspects of the various types of research projects as deemed appropriate by CMA’s research committee and Veterinarian. • Enter lab results in animal record system. • Assist Veterinarian and Husbandry staff in the daily rounds/treatments, surgical procedures and necropsies. • Perform or assist and maintain digital radiographs and CT scans as necessary. • Maintain surgical suite and laboratory in a clean and organized manner. • Adhere to all OSHA, USDA, DEA and FWC regulations and make recommendations for work orders to ensure compliance in all areas. • Maintain biohazardous waste and sharps disposal program. • Administer, or dispense to Husbandry staff for administration, medications according to the Veterinarian’s prescriptions in compliance to DEA standards for controlled substances. • Ensure medical equipment is properly maintained, cleaned and stored after each use. • Correspond and coordinate with veterinarian regarding animal care, medical procedures and rehabilitation. • Conduct weekly inventory on medications and submit purchase orders to the veterinarian for re-ordering. • Ability to calculate amounts such as proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. • Ability to communicate clearly both in writing and verbally, especially as it pertains to SOP’s. • Ability to follow complex instructions, both verbal and written. • Participate in various PR and media events including professional interviews as deemed necessary or appropriate by the Veterinarian. • Perform other duties as assigned. EDUCATIONAL/CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENTS: • Certified Veterinarian Technician • Proficient in Microsoft Office suite (Excel, word, power point etc). • Minimum of five years working in related field in aquarium or zoo industry • Knowledge of medical procedures and rehabilitation of sea turtles and marine mammals To apply, email cover letter and resume to Dawn De Santis, Vice President of Human Resources ddesantis(a)cmaquarium.org

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New publication: Harbour porpoise distribution can vary at small spatiotemporal scales in energetic habitats
by Steven Benjamins 27 Jul '16

27 Jul '16

Dear colleagues,On behalf of my co-authors, I would like to announce the following new paper: Benjamins, S.,Van Geel, N., Hastie, G., Elliott, J., & Wilson, B. (2016). Harbour porpoise distribution can vary at smallspatiotemporal scales in energetic habitats. Deep-Sea Research Part II: Topical Studies inOceanography. In press (accepted manuscript); Available online July 9, 2016. DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2016.07.002 Abstract: Marine habitat heterogeneity underpins species distribution and can be generated through interactions between physical and biological drivers at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is used worldwide to study potential impacts of marine industrial activities on cetaceans, but understanding of animals’ site use at small spatiotemporal scales (<1 km, <1 day) remains limited. Small-scale variability in vocalising harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) distribution within two Scottish marine renewable energy development (MRED) sites was investigated by deploying dense arrays of C-POD passive acoustic detectors at a wave energy test site (the European Marine Energy Centre [Billia Croo, Orkney]) and by a minor tidal-stream site (Scarba [Inner Hebrides]). Respective arrays consisted of 7 & 11 moorings containing two C-PODs each and were deployed for up to 55 days. Minimum inter-mooring distances varied between ~300–600 m. All C-POD data were analysed at a temporal resolution of whole minutes, with each minute classified as 1 or 0 on the basis of presence/absence of porpoise click trains (Porpoise-Positive Minutes/PPMs). Porpoise detection rates were analysed using Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) with Generalised Estimation Equations (GEEs). Although there were many porpoise detections (wave test site: N = 3,432; tidal-stream site: N = 17,366), daily detection rates varied significantly within both arrays. Within the wave site array (<1 km diameter), average daily detection rates varied from 4.3–14.8 PPMs/day. Within the tidal-stream array (<2 km diameter), average daily detection rates varied from 10.3–49.7 PPMs/day. GAM-GEE model results for individual moorings within both arrays indicated linkages between porpoise presence and small-scale heterogeneity among different environmental covariates (e.g. tidal phase, time of day). Porpoise detection rates varied considerably but with coherent patterns between moorings only several hundred metres apart and within hours. These patterns presumably have ecological relevance. These results indicate that, in energetically active and heterogeneous areas, porpoises can display significant spatiotemporal variability in site use at scales of hundreds of metres and hours. Such variability will not be identified when using solitary moored PAM detectors (a common practice for site-based cetacean monitoring), but may be highly relevant for site-based impact assessments of MRED and other coastal developments. PAM arrays encompassing several detectors spread across a site therefore appear to be a more appropriate tool to study site-specific cetacean use of spatiotemporally heterogeneous habitat and assess the potential impacts of coastal and nearshore developments at small scales. The pre-print publication is available (Open Access) online at http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr2.2016.07.002 or by request (Steven.Benjamins(a)sams.ac.uk) Regards, Steven Benjamins Dr. Steven BenjaminsResearchAssociate in Marine Vertebrate EcologySAMS (ScottishAssociation for Marine Science) Oban ArgyllScotlandUK PA37 1QA Tel: +44(0)1631-559449 (office)Tel:+44(0)1631-559000 (switchboard) Fax: +44(0)1631-559001 E-mail address: Steven.Benjamins(a)sams.ac.uk http://www.sams.ac.uk

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Shelf edge survey Ireland.
by Patrick Lyne 27 Jul '16

27 Jul '16

Two places are available on an Irish Whale and Dolphin Group cetacean survey along the continental shelf edge from West of Ireland to Camaret, near Brest, in France and back departing Castletownbere on August 28th and returning to port in mid- September. The survey will record sightings, foraging behavior, photo id and acoustic data (using a towed PAM array) of all species encountered. The survey will focus on baleen whales and their foraging behavior on the continental shelf edge. Photo ID will be conducted for blue, sperm, and fin whales as well as bottlenose dolphins. The waters to be studied include the eastern Porcupine Seabight, south to the Whittard Canyon system. We are looking for 2 people to join the team. The first position is on offer to new researchers keen to get experience with a wide variety of species, while the other is available to a researcher experienced in the sampling of zooplankton sampling. A fee of €1300 is applicable and the successful applicants will be responsible for costs of travel to and from the port of departure. All food onboard will be covered by this fee. For enquiries or further information contact Patrick Lyne on mmo(a)iwdg.ie.

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NEW South American sea lion papers - genetics, isotopes, sex differences
by Alastair Baylis 27 Jul '16

27 Jul '16

Dear friends and colleagues, A list of recent papers on South American sea lions and South American fur seals breeding at the Falkland Islands. All are freely available to download. *Hoffman JI et al. (2016)* Population structure and historical demography of South American sea lions provide insights into the catastrophic decline of a marine mammal population. Royal Society Open Science 3: 160291. http://dx.doi.org/10.1098/rsos.160291 *Baylis AMM et al.** (2016)* Sexual segregation in resource use is smaller than expected in a highly dimorphic marine predator, the southern sea lion. Marine Ecology Progress Series doi: 10.3354/meps11759 *Baylis AMM et al. (2016)* Pup Vibrissae Stable Isotopes Reveal Geographic Differences in Adult Female Southern Sea Lion Habitat Use during Gestation. PLoS ONE 11(6): e0157394. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0157394 *Huckstadt L et al. (2016)* Regional variability in diving physiology and behavior in a widely distributed air-breathing marine predator, the South American sea lion Otaria byronia. Journal of Experimental Biology doi: 10.1242/jeb.138677 *Baylis AMM et al. (2015)* Diving deeper into individual foraging specializations of a large marine predator, the southern sea lion. Oecologia 179(4):1053-65. doi: 10.1007/s00442-015-3421-4 *Baylis AMM et al. (2015)* Disentangling the cause of a catastrophic population decline in a large marine mammal. Ecology 96: 2834–2847. doi:10.1890/14-1948.1 *Baylis AMM et al. (2014)* Diet of South American fur seals at the Falkland Islands. Marine Mammal Science, 30: 1210–1219. doi: 10.1111/mms.12090 -- Alastair Baylis al_baylis(a)yahoo.com.au *WordPress*: http://albaylis.wordpress.com/ <http://albaylis.wordpress.com/about-me/> *RG*: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alastair_Baylis *GoogleCitation*: http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=LwB8pH8AAAAJ&hl=en <http://scholar.google.co.uk/citations?user=LwB8pH8AAAAJ&hl=en>

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New publication: First records of dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) from the Union of the Comoros
by Marco Bonato 26 Jul '16

26 Jul '16

Dear Colleagues My co-authors and I are pleased to announce our recent publication on Marine Biodiversity Records: Bonato M, Webber MA, Attoumane A, Giacoma C. (2016) First records of dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) from the Union of the Comoros. Marine Biodiversity Records 9:37. DOI: 10.1186/s41200-016-0064-z Abstract: The world distribution of dwarf and pygmy sperm whales (Cetacea: Kogiidae) [Kogia spp.] is poorly known, and derived mostly from records of stranded animals. At sea, both species are elusive and difficult to identify. We photo-documented the presence of dwarf sperm whale (Kogia sima) in the waters of the Union of the Comoros. All three occurrences were sightings of apparently healthy animals from 2011 to 2013 in and near Itsandra Bay, off the island of Grande Comore. We discuss the importance of the Mozambique Channel and the Agulhas Current Large Marine Ecosystem for the species in the Western Indian Ocean. Full text and pdf file are available at: http://mbr.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s41200-016-0064-z For further information on this article please write to marco.bonato(a)gmail.com or marco.bonato(a)unito.it Best Regards Marco Bonato "... un viaggio puo' durare 3 giorni, ma raccontare una vita intera ..." "... a voyage could be only 3 days long , but talk about all life ..." "... un voyage peut prendre trois jours, mais raconter une vie entière …" Marco Bonato, PhD Research Fellow at @ @ L.A.S.A. (Lab of Analysis of Environmental System) at Department of Industrial engineering of University of Padova Via Marzolo 9, 35131 Padova - Italy @ Department of Comparative Biomedicine and Food Science Viale dell'Università 16, 35020 Legnaro (PD) - Polo di Agripolis - Collaborator at ETOLAB of Department of Life Science and Systems Biology of University of Torino Via Accademia Albertina 13, 10125 Torino - Italy - P.A.D.I. Divemaster 981444 LASA on web: http://147.162.77.55/ LIFE WSTORE2 project: http://www.wstore2.eu LIFE VIMINE project: http://www.lifevimine.eu Contact marco.bonato(a)gmail.com marco.bonato(a)unipd.it marco.bonato(a)unito.it Phone +39 049 827 5527 Phone +39 011 670 4559 Phone: +39 328 175 1707 Skype: marcove77 http://ludoketos.blogspot.com/

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SMM Australia/New Zealand Student Chapter Conference
by Katherine Indeck 26 Jul '16

26 Jul '16

Dear ANZSCSMM members, We are delighted to announce the third ANZ Student Chapter Meeting of the Society for Marine Mammalogy. The conference will take place on November 24th and 25th, 2016, starting at 9 am at Flinders University (South Australia). Last year's conference was a great success and students thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to share their research, improve their presentation skills, and to network with fellow peers and professionals in the marine mammal field. We would like to invite all university students (undergraduates to postdocs) from Australia, New Zealand, the South Pacific, and Southeast Asia to join us in South Australia, and encourage attendees to give an oral presentation (15 min.) or to present a poster about their current work on marine mammals. To facilitate logistical planning and the allocation of funds for the event, we request all students wanting to participate to express their interest by: - Sending an e-mail as soon as possible to anzscsmm(a)gmail.com<mailto:anzscsmm@gmail.com> (CC: j.patino-perez(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:j.patino-perez@massey.ac.nz>) with the subject "ANZSCSMM Meeting", your name, affiliation, the state/country you'll be traveling from, and any dietary requirements; - Or, if you haven't already done so, by completing the membership form (https://www.marinemammalscience.org/for-students/chapters/australianew-zeal…) and returning it with the information requested above (NOTE: membership to the chapter is free!). Participants wishing to present must also submit an abstract (max. 300 words) by October 15th, 2016. Participation in the meeting is free for all ANZSCSMM members. All meals will be covered for the two-day meeting. Additional funds are being sought for the provision of accommodation for all attendees from outside of Adelaide. Further details will be available shortly. Looking forward to meeting you all, ANZ Student Chapter Heads P.S. We are looking for volunteers to assist with logistics during the conference. If interested in becoming involved, please include that in your email. __________________________ If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask! Kate Indeck Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory, University of Queensland Cecilia Passadore Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Laboratory, Flinders University Jessica Patiño Pérez Ecology, Behaviour and Conservation Group, Massey University

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NEW publication: genetics evidence for a new species in the genus Berardius
by Phillip Morin (NOAA Federal) 26 Jul '16

26 Jul '16

Published online today in Marine Mammal Science (early view) Genetic structure of the beaked whale genus Berardius in the North Pacific, with genetic evidence for a new species <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12345/abstract> Phillip A. Morin, C. Scott Baker, Reid S. Brewer, Alexander M. Burdin, Merel L. Dalebout, James P. Dines, Ivan Fedutin, Olga Filatova, Erich Hoyt, Jean-Luc Jung, Morgane Lauf, Charles W. Potter, Gaetan Richard, Michelle Ridgway, Kelly M. Robertson and Paul R. Wade http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1748-7692/earlyview <http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1111/(ISSN)1748-7692/earlyview> There are two recognized species in the genus Berardius, Baird’s and Arnoux’s beaked whales. In Japan, whalers have traditionally recognized two forms of Baird’s beaked whales, the common “slate-gray” form and a smaller, rare “black” form. Previous comparison of mtDNA control region sequences from three black specimens to gray specimens around Japan indicated that the two forms comprise different stocks and potentially different species.We have expanded sampling to include control region haplotypes of 178 Baird’s beaked whales from across their range in the North Pacific. We identified five additional specimens of the black form from the Aleutian Islands and Bering Sea, for a total of eight “black” specimens. The divergence between mtDNA haplotypes of the black and gray forms of Baird’s beaked whale was greater than their divergence from the congeneric Arnoux’s beaked whale found in the Southern Ocean, and similar to that observed among other congeneric beaked whale species. Taken together, genetic evidence from specimens in Japan and across the North Pacific, combined with evidence of smaller adult body size, indicate presence of an unnamed species of Berardius in the North Pacific.

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Sound Analysis Workshop, October 2016
by Liz D. Rowland 26 Jul '16

26 Jul '16

The Bioacoustics Research Program will be running a 5-day Sound Analysis Workshop featuring Raven Pro from Monday October 3rd to Friday October 7th, 2016 at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithaca, New York, USA. The workshop is intended primarily for biologists interested in analysis, visualization, and measurement of animal sounds. The workshop covers basic principles of spectrographic analysis and measurement of animal sounds, as well as specific tools and techniques in Raven Pro. The maximum class size is 11, and there are currently 6 places available. The standard fee is $1,400, but there is a discounted rate of $1,050 for registered students (Bachelors, Master or Ph.D.). The fee covers tuition, lunches, and a complimentary 1-yr license for Raven<http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/raven/RavenOverview.html>. More details can be found here<http://www.birds.cornell.edu/page.aspx?pid=2713#BRPRevised=2> (Education & Outreach tab). Please contact Liz Rowland, edr6(a)cornell.edu<mailto:edr6@cornell.edu> if you're interested or have questions. Liz Liz Rowland Research Analyst Elephant Listening Project +1 (607) 254-2136 Elephant Listening Project<http://www.birds.cornell.edu/brp/elephant/>

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