June 2021 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Introductory distance sampling training workshop 20Sept-01Oct, registration now open
by Eric Rexstad 29 Jun '21

29 Jun '21

*Interactive introductory distance sampling training* The University of St Andrews has been training ecologists and statisticians in design and analysis of distance sampling studies for decades. Distance sampling is one of the fundamental ways of conducting population assessment for marine mammal populations. Perhaps you've wanted to attend but scheduling of workshops conflicted with your field work. 👨‍🌾 We are offering the training workshop in 10 2.5-hour blocks in late September. You will be invited to interact in short lectures on distance sampling principles. 👩‍🎓 Exercises analysing data sets in R will reinforce those principles and the lecturer will be available to assist during the practical session via screen sharing. The block will conclude with a summary of the exercise and question/answer session for both lecture and exercise. 💻 You can participate in polls during the workshop to assess your comprehension of topics discussed. 🤔 In addition to questions at any time during the lectures and practicals, an optional additional half hour will be set aside each session for discussion. 🗣 The workshop will be delivered using Zoom web conferencing software along with R-Studio "in the cloud".☁️ You will need (free) accounts for both pieces of software. I encourage you to experiment with Zoom (at https://zoom.us) and https://rstudio.cloud before the course begins. 👩‍💻 There will be an internet connection testing session prior to the first meeting on 20 September. *Important details* Workshop dates and time: *20 September - 01 October 2021; 1600-1830 UK time*. For the time of day in your time zone, consult https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/fixedtime.html?msg=Introductory+dist… 🕰️ Registration deadline:*23 August 2021*📅 Enrolment limit: 15 Cost: 215 British pounds 💵 What is included: Lectures, exercises, code, data all available online📃 *What they are saying* /I would like to say I really liked RStudio Cloud and it is working just fine and I am really enjoying using it as a student. I'm looking forward to using it as an instructor too. I really liked the first half of the course. I love distance sampling and I am enjoying every second of the course! The only thing I can say about this particular workshop is it deserves more time. -- Kaan Özgencil, PhD student, Department of Biological Sciences, Middle East Technical University, Ankara/ *Further details are available* http://workshops.distancesampling.org/intro-sep-2021.html At this page you will find a link to the St Andrews online shop where payment is made. After registration, I will contact you with additional details regarding workshop electronic materials, etc. Feel free to contact me with questions. Please share this announcement with interested colleagues. Information regarding all distance sampling workshops can be found at https://workshops.distancesampling.org -- Eric Rexstad Centre for Ecological and Environmental Modelling University of St Andrews St Andrews is a charity registered in Scotland SC013532

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International Save the Vaquita Day 2021
by Thomas Jefferson 28 Jun '21

28 Jun '21

Dear MARMAMers, This year,International Save the Vaquita Day will be on Saturday, 24 July. Due to continuing pandemic concerns, it willbe a virtual event, with an all-day live-stream of video content. See https://vivavaquita.org/international-save-the-vaquita-day/for more details As part of thisyear’s event, we will be presenting a series of short video clips of marinemammal researchers and conservationists explaining why they think the vaquitaneeds to be saved from extinction. Weinvite MARMAM readers to send in 30-60 second video clips, ideally filmed inthe field or place of work. Detailsabout how the videos should be filmed and sent in can be found here:https://vaquita.mx/assets/How_to_submit_video_for_ISTVD.pdf Please keep yourclips under 60 seconds, and end with the following statement: “President Obrador, do not allow Mexico’s only porpoise togo extinct. Salvemos a la vaquita! Gracias!” In order to have enough time for editing, please send videosin no later than 10 July 2021. Pleasejoin us on Saturday, 24 July . Weappreciate your help in working to save the vaquita!Best wishes,Tom JeffersonDirector, VIVA Vaquita@font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face {font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-font-charset:78; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:1 134676480 16 0 131072 0;}@font-face {font-family:Cambria; panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4; mso-font-charset:0; mso-generic-font-family:auto; mso-font-pitch:variable; mso-font-signature:-536870145 1073743103 0 0 415 0;}p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal {mso-style-unhide:no; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; margin:0in; margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:12.0pt; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}a:link, span.MsoHyperlink {mso-style-priority:99; color:blue; mso-themecolor:hyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;}a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed {mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; color:purple; mso-themecolor:followedhyperlink; text-decoration:underline; text-underline:single;}.MsoChpDefault {mso-style-type:export-only; mso-default-props:yes; font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-font-family:Cambria; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"ＭＳ明朝"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Cambria; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}div.WordSection1 {page:WordSection1;}

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Josh McInnes - UBC Marine Mammal Research Unit
by McInnes, Joshua 28 Jun '21

28 Jun '21

Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am very pleased to announce that our new publication titled: Transient Killer Whales of central and northern California and Oregon: A Catalog of Photo-Identified Individuals has been published today as part of the NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Technical Memorandum series. McInnes, Josh D., Chelsea R. Mathieson, Peggy J. West-Stap, Stephanie L. Marcos, Victoria L. Wade, Paula A. Olson, and Andrew W. Trites. 2021. Transient killer whales of central and northern California and Oregon: A catalog of photo-identified individuals. U.S. Department of Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-SWFSC-644. https://doi.org/10.25923/60y3-5m49 The publication is open access and can be found at the following NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center link: https://swfsc-publications.fisheries.noaa.gov/publications/?search=Transien… Abstract: Photo-identification studies of transient killer whales (Orcinus orca) off western North America have primarily been conducted in the coastal inland waterways of Washington State, British Columbia, and southeastern Alaska. Less is known about transient killer whales along the outer coast and offshore waters of Oregon and central and northern California. We examined 13 years of photo-identification data to identify individuals and obtain a minimum census for this region, and to summarize information that could be useful for evaluating a hypothesis that whales using this area belong to a distinct assemblage. Data contributions came from opportunistic marine mammal surveys, whale watch ecotours, and dedicated line transect surveys. Transient killer whale photographs were obtained from 146 encounters between 2006–2018. These included 136 encounters in Monterey Bay, California, 5 encounters off central and northern California, and 5 encounters off Oregon. The number of unique individuals seen during this time totaled 155, of which 150 were considered to be alive (as of 2018). These included 34 adult males, 51 adult females, 24 sub-adults, and 41 juveniles. Through repeated observations of association patterns, a total of 30 matrilineal groups were identified. New whales were identified each year, including previously unidentified adults and new calves. Identification images of the dorsal fins, saddle patches and postocular patches were obtained. Details on sex, maternal ancestry, sighting history, and distribution are provided where known. These cataloged transient killer whales were predominantly encountered off the outer coast near the continental shelf break or in deep pelagic waters overlying the Monterey Submarine Canyon. The vast majority (>83 %) of whales identified in the study area could not be matched to transient killer whales in photo ID catalogs for coastal waters of the Pacific Northwest. These factors are consistent with there being a distinct “outer coast” assemblage within the west coast population of transient killer whales, but more research is needed to investigate this further. Please feel free to email me if you have additional questions: j.mcinnes(a)oceans.ubc.ca Josh D. McInnes, MSc Candidate Marine Mammal Research Unit Institute for the Oceans and Fisheries University of British Columbia Vancouver, BC Canada V6T 1Z4

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New publication on blue whale source levels and vocalizing depths
by Léa Bouffaut 28 Jun '21

28 Jun '21

On behalf of my co-authors, I am thrilled to announce the publication of our new paper, "Source level and vocalizing depth estimation of two blue whale subspecies in the western Indian Ocean from single sensor observations". Léa Bouffaut<https://asa.scitation.org/author/Bouffaut%2C+L%C3%A9a><mailto:lea.bouffaut@ntnu.no>, Martin Landrø<https://asa.scitation.org/author/Landr%C3%B8%2C+Martin>, and <https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1430-7014> John R. Potter<https://asa.scitation.org/author/Potter%2C+John+R> , "Source level and vocalizing depth estimation of two blue whale subspecies in the western Indian Ocean from single sensor observations", The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 149, 4422-4436 (2021) https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0005281 <https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0005281> Please feel free to email me for a pdf copy at lea.bouffaut(a)ntnu.no --- Abstract The source level (SL) and vocalizing source depth (SD) of individuals from two blue whale (BW) subspecies, an Antarctic blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus intermedia; ABW) and a Madagascar pygmy blue whale (Balaenoptera musculus brevicauda; MPBW) are estimated from a single bottom-mounted hydrophone in the western Indian Ocean. Stereotyped units (male) are automatically detected and the range is estimated from the time delay between the direct and lowest-order multiply-reflected acoustic paths (multipath-ranging). Allowing for geometric spreading and the Lloyd's mirror effect (range-, depth-, and frequency-dependent) SL and SD are estimated by minimizing the SL variance over a series of units from the same individual over time (and hence also range). The average estimated SL of 188.5 ± 2.1 dB re. 1μPa measured between [25–30] Hz for the ABW and 176.8 ± 1.8 dB re. 1μPa measured between [22–27] Hz for the MPBW agree with values published for other geographical areas. Units were vocalized at estimated depths of 25.0 ± 3.7 and 32.7 ± 5.7 m for the ABW Unit A and C and, ~20m for the MPBW. The measurements show that these BW calls series are stereotyped in frequency, amplitude, and depth. --- <https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0005281> <https://doi.org/10.1121/10.0005281> Léa Bouffaut Post-doctoral fellow, Ph.D. Norwegian University of Science and Technology Department of Electronic Systems O.S. Bragstads plass 2b | Gløshaugen, Trondheim

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Two doctoral position opportunities in the Sea Lion Project, Galápagos
by Jonas Schwarz 28 Jun '21

28 Jun '21

We are seeking to recruit two PhD students to study animal personalities, foraging strategies, and their ensuing life history consequences in Galápagos sea lions (Zalophus wollebaeki) in the research group of Oliver Krüger at the Department of Animal Behaviour at Bielefeld University, Germany (uni-bielefeld.de/fakultaeten/biologie/forschung/ arbeitsgruppen/behaviour). Field work will take place on Caamaño, a small, beautiful island near Puerto Ayora in the centre of the Galápagos archipelago. We have studied Galápagos sea lions there since 2003 with most animals being individually marked. Field seasons on Caamaño last from September-December and February-March each year. Work on Caamaño includes daily census rounds, a variety of behavioural response tests, behavioural observations, and captures of animals for tagging, growth assessment, biologging deployment, and sample collection (for genetic, stable isotope, and hormone analysis). Caamaño is isolated from civilisation and has no facilities, so an ability to work under truly primitive conditions is essential. The preferred starting date is 15th of September 2021, as the PhD students need to be trained during the next field season on Galápagos starting around the 1st of October 2021. All expenditure with regard to the field season will be covered, but the salary can only commence in January 2022. Both positions are part of a continuation proposal of a Collaborative Research Centre (CRC), with the final decision being made by the German Research Foundation in late 2021. Therefore, the final confirmation of the PhD can only be given at the end of the field season. Both positions will then be available for four years, starting on January 1st 2022 and are funded with a gross salary of ca. € 2700 per month. We seek bright and highly motivated students who have a proven record of field experience studying wild animals. A very good master’s degree or an equivalent in a relevant field (e.g., animal behaviour, behavioural ecology, population ecology, evolutionary ecology) is expected. The ideal candidates will be able to work both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team, will have experience in statistics and, in addition to excellent spoken and written English, will either be able to speak Spanish or are willing to learn it. The PhD students will be based at the Department of Animal Behaviour at Bielefeld University (https://uni-bielefeld.de/uni/profil) and supervised by Oliver Krüger, Fritz Trillmich, and Joe Hoffman. The department is the oldest of its kind in Germany and currently hosts seven principal investigators, ten postdocs, and 20 PhD students from over ten different countries working on related topics in behaviour, ecology, and evolution. It offers a stimulating international environment and an excellent research infrastructure. The working language of the Department is English. Bielefeld is a city of 333,000 inhabitants, having an odd blend of big city flair infused with pockets of quiet, simple rural life and easy access to the Teutoburger Forest for hiking and other outdoor pursuits. To apply please send (i) your CV, (ii) a letter of motivation including a 1-2-page statement of your research experience, and (iii) the contact details of three referees as a single PDF file to: oliver.krueger(a)uni-bielefeld.de. Review of applications will begin on August 1st 2021 until the positions are filled. For further information, please see www.uni-bielefeld.de/fakultaeten/biologie/forschung/arbeitsgruppen/behaviou… galapagos-sea-lion or contact Jonas Schwarz via email (jonas.schwarz1(a)uni-bielefeld.de) with any informal inquiries. The University of Bielefeld is an equal opportunity employer. We particularly welcome applications from women and handicapped people. Given equal suitability, qualifications and professional achievement, women and handicapped people will be given preference, unless particular circumstances apply.

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New Publication MARMAM Posting
by Taylor Azizeh 27 Jun '21

27 Jun '21

Dear MARMAM colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the recent publication of a new paper in Marine Ecology Progress Series: Azizeh, T.R., Sprogis, K., Soley, R., Nielsen, M.L.K, Uhart, M., Sironi, M., Marón, C.F., Bejder, L., Madsen, P.T., and F. Christiansen. (2021). Acute and chronic behavioral effects of kelp gull micropredation of southern right whale mother-calf pairs off Península Valdés, Argentina. Marine Ecology Progress Series 668, 133-148. https://doi.org/10.3354/meps13716 Abstract: Kelp gulls *Larus dominicanus* (KG) feed on the skin and blubber of living southern right whales *Eubalaena australis* (SRWs) off Península Valdés (PV), Argentina. The whales respond strongly to KG micropredation by changing their immediate (acute) behavior during attacks and their overall (chronic) surfacing pattern and body posture to minimize gull exposure. The energetic and large-scale behavioral consequences of these attacks are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we quantified the effect size of both acute (during attacks) and chronic (not during attacks) responses by comparing the respiration rates, swim speed, and nursing behavior of PV SRWs to undisturbed (control) SRW mother-calf pairs in Head of Bight, Australia, using unmanned aerial vehicle focal follows. Even when gulls were not attacking, PV SRW mothers and calves demonstrated ~50 and ~25% higher respiration rates, respectively, than whales in Australia. During attacks, PV calf respiration rates increased by an additional 10%. PV SRW mothers also frequently (>76% of respirations) exhibited irregular breathing postures, causing the whales to potentially expend extra energy by working against their natural buoyancy. Despite no significant increase in average maternal swim speed, 76 and 90% of gull attacks elicited strong behavioral reactions from mothers and calves, respectively. Overall, PV calves spent less time nursing during individual bouts compared to those in Australia but entered suckling position more frequently. Furthermore, kelp gulls seemed to show a preference for attacking previously wounded calves and at a higher rate. These chronic and acute behavioral effects may carry energetic costs, which could have long-term consequences for SRW survival and reproduction. You can access the full article here: https://www.int-res.com/abstracts/meps/v668/p133-148/ Best regards, Taylor Azizeh Graduate Student, Vertebrate Ecology Lab Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing, California taylorazizeh(a)gmail.com

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New publication on individual stereotypy in Cape fur seal vocal repertoire
by Mathilde Martin 26 Jun '21

26 Jun '21

Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce our recent publication in'Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology': Extreme ecological constraints lead to high degree of individual stereotypy in the vocal repertoire of the Cape fur seal (/Arctocephalus pusillus pusillus/) Mathilde Martin, Tess Gridley, Simon Harvey Elwen, Isabelle Charrier BES (2021), https://doi-org.proxy.scd.u-psud.fr/10.1007/s00265-021-03043-y <https://doi-org.proxy.scd.u-psud.fr/10.1007/s00265-021-03043-y> Abstract: The ability to recognize the identity of conspecifics is a key component for survival of many animal species and is fundamental to social interactions such as parental care, intra-sexual competition or mate recognition. In group-living species, the simul- taneous co-existence of many individuals increases the number of interactions and reinforces the need for individual recogni- tion. Acoustic signals are widely used by birds and mammals to communicate and to convey information about identity, but their use in very dense colonies becomes challenging due to the high level of background noise and the high risk of confusion among individuals. The Cape fur seal (CFS) is the most colonial pinniped species and one of the most colonial mammals in the world, with colonies of up to 210,000 individuals during the breeding season. Here, we investigated the individual stereotypy in vocalizations produced by pups, females and male CFS using Random Forests and index of vocal stereotypy (IVS). We thus compared IVS values of CFS to other pinniped species. Within CFS we identified individuality in all call types but the degree of individual stereotypy varies in regard to their social function: affiliative calls produced in a mother–pup reunion context and territorial calls produced by mature bulls holding harem were more individualized than vocalizations involved in agonistic inter- actions. Our inter-species comparisons among pinnipeds showed that CFS affiliative and territorial calls displayed higher degrees of individuality compared to other species with similar or lower ecological constraints (colony density and social structure). Please feel free to email me for a pdf copy at:mathilde.martin@universite-paris-saclay.fr <mailto:stephanie.ploen@gmail.com> -- *Mathilde MARTIN* PhD Student Acoustic Communications Team, Department Cognition & Network Neuroscience NeuroPSI - Paris-Saclay Institute of Neuroscience Rue Claude Bernard, Bat. 446, 91405 Orsay, FRANCE https://neuropsi.cnrs.fr Tel: +33 (0)1 69 15 49 63 Email: mathilde.martin(a)universite-paris-saclay.fr Website: https://mathildemartin-research.com/

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New Publication: Dynamics of Cetacean Mixed-Species Groups
by Guido Parra Vergara 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Dear colleagues, Hope you are all well, healthy and spending a lot of time in the field and with your loved ones. On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to announce our new article in Frontiers in Marine Science: Syme, J., Kiszka, J.J., and Parra, G.J. (2021). Dynamics of Cetacean Mixed-Species Groups: A Review and Conceptual Framework for Assessing Their Functional Significance. 8(734). doi: 10.3389/fmars.2021.678173 ABSTRACT: Numerous species of cetaceans have been recorded in mixed-species groups (MSGs). By forming groups with individuals of different species, cetaceans may reduce predation risk, improve foraging, and gain social benefits. Most accounts of cetacean MSGs, however, are descriptive and little is known about their functions. Furthermore, research has been hindered by inconsistent use of terminology and the lack of a conceptual framework to guide investigations. We reviewed the cetacean literature to compare how MSGs have been termed and defined, to assess their characteristics, to evaluate what is known about their potential functions, and to provide directions for future study. In total, we reviewed 203 studies reporting observations of cetacean MSGs. These MSGs involved 54 different species, predominantly delphinids, that formed 216 different species pairs with varied morphologies and levels of relatedness. Cetacean MSGs occurred across the globe, from tropical to cold temperate seas, from shallow coastal waters to the open ocean, and varied in characteristics such as group size and frequency of occurrence. Only 27 of the reviewed studies proposed and discussed the potential functions of cetacean MSGs, suggesting reduced predation risk (5 species pairs), improved foraging (17 species pairs), and social benefits (12 species pairs) as the main drivers. In most cases, however, the factors that drive the formation of cetacean MSGs remain unknown. Amongst the reviewed studies, MSGs were referred to by various terms, often with no explicit definitions. To reduce this inconsistency, we recommend that future studies use only the term mixed-species group which we define as individuals of two or more species found in close spatial proximity due to mutual or unreciprocated attraction derived from evolutionary grouping benefits. There were also few structured investigations to confirm MSG occurrence and to analyse their potential causes and consequences. To facilitate the study of cetacean MSGs, we developed a conceptual framework that establishes diverse approaches to, firstly, distinguish MSGs from chance encounters and aggregations and to, secondly, investigate their potential functions. This is necessary if we are to advance this field of study and improve our understanding of the role that MSGs play in species and community ecology. This article is an open access publication accessible to readers anywhere in the world: https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.678173 All the best, Guido ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guido J. Parra, PhD Associate Professor | College of Science and Engineering Research leader | Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL) Staff: http://www.flinders.edu.au/people/guido.parra [cid:image001.png@01D4A51A.6B556BC0]@GuidoJParra<https://twitter.com/GuidoJParra> | @CEBELresearch | <https://twitter.com/CEBELresearch> GoogleScholar<https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?hl=en&user=7YisEoAAAAAJ> | ResearchGate<https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Guido_Parra> | LinkedIn<https://www.linkedin.com/in/guido-j-parra-093217183/> Flinders University, GPO Box 2100 Adelaide, SA 5001 Australia Tel: +61 8 8201 3565|email: guido.parra(a)flinders.edu.au<mailto:guido.parra@flinders.edu.au> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Please consider the environment before printing this email

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Extension to Public Comment Period for MMHSRP's Draft Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement (PEIS)
by MMHSRP PEIS Comments - NOAA Service Account 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Hello All, The MMHSRP would like to announce that we are extending the public comment period for 30 days, following requests for more time for review to review the draft PEIS. The comment period will now close on July 28, 2021. We hope that this gives everyone some additional time for the best possible review. As a reminder, the draft PEIS can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/draft-programmatic-environ…. The associated appendices for the draft PEIS can be found at: https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/resource/document/appendices-mmhsrp-draft-pr… . Thank you, Steve Manley on behalf of the MMHSRP

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New publication on the energetic landscape of toothed whale sperm cells
by Stephanie Plön, PhD 25 Jun '21

25 Jun '21

Dear Colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I am happy to announce our recent publication in* Current Biology*: *A drastic shift in the energetic landscape of toothed whale sperm cells* Luís Q. Alves, Raquel Ruivo,Raul Valente, Miguel M. Fonseca, Andre M. Machado, Stephanie Plön, Nuno Monteiro, David García-Parraga,Sara Ruiz-Díaz, Maria J. Sánchez-Calabuig, Alfonso Gutierrez-Adán and L. Filipe C. Castro Current Biology (2021), https:// doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2021.05.062 Abstract: Mammalian spermatozoa are a notable example of metabolic compartmentalization. Energy in the form of ATP production, vital for motility, capacitation, and fertilization, is subcellularly separated in sperm cells. While glycolysis provides a local, rapid, and low-yielding input of ATP along the flagellum fibrous sheath, oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS), far more efficient over a longer time frame, is concentrated in the midpiece mitochondria. The relative weight of glycolysis and OXPHOS pathways in sperm function is variable among species and sensitive to oxygen and substrate availability. Besides partitioning energy production, sperm cell energetics display an additional singularity: the occurrence of sperm-specific gene duplicates and alternative spliced variants, with conserved function but structurally bound to the flagellar fibrous sheath. The wider selective forces driving the compartmentalization and adaptability of this energy system in mammalian species remain largely unknown, much like the impact of ecosystem resource availability (e.g., carbohydrates, fatty acids, and proteins) and dietary adaptations in reproductive physiology traits. Here, we investigated the Cetacea, an iconic group of fully aquatic and carnivorous marine mammals, evolutionarily related to extant terrestrial herbivores. In this lineage, episodes of profound trait remodeling have been accompanied by clear genomic signatures. We show that toothed whales exhibit impaired sperm glycolysis, due to gene and exon erosion, and demonstrate that dolphin spermatozoa motility depends on endogenous fatty acid b-oxidation, but not carbohydrates. Such unique energetic rewiring substantiates the observation of large mitochondria in toothed whale spermatozoa and emphasizes the radical physiological reorganization imposed by the transition to a carbohydrate-depleted marine environment. A copy of the publication can be found and downloaded at the following link: https://authors.elsevier.com/c/1dIIZ3QW8Rwohm Please feel free to email me for a pdf copy at: stephanie.ploen(a)gmail.com -- Dr. Stephanie Plön Assoc. Professor in Medical Virology Department of Pathology, Stellenbosch University and Bayworld Centre for Research and Education (BCRE) Port Elizabeth South Africa Cell: +27-76-3791067 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Stephanie_Ploen *https://iucn-csg.org/stephanie-plon-phd/ <https://iucn-csg.org/stephanie-plon-phd/>*

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