September 2024 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

FINAL REMINDER: Abstract Deadline for the 3rd Marine Mammal eDNA Workshop at SMM2024
by Julia Clem 11 Sep '24

11 Sep '24

Dear MARMAM Community, The deadline to submit an abstract to present research at the 3rd Marine Mammal eDNA Workshop at SMM2024 has been extended to *September 13th*, with acceptance emails going out on September 27th. A description of the workshop can be found here: https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1647455659326-59b2adc5-38db. We look forward to facilitating discussion around recent advances in marine mammal eDNA science, and invite participants to share their recent eDNA work during the workshop! For those interested in participation and/or presentation, please fill out the following form: https://forms.gle/rqyYAb3U1LeX9ZCJ8 and register for the workshop at https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/. Best wishes, Workshop organizers (Amy M Van Cise, Kim Parsons, and Julia Clem) -- Julia Clem PhD Candidate, Marine Biology University of Maine julia.sunnarborg(a)maine.edu | 952-657-6284

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New publication: Marine mammals as indicators of Anthropocene Ocean Health (Stephanie Plön)
by Stephanie Plön, PhD 10 Sep '24

10 Sep '24

Dear marmamers, On behalf of my co-authors, I'm excited to share our new review paper published in *npj Biodiversity *"Marine mammals as indicators of Anthropocene Ocean Health" The article is fully open access and can be found here: https://rdcu.be/dTxqs Abstract: The current state of marine mammal populations reflects increasing anthropogenic impacts on the global Ocean. Adopting a holistic approach towards marine mammal health, incorporating healthy individuals and healthy populations, these taxa present indicators of the health of the overall Ocean system. Their present deterioration at the animal, population and ecosystem level has implications for human health and the global system. In the Anthropocene, multiple planetary boundaries have already been exceeded and quiet tipping points in the Ocean may present further uncertainties. Long and short-term monitoring of marine mammal health in the holistic sense is urgently required to assist in evaluating and reversing impact on Ocean Health and aid in climate change mitigation. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me. Kind regards, Stephanie Plön BioConsult SH Husum, Germany The current state of marine mammal populations reflects increasing anthropogenic impacts on theglobal Ocean. Adopting a holistic approach towards marine mammal health, incorporating healthyindividuals and healthy populations, these taxa present indicators of the health of the overall Oceansystem. Their present deterioration at the animal, population and ecosystem level has implications forhuman health and the global system. In the Anthropocene, multiple planetary boundaries have alreadybeen exceeded, and quiet tipping points in the Ocean may present further uncertainties. Long andshort-term monitoring of marine mammal health in the holistic sense is urgently required to assist inevaluating and reversing the impact on Ocean Health and aid in climate change mitigation. The current state of marine mammal populations reflects increasing anthropogenic impacts on theglobal Ocean. Adopting a holistic approach towards marine mammal health, incorporating healthyindividuals and healthy populations, these taxa present indicators of the health of the overall Oceansystem. Their present deterioration at the animal, population and ecosystem level has implications forhuman health and the global system. In the Anthropocene, multiple planetary boundaries have alreadybeen exceeded, and quiet tipping points in the Ocean may present further uncertainties. Long andshort-term monitoring of marine mammal health in the holistic sense is urgently required to assist inevaluating and reversing the impact on Ocean Health and aid in climate change mitigation.The current state of marine mammal populations re flects increasing anthropogenic impacts on theglobal Ocean. Adopting a holistic approach towards marine mammal health, incorporating healthyindividuals and healthy populations, these taxa present indicators of the health of the overall Oceansystem. Their present deterioration at the animal, population and ecosystem level has implications forhuman health and the global system. In the Anthropocene, multiple planetary boundaries have alreadybeen exceeded, and quiet tipping points in the Ocean may present further uncertainties. Long andshort-term monitoring of marine mammal health in the holistic sense is urgently required to assist inevaluating and reversing the impact on Ocean Health and aid in climate change mitigation.

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Reference genome for the Humpback whale
by Maria-Vittoria Carminati 09 Sep '24

09 Sep '24

It is with great pleasure that I am circulating access to the first full reference genome of the Humpback whale, now available for others to work with. >From NCBI: We have processed and released the following WGS submission, and its scaffolds: SUBID BioProject BioSample Accession Organism --------------------------------------------------- SUB14625650 PRJNA1103780 SAMN41059645 JBGMDX000000000 Megaptera novaeangliae KW2013002 The scaffold accessions appear in the WGS_SCFLD line at the bottom of the WGS master record, JBGMDX000000000. They can be retrieved by searching for the individual accessions, but there will be the usual indexing delay before the hyperlink of the accession range works. Please cite the accession number JBGMDX000000000 like this: This Whole Genome Shotgun project has been deposited at DDBJ/ENA/GenBank under the accession JBGMDX000000000. The version described in this paper is version JBGMDX010000000. The master record will be available from our various Entrez servers within a few days. The individual sequences are available from a hyperlink at the bottom of the WGS master record JBGMDX000000000. There is a delay between when a genome is released and when it appears on all of our public resources. Initially a genome is only available by searching for the accession in the nucleotide database. It takes several days to more than a week for it to work its way through our systems and be linked to all of our databases, eg BioProject. We will upload the list of accession numbers to the Submission Portal, JBGMDX01_accs.

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New Publication: Auto machine learning tools to distinguish between two killer whale ecotypes
by Mohamed ismail 09 Sep '24

09 Sep '24

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share with you our new paper entitled ‘’Auto machine learning tools to distinguish between two killer whale ecotypes’’, published in Marine Mammal Science. The paper is open access and available online at https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13177 Research-gate: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/383555876_Auto_machine_learning_to… Abstract: In the northwestern Pacific Ocean, there are two ecotypes of killer whales: residents or R-type (fish-eaters) and transients or T-type (mammal-eaters). Most attempts to determine the morphological distinctions between these ecotypes were either based on descriptive variations or utilized approaches that were impractical due to their time-consuming nature or low accuracy. Machine learning algorithms, a subfield of artificial intelligence, show significant potential for image classification. The present study used auto machine learning to differentiate between the dorsal fins of these two killer whale ecotypes using raster images obtained through field surveys. Two auto machine learning platforms were employed: Edge Impulse and Google Cloud AutoML. Both platforms demonstrated high performance. The Edge Impulse platform achieved an accuracy of 93.06%, while the Google Cloud platform achieved an average accuracy of 98.17%. Results show that machine learning stands out as a vital tool for image classification, effectively differentiating ecotypes and confirming that the morphological distinctions between these two ecotypes are not subjective interpretations. Machine learning promises to expand in its uses as an innovative and affordable method for studying the characteristics of cetaceans. How to cite this paper: Ismail, M. E., Fedutin, I. D., Hoyt, E., Ivkovich, T. V., & Filatova, O. A.(2024). Auto machine learning tools to distinguish between two killer whale ecotypes. Marine Mammal Science, e13175. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13175 Best wishes, Mohamed Ismail PhD student MSU

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New publication - Female, juvenile, and calf sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus 1758) records from Ireland
by Sean O'Callaghan 09 Sep '24

09 Sep '24

Dear MARMAM community, We are pleased to announce our recent publication on the presence of female, juvenile and calf sperm whales off Ireland detailed below. O'Callaghan, S.A., Griffin, B., Levesque, S., Gammell, M. and O'Brien, J. (2024). Female, juvenile, and calf sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus (Linnaeus 1758) records from Ireland. Ecology and Evolution 14(9), e70056. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70056 Abstract Sperm whales spatially segregate by sex and social behavior as they mature. In the North Atlantic, male whales move to higher latitudes as far as Svalbard at 80° N, while females and young whales typically remain around lower latitudes below 40–45° N. The Azores, Madeira, and the Canary Islands constitute important nursery grounds for female and young sperm whales. Irish waters represent a midpoint for this species’ spatial segregation in the Northeast Atlantic, where the species occurs along the submarine canyon systems to the west of the country. Historically, just male whales were thought to be found in this region between 51 and 55° N, but one adult female was caught by commercial whalers in 1910, and a 5.49 m calf was found stranded in 1916. Between 1995 and 2023, 10 female sperm whales have been stranded around the coast of Ireland. Eight of these whales have been stranded since 2013, and there has been at least one stranding per year between 2019 and 2023. Four of these strandings have occurred in Donegal in the northwest of Ireland, indicating the presence of female whales along the continental shelf off this region. Two females were stranded within a day of each other and were found in similar states of decomposition in February 2022, indicating that they may have been part of the same group rather than being lone vagrant individuals. Sperm whale calves and juveniles were also sighted in Irish waters in 2001, 2004, and 2010 in the Rockall Trough, along the Porcupine Bank and Goban Spur, where between 1 and 3 individuals were observed on four occasions while one calf live stranded in 2004. These records indicate a historical presence of female and young sperm whales in this region but that an apparent increase in occurrence has taken place over the past decade. The study is fully open access but you have any questions regarding this work feel free to get in touch with me on seanocallaghan212(a)gmail.com Kind regards, Seán

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New publications on the Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula)
by songhai 08 Sep '24

08 Sep '24

Dear Colleagues, We are excited to share our newest publications on the Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula): 01). Wenzhi Lin#, Hui Kang#, Inge Seim, Binshuai Liu, Shenglan Chen, Mingming Liu, Lijun Dong, Mingli Lin, Mingyue Ouyang, Xiaoyu Huang, Yingxue Gao, Zixin Yang, Yaolei Zhang, Jiahao Wang, Guangyi Fan, Songhai Li*. (2024) The first genetically confirmed live sighting of the Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula), with insights into the diversity, phylogeny, and past demographic history. Marine Mammal Science. e13180. https://doi.org/ 10.1111/mms.13180. Abstract: Beaked whales have recently been reported in the South China Sea but with taxonomic uncertainty due to their ambiguous morphological features. Here, we sequenced three genetic markers, the control region (CR) and cytochrome b (cytb) of the mitochondrial genome and the first intron of the nuclear muscle actin gene ACTA2, of two biopsy samples collected in 2021, and revealed unambiguous clustering with sequences previously attributed to Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula). Phylogenetic analysis of complete mitogenomes strongly supported the close relationship between the Deraniyagala's beaked whale and the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale (M. ginkgodens). Whole-genome sequencing suggested a high degree of heterozygosity in the Deraniyagala's beaked whale. Ancient inbreeding may have had a greater impact than the recent inbreeding on Deraniyagala's beaked whales, but more samples are needed to draw a firm conclusion. The approximate effective population size of Deraniyagala's beaked whale was found lowest among seven examined ziphiids, which has been experiencing a steady decline since 300,000 ya. Therefore, we suggest that the conservation status of Deraniyagala's beaked whales should be assessed when essential information is available. The results of our study provide genetic evidence of the live sighting of Deraniyagala's beaked whale in the South China Sea and are fundamental to understanding the morphological, behavioral, and ecological perspectives of this cetacean species. 02). Lijun Dong, Yuhang Song, Wenzhi Lin, Mingming Liu, Mingli Lin, Songhai Li*. (2024) Echolocation signals recorded in the presence of Deraniyagala's beaked whales (Mesoplodon hotaula) in the western Pacific (South China Sea) indicate species-specificity and intraspecific variation. Marine Mammal Science. e13179. https:// doi.org/10.1111/mms.13179. Abstract: Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) is one of the least-known beaked whale species, with only a few of possible live sightings being documented to date. Here, vocalizations of Deraniyagala's beaked whales were recorded using drifting recording systems in the confirmed presence of this whale in the northern South China Sea (SCS) in 2021. A total of 699 qualified frequency-modulated (FM) pulses were used to calculate frequency and duration measurements. FM pulses had a median peak frequency of 43.3 kHz and median interpulse interval (IPI) of 244.6 ms. Both the spectra measurements and clustering analysis showed the recorded clicks closely resemble the clicks of beaked whales at Palmyra Atoll (presumed to belong to Deraniyagala's beaked whale). Compared with other Ziphiidae species, interspecific differences were also observed. Distinguishing between Deraniyagala's and ginkgo-toothed (M. ginkgodens) beaked whales with acoustic data sets seems to prove feasible. Our results also suggested that Deraniyagala's beaked whales may produce more than one subtype of FM pulses. This study presents the first description of echolocation clicks produced by this species based on the confirmed visual sightings. It is beneficial to identify the species in passive acoustic monitoring records and gain further insight into this species' vocalizations. 03). Mingming Liu, Wenzhi Lin, Binshuai Liu, Shenglan Chen, Mingli Lin, Lijun Dong, Hui Kang, Mingyue Ouyang, Zixin Yang, Xiaoyu Huang, Massimiliano Rosso, L. Todd Pusser, John Y. Wang, Robert L. Pitman*, Songhai Li*. (2024) Observations on Deraniyagala's beaked whale (Mesoplodon hotaula) in the South China Sea based on the first confirmed live sightings. Marine Mammal Science. e13178. <https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13178> https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13178. Abstract: Deraniyagala's beaked whale, Mesoplodon hotaula, was previously known from eight published strandings and no confirmed live sightings, making it one of the least-known cetaceans. We conducted six cetacean survey cruises in the South China Sea between 2019 and 2023, and during 120 sea-days we recorded 12 sightings of unidentified Mesoplodon. From biopsy samples and acoustic recordings, five sightings were subsequently confirmed as M. hotaula. Using photographs, we provide the first field descriptions and observations of this species. The calf/juvenile has a distinctive facial coloration and dorsal striping pattern that appear to be diagnostic among Indo-Pacific Mesoplodon; among adult males, the dark rostrum of M. hotaula and the distinctively white-tipped beak of ginkgo-toothed beaked whale, M. ginkgodens, distinguish these similar-looking, partially sympatric species. Mean group size was small (3.0, n = 5), with a preference for deep (2,156 m, n = 5), warm (30.3C, n = 3) water. We update the known distribution of this species, present evidence of fishery interactions, and document the first reported mixed-species Mesoplodon group: a juvenile Blainville's beaked whale M. densirostris associated with four M. hotaula. These sightings identify the South China Sea as a potentially important area for this almost completely unknown species. Please email me at lish(a)idsse.ac.cn <mailto:lish@idsse.ac.cn> if you have any questions. Best Regards Songhai ------------------------------------------------------------------- Songhai Li Ph.D. & Prof. Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory Institute of Deep-sea Science and Engineering Chinese Academy of Sciences 28 Luhuitou Road, Sanya, 572000, China Phone: +86-898-88222393 Email: <mailto:lish@sidsse.ac.cn> lish(a)idsse.ac.cn <http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysw sxyjz2015/> http://www.idsse.cas.cn/yjsgk2015/zzjg2015/yftx2015/shkxyjb2015/hybrdwyhysws xyjz2015/ <http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/> http://www.cetacean.csdb.cn/

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SMM Ethics Workshop - SMM Perth 2024, Sat 9 Nov 2024
by Karen Stockin 08 Sep '24

08 Sep '24

Kia ora colleagues, Ethics are adaptive because they must evolve to meet legislative as well as societal changes across time. As a Society, it is important the SMM board, ethics committee and wider membership acknowledge this by reviewing both Terms of Reference and policies accordingly. Do our current Terms of Reference capture the breadth of ethical issues faced by the Society today? Do our research initiatives conform to a set of ethical principles that have been agreed by its membership? Do we provide clear guidance to authors, reviewers and editors alike, regarding submissions to journal, conference and workshops hosted by or endorsed by the Society? And is the Society fostering appropriate awareness of ethical issues such as indigenous research, data sovereignty, research techniques, parachute science and offshoring? In a contemporary world that has experienced marked societal and legislative change affecting marine mammal science in recent decades, it is time to explore ethical considerations within and across adjacent fields to ensure the SMM remains forward facing. This workshop aims to engage membership input to propose improvements to our current ethical procedures - get involved and have your views heard. Specifically, we seek to establish a set of overarching ethical principles for the society and to propose a framework for our ethical procedures. The benefits of such a framework would include harmonization of ethical review processes between the society and its journal, the initiation of processes that oblige authors to make ethical declarations as a matter of course, including for conference abstracts, the provision of clear guidance on the interpretation of complex international legislation concerning marine mammals and clarifying what ethics means to our Society moving forward. Virtual attendance possible - Sat 9 November. Register here https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1718132271312-4d7c7a23-e1ca. If you have any questions, please Contact to Karen Stockin k.a.stockin(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:k.a.stockin@massey.ac.nz> [https://www.smmconference.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/courtnie-tosana-X7…]<https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1718132271312-4d7c7a23-e1ca> Workshops - SMM Conference<https://www.smmconference.org/workshops/#1718132271312-4d7c7a23-e1ca> SMM2022 workshops are half day, full day, or two day events that are proposed and organised by individual researchers. Pre-conference workshops will be held on Saturday, December 11th and Sunday, December 12th, 2021, during the weekend just prior to the conference. www.smmconference.org<http://www.smmconference.org/> On behalf of of the Workshop Organizing Committee Karen Stockin, Vassili Papastavrou, Conor Ryan, Michael Moore, Rebecca Boys Karen A Stockin, PhD Professor - Marine Biology Rutherford Discovery Fellow - Royal Society Te Aparangi Cetacean Ecology Research Group | School of Natural Sciences | Massey University [cid:image001.png@01DB02AA.5CBA7120] +64 (0)21 423997 * k.a.stockin(a)massey.ac.nz<mailto:k.a.stockin@massey.ac.nz> * http://www.cetaceanecology.org<http://www.cetaceanecology.org/> Click HERE<https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7216216842229489664/> to see how CERG is making a difference 25 years on [cid:image002.png@01DB02AA.5CBA7120]

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PSO, JNCC MMO and PAM Online eLearning Training Courses
by Alison Gill 08 Sep '24

08 Sep '24

Intelligent Ocean Ltd is pleased to offer three eLearning courses which can be started at any time. - *BOEM/BSEE Protected Species Observer (PSO) eLearning Training Course for the U.S. Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico (GBP 200 per person)* - *JNCC Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person)* - *Passive Acoustic Monitoring and PAMGUARD Software eLearning Training Course (GBP 150 per person)* The *BOEM/BSEE PSO course* is required for you to work as a Protected Species Observer (PSO) in the U.S. Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico and covers an in-depth explanation of mitigation principles and example mitigation measures for a range of project types (geophysical surveys, piling, explosives (introduction to the PROP program) and vessel strike avoidance). Additionally, there is an in-depth section on dredging operations and the role of the PSO for monitoring and collection of specific data and tissue sampling (aim as a pre-runner course to further specialised training). Further details and how to book can be found at this link https://www.intelligentocean.com/pso-elearning/ The *Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) MMO registered course *is required for you to work as a Marine Mammal Observer (MMO) in UK Continental Shelf waters during offshore projects such as seismic surveys, pile-driving and projects involving the use of explosives. This course has been approved by the JNCC as a valid alternative to the usual classroom taught course. Alternatively, project managers or interested parties may wish to complete this course for awareness of how MMOs work or for Continuous Professional Development (CPD). Further details and how to book can be found at this link https://www.intelligentocean.com/jncc-mmo-elearning/ The *Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM) course* is designed to introduce this technique of monitoring for marine mammals to MMOs, researchers, project managers or any other interested parties. It covers basic acoustic theory, the use of a spectrogram to view example marine mammal vocalisation types and other ocean noise, PAM equipment components, assembly and deployment and finally an exercise in configuring the industry standard PAM software - PAMGUARD. *This course has received recognition as an accredited Continuing Professional Development (CPD) course by the Institute of Marine Engineering, Science and Technology (IMarEST). * Further details and how to book can be found at this link https://www.intelligentocean.com/pam-elearning/ To complete the eLearning courses you simply log in, read, learn and then pass assessments based on the course content. You set the pace of your learning. You will have access to the extensive course material for 3 years with the option to renew after this for another 3 years for a small fee if you would like continuous access to the course material and any updates that may occur. This means that even after the training you will have continuous access to material which is current for regulations and PAMGUARD software. A great resource for any working professional. The JNCC MMO and PAM courses usually take between 1 to 2 full days to complete. The BOEM/BSEE PSO course is a much more detailed and extensive course and will take 3 to 4 days to complete. Companies wishing to sign up members of their staff please email support(a)intelligentocean.com for registration and invoicing. Please note that we also offer refresher courses should anyone need to renew their training certificates. Intelligent Ocean’s staff have extensive experience of working offshore as MMOs and PAM operators in addition to marine mammal survey work and nature guiding. We have been offering training courses since 2009 and have trained over 4000 persons working in marine mammal mitigation. Regards Alison Gill Director and Trainer Intelligent Ocean Ltd *https://www.intelligentocean.com/ <https://www.intelligentocean.com/>* Registered in England Company Registration Number: 07590688

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New Publication: "Humpback whale feeding behavior and defecation observed on the Hawaiian breeding grounds"
by Adam Pack 07 Sep '24

07 Sep '24

Aloha Friends and Colleagues, Lead author Marc Lammers and co-authors Julia Zeh, Eden Zang, Ed Lyman and I are excited to announce that our article "Humpback whale feeding behavior and defecation observed on the Hawaiian breeding grounds" has just been published in the journal *Marine Mammal Science*. The paper is open access and available online at http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13177 <https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13177__;!!PvDODwlR4m…> . The citation and abstract are pasted below. For correspondence about the paper, feel free to contact lead author Dr. Marc Lammers at marc.lammers(a)noaa.gov. Best wishes and hope to see you all in Perth, Adam Lammers, M.O., Zeh, J., Pack, A. A., Zang, E. & Lyman, E. (2024). Humpback whale feeding behavior and defecation observed on the Hawaiian breeding grounds. Marine Mammal Science, e13177. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13177 Humpback whales and other baleen whales are considered capital breeders, and during migration and breeding, their metabolic needs are thought to be met by breakdown of adipose tissue, resulting in a loss of body mass while migrating thousands of kilometers and engaging in breeding behavior. However, feeding behavior and other evidence of foraging, like defecation and stomach contents of stranded whales, have been observed in winter breeding areas, suggesting that opportunistic feeding may not be uncommon. We report two recent documented instances of humpback whales lunge feeding on schools of fish and on 27 observations of whale defecation in Hawaiian waters during the winter breeding season. These observations raise questions about what prey species whales might be consuming while in Hawaiʻi, where and when they might be foraging, and how important this behavior is for the whales and for Hawaiʻi’s marine ecosystem. -- Adam A. Pack, Ph.D. Professor Departments of Psychology and Biology University of Hawai'i at Hilo University Classroom Building UCB 264 200 West Kawili Street Hilo, Hawai'i 96720 (Office Voice): 808-932-7082 (Email): pack(a)hawaii.edu (Faculty Webpage): https://hilo.hawaii.edu/faculty/adam-a-pack/ (UH Hilo Lab): https://hilo.hawaii.edu/faculty/adam-a-pack/marine-mammal-lab/ (Non-profit organization): https://thedolphininstitute.org/ Recent PBS Documentary Films: Humpback Health: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0_pvMeGVho Mystery of the Humpback Whale Song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgEQ0TUjZh0 "Do or do not; there is no try." Yoda

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New Publication: Insights into Foraging Behavior from Multi-Day Sound Recording Tags on Goose-beaked Whales in the Southern California Bight
by Shannon Coates 06 Sep '24

06 Sep '24

Dear MARMAM community, We are excited to share our newest publication: Coates, S.N., Sweeney, D.A., Falcone, E.A., Watwood, S.L., Rone, B.K., DeRuiter, S.L., Barlow, J., Dolan, K.A., Morrissey, R.P., DiMarzio, N.A. and Jarvis, S.M. (2024). Insights into foraging behavior from multi-day sound recording tags on goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) in the Southern California Bight. Frontiers in Marine Science. 11, p.1415602. The full text is available here: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/marine-science/articles/10.3389/fmars.… Abstract Goose-beaked whales (*Ziphius cavirostris*) are deep-diving cetaceans known for their elusive nature and specialized foraging behavior. In 2019 and 2020, six telemetry tags were deployed on these whales in Southern California, resulting in 395 h of acoustic and diving data. Foraging dives were manually identified by the presence of echolocation pulses and buzzes, and generalized additive models assessed factors influencing foraging behavior. The median bathymetric depth at foraging sites was 1,419 m (IQR = 359), and the maximum dive depth was highly correlated with bathymetry depth. Individuals started echolocating on descent at a median depth of 410 m (IQR = 74); pulses were not observed shallower than 292 m. Echolocation ceased during the bottom phase for 81.6% of dives, at a median depth of 1,265 m (IQR = 472); pulses were not observed shallower than 587 m on ascent. The median depth of buzzes was 1,215 m (IQR = 479) with 63% occurring during the bottom phase. Deeper dives correlated with longer durations of diving and echolocation, greater echolocation end depths, and wider bottom phase echolocation depth inter-quartile range. The median difference between dive depth and bottom phase median echolocation depth was 98.3 m (IQR = 48.5), suggesting whales in this region forage in a narrow band close to the seafloor. In the San Nicolas Basin, individuals exhibited longer echolocation durations, produced more pulses, and started and ended echolocating at greater depths compared to adjacent regions. These records validate and expand upon previous studies, providing insights into factors influencing foraging behavior in an area with high anthropogenic disturbance. Please email me at scoates(a)marecotel.org if you have any questions. Cheers, Shannon Coates

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