August 2025 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

New Publication: Walrus exposure to paralytic shellfish toxin concentrations during Alexandrium blooms in the Alaskan Arctic
by Dr. Patrick Charapata 29 Aug '25

29 Aug '25

Hello MARMAM Community, On behalf of my coauthors, I am excited to share with you our new publication entitled: "Walruses are potentially exposed to paralytic shellfish toxin concentrations that impact their health during Alexandrium blooms in the Alaskan Arctic" published open-access in Harmful Algae. The abstract and citation are below, and the paper can be found here<https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1568988325001623?via%3Di…>. Abstract Harmful algal bloom (HAB) activity of Alexandrium catenella, a dinoflagellate that produces paralytic shellfish toxins (PSTs), has increased in the Alaskan Arctic due to warming ocean conditions. Arctic wildlife exposure to PSTs due to these blooms remains unknown. The Pacific walrus (Odobenus rosmarus divergens) is a marine mammal that preys primarily on efficient vectors of PSTs (benthic invertebrates), making walruses an important model for assessing PST exposure risks. Here, we used paired Alexandrium data (Alexandrium cell and cyst densities and PST content), and PSTs measured in benthic invertebrates (clams, worms, and gastropods) to construct and validate trophic transfer models of PSTs in a critical Arctic food chain. Further, we used observed PSTs in walrus prey to estimate daily walrus oral PST doses (µg STX eq. kg-1) during summers (2019 and 2022) with well-characterized and widespread Alexandrium blooms. Models were validated using various model metrics, however, predictions underestimated toxicity (STX eq.) of invertebrates. Observed PSTs in walrus prey resulted in 89 % (n = 47 of 53 total; 2019) and 67 % (n = 41 of 61; 2022) of PST doses exceeding thresholds posing a moderate health risk to walruses (> 11.6 μg STX eq. kg-1). Ledyard Bay in the northeastern Chukchi Sea was identified as a PST exposure risk hotspot because it contained the highest estimated doses, while walruses simultaneously occupied the neighboring Point Lay haulout. Additional studies are required to assess how HAB activity will impact walrus health as well as food-security and food-safety for Indigenous communities that rely on walruses for subsistence. Citation Charapata, P., Fachon, E., Anderson, D.M., Sheffield, G., Bowers, E.K., Pickart, R.S., Lin, P. and Lefebvre, K.A., 2025. Walruses are potentially exposed to paralytic shellfish toxin concentrations that impact their health during Alexandrium blooms in the Alaskan Arctic. Harmful Algae, p.102960. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hal.2025.102960 Please contact me (pcharapata(a)georgiaaquarium.org) if you have any questions about the paper. Thank you!! Cheers, Patrick

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New publication: influence of Antarctic sea ice on humpback whale migration
by Renan Lima 28 Aug '25

28 Aug '25

Dear MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-authors, I am pleased to share with you our latest publication: de Lima, R.C., Félix, F., Haase, B., Secchi, E. R. Antarctic sea ice as a driver of humpback whale migration timing in the southeast Pacific. Polar Biol 48, 92 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00300-025-03410-9 Abstract: Understanding the drivers behind shifts in migration patterns is crucial for managing human activities that may affect whale populations and for assessing the ecological impacts of climate change on migratory species. This study investigates environmental factors influencing the migratory timing of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (Breeding Stock G), using systematic shore-based observations from Ecuador between 2010 and 2023. We analyzed variables including Antarctic sea ice extent (SIE) and chlorophyll-a concentration (as a proxy for Antarctic krill density), the Oceanic Niño Index, Southern Annular Mode Index, and the Peruvian Coastal Thermal Index to assess their relationship with whale arrival dates and residency at the breeding grounds. Our findings show significant interannual variability in migration timing. For both with-calf and non-calf groups, SIE during the previous winter was positively correlated with arrival dates, onset of calving, and time spent at the breeding area. Broader sea ice extent likely enhances krill recruitment, increasing prey availability and allowing whales to build sufficient energy reserves to support longer stays at reproductive sites. This study highlights the potential negative effects of Antarctic sea ice loss on whale migration patterns. Krill fisheries should adopt precautionary strategies that account for year-to-year variability in prey availability to avoid disrupting whale foraging. Moving forward, it is vital to monitor these changes continuously and to evaluate their broader ecological consequences to ensure the long-term viability of migratory marine species in a changing climate. This study is part of the Whales & Climate research program ( https://whalesandclimate.org/) Please feel free to email me if you are unable to access the article. Sincerely, Renan -- *Renan C. de Lima, PhD* Postdoctoral fellow Laboratório de Ecologia e Conservação da Megafauna Marinha - EcoMega Instituto de Oceanografia Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (FURG) *Phone*: +55(53)99718994 | *e-mail*: renancdl(a)gmail.com *RG:* www.researchgate.net/profile/Renan-Lima-2 *ORCID*: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9311-7085

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Job Opportunity: University of Miami/NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center
by Melissa Soldevilla - NOAA Federal 28 Aug '25

28 Aug '25

Dear colleagues, Through our partnership with the University of Miami, the NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center marine mammal branch in Miami, FL is looking to hire a full-time research associate with expertise in passive acoustics to help us with upcoming field work and data analyses. This position at the University of Miami RSMAS campus can be found on the UM job site (www.miami.edu/careers) as requisition R100061685. Please share this info with any potential applicants and feel free to contact me at melissa.soldevilla(a)noaa.gov with any questions. Best wishes, Melissa ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Melissa Soldevilla, PhD Research Fishery Biologist Marine Mammal & Turtle Division NOAA Southeast Fisheries Science Center 75 Virginia Beach Drive Miami, FL 33149

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New Publication: Environmental DNA for Pinniped Population Genetics
by Julia Clem 27 Aug '25

27 Aug '25

Dear MARMAM, My co-authors and I are excited to share our recent publication: “Evaluating the Use of Environmental DNA for Pinniped Detection and Population Genetics at Haulout Sites” in *Marine Mammal Science*. Clem, J., Hudak, C., Sette, L., York, G., Jackson, S., Kinnison, M., & Cammen, K. (2025). Evaluating the Use of Environmental DNA for Pinniped Detection and Population Genetics at Haulout Sites. *Marine Mammal Science*. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70047 Link: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.70047 <https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.70047> Abstract: Population genetics is an important tool in marine resource management, but the collection of genetic data for marine mammals can be physically invasive and logistically challenging. Environmental DNA (eDNA) provides a non-invasive method for monitoring the presence of marine mammals. However, effective applications are limited by gaps in our knowledge about how eDNA behaves in the marine environment, and its use for population genetics is an emerging area. Here, we test the application of eDNA methods for detection and characterization of intraspecific genetic diversity in gray seals (*Halichoerus grypus atlantica*) in the Western North Atlantic. Our objectives were to quantify gray seal eDNA concentration around haulout sites and to test the ability of eDNA sampling to detect mitochondrial control region haplotypes. Gray seal eDNA was consistently detected 50 m from seal haulouts and could be detected up to 150 m from shore. Up to 14 haplotypes were detected in a single water sample, and we observed a positive correlation between the frequency of haplotypes detected in our eDNA samples and the frequency of those haplotypes in the population, as determined by previous tissue sampling. This work demonstrates the ability of eDNA sampling to capture broad population genetic patterns from seals at haulout sites, with important considerations for future use in non-invasive monitoring and management. Best, Julia Clem -- Julia Clem, PhD. School of Marine Sciences University of Maine julia.sunnarborg(a)maine.edu | 952-657-6284

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Call for collaboration: Retrospective study on invasive fungal infections in cetaceans
by VICTOR GARCIA BUSTOS 26 Aug '25

26 Aug '25

Dear colleagues, I hope this message finds you well, and thank you in advance for your time. My name is Victor Garcia-Bustos, an infectious diseases physician and researcher hospital-based in Valencia, Spain. While my clinical work has focused on fungal infections in humans, I am increasingly involved in One Health research on fungal pathogens in marine mammals as neglected hotspots and reservoirs for fungal emergence, aiming to bridge insights between human and wildlife health in the context of climate change and rising pollution. Building on this perspective, I would like to explore the possibility of launching a multicentre retrospective study on invasive fungal disease in cetaceans. The aim would be to compile cases not only of confirmed invasive infections, but also instances where fungal pathogens (both yeasts and moulds) were isolated and regarded as potentially significant, even if they did not fully meet invasive disease criteria. The available literature on this topic remains scarce, and I believe that pooling data across institutions could provide valuable insights. Specifically, the study would seek to characterise, among others: * Epidemiology of both host and fungal species * Types and sites of infection * Any available antifungal susceptibility data * Spatiotemporal trends and potential ecological drivers Ultimately, the goal would be to produce a co-authored publication that advances our understanding of fungal disease in cetaceans. Best regards, Victor Garcia-Bustos, MD, MSc, PhD. Unit of Infectious Diseases, University and Polytechnic Hospital La Fe Severe Infection Research Group, Health Research Institute La Fe Avinguda Fernando Abril Martorell, 106 46026, Valencia 📞+34 696684551 / 961244000 (ext. 491632) ✉️ garcia_vicbus(a)gva.es

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Workshop and special issue on ML/AI in Marine Mammal Research
by Christine Erbe 26 Aug '25

26 Aug '25

Dear Colleagues, We would like to let you know about a workshop on “Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence in Marine Mammal Research” to be held Sunday, Nov 10, at the SMM conference in Perth, Western Australia: Workshops - SMM Conference | | | | | | | | | | | Workshops - SMM Conference SMM2024 workshops are half day, full day, or two day events that are proposed and organised by individual resear... | | | The workshop will accommodate both in-person and virtual/online attendance. Online attendance is free of charge. If you wish you join online, please register your name and email address with Guy: oliver(a)ucsc.edu The workshop will cover ML/AI methods in marine mammal bioacoustics, photogrammetry, behaviour analysis, distribution modeling, and ethics. We are also running a special issue on the topic in a peer-reviewed journal (we’re still negotiating with potential publishers, but will let you know in due course). The special issue will take manuscripts focussing on methods or results. If you are interested in finding out how to contribute to this special issue, please contact Christine: c.erbe(a)curtin.edu.au Have a nice day, everyone. Cheers, Christine Erbe Guy Oliver Shyam Madhusudhana Paul Nguyen Hong Duc Aiden Lundberg

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New paper: Satellite tracks reveal feeding grounds of two neighbouring SRW populations
by Leena Riekkola 25 Aug '25

25 Aug '25

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent open-access publication in Global Ecology and Conservation: Riekkola, L., Sprogis, K. R., Della Penna, A., Andrews-Goff, V., Harcourt, R., Cole, R., ... & Carroll, E. L. (2025). Large-scale differences, mesoscale similarities: Neighbouring marine predator populations provide insights into Southern Ocean productivity. *Global Ecology and Conservation*, e03788. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gecco.2025.e03788 Abstract: Understanding how marine predators explore dynamic ocean environments is key for assessing the ecological significance of different habitats and for informing conservation efforts. This is particularly critical in remote and poorly surveyed regions, where marine predators can serve as ecosystem sentinels and provide valuable biological and oceanographic data. Here, we examined the foraging strategies of southern right whales (*Eubalaena australis*, SRW) using a large-scale satellite tagging dataset from two neighbouring populations: Aotearoa New Zealand and Western Australia. We linked foraging behaviour, inferred from bio-logging data, with remotely sensed environmental data to assess habitat use in relation to Southern Ocean oceanographic features. At broad spatial scales, foraging areas were identified near major frontal systems, but while the New Zealand population primarily targeted the Subtropical Front, the Australian population visited a wider range of oceanic features, including the Antarctic ice edge. At finer scales, both populations co-located with mesoscale eddies, preferentially foraging in cyclonic (cold-core) eddies. Satellite tracking data also suggested that foraging SRWs may exhibit quasi-planktonic behaviour by drifting around eddies. Differences in foraging strategies between the New Zealand and Western Australian populations may have important implications for their continued recovery under climate change. Furthermore, this work showcases SRWs as a sentinel species that highlights key foraging habitats that remain overlooked by high seas conservation efforts. Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Thank you, Leena Riekkola -- -- Rutherford Postdoctoral Fellow Te Kura Mātauranga Koiora | School of Biological Sciences Waipapa Taumata Rau | University of Auckland e: lrie003(a)aucklanduni.ac.nz | p: +64 (0)212922551 | t: @FinntasticLeena -- Associate Editor, Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom

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New publication: Shape variation in the eye patch and dorsal fin of southern hemisphere killer whales (Orcinus orca)
by Marissa Hutchings 25 Aug '25

25 Aug '25

Dear MARMAM community, My co-authors and I are pleased to share our recent open-access publication in Mammalian Biology: Hutchings, M. J., Wellard, R., Donnelly, D. M., Totterdell, J. A., Parra, G. J. and Möller, L. (2025). Shape variation in the eye patch and dorsal fin of southern hemisphere killer whales (Orcinus orca). Mammalian Biology, 105(5). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42991-025-00523-w Abstract: Morphological variation within and among species plays a critical role in evolutionary processes, influencing adaptation, survival, and reproductive success. Killer whale (Orcinus orca) morphology is known to vary on both an individual and population level with several ecotypes or forms documented worldwide. However, the extent of morphological variation among killer whales in Australian waters remains unclear, both among individuals within the region and in comparison to those in other parts of the southern hemisphere. This study assessed eye patch and dorsal fin shape variation in Australian and Antarctic killer whales to explore the evolutionary relationships among these groups. A large dataset of imagery was compiled and processed to achieve this, which provided representative sample sizes for five separate study groups: northwest Australia (NW), southwest Australia (SW), southeast Australia (SE), Antarctic type A (AA) and Antarctic type B1 (AB). Elliptical Fourier analysis was used to extract the feature outlines and enable multivariate data analyses. Principal component analysis and pairwise comparisons revealed significant morphological differences both within and between Australian and Antarctic killer whales. Eye patch shape variation was driven by the degree of taper and overall width whereas dorsal fin shape variation was driven by falcateness and broadness at its base. Hierarchical cluster analysis revealed considerable variation amongst these features, while linear discriminate analysis indicated that individuals could not be reliably classified into their respective study groups based on eye patch and dorsal fin shape alone. Nonetheless, these findings suggest the presence of both a tropical and temperate form of killer whale in Australia, with the latter resembling both the Antarctic Type A and B2s morphologically. To better understand their connectivity and divergence, dedicated research is needed to assess the evolutionary history of these populations. Such knowledge will be vital in defining global conservation management units for killer whales which are still considered a single, data deficient species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). Please feel free to contact us with any questions. Thank you, Marissa Hutchings PhD Candidate - Flinders University BMSc (Hons) - James Cook University Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL) College of Science and Engineering Flinders University Bedford Park SA 5042 [image002.png] Flinders University acknowledges the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands and waters on which its campuses are located, these are the Traditional Lands of the Arrernte, Dagoman, First Nations of the South-East, First Peoples of the River Murray & Mallee region, Jawoyn, Kaurna, Larrakia, Ngadjuri, Ngarrindjeri, Peramangk, Ramindjeri, Warumungu, Wardaman and Yolngu people. We honour their Elders past, present and emerging. This email and any attachments may be confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, please inform the sender by reply email and delete all copies of this message. Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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New Publication on Beaked Whale Acoustics
by Beatrice Cheung 25 Aug '25

25 Aug '25

Hello MARMAM community, On behalf of my co-author, I am pleased to announce our recent publication in the Journal of Marine Science and Engineering: "Exploring the Occurrences of Beaked Whales off the West Coast of Ireland Through Passive Acoustic Monitoring (PAM)." https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1312/13/9/1618 Abstract: Very little is known about goose-beaked whales (Ziphius cavirostris) and Sowerby’s beaked whales (Mesoplodon bidens), especially off the western coast of Ireland, due to their elusive behaviors. This study aimed to characterize the acoustics of these beaked whales and investigate whether temporal patterns may affect their occurrences. Using passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), beaked whale bioacoustic clicks were manually analyzed, revealing different click frequency ranges than expected. Double clicks and echoes produced by both beaked whale species were also present, which have previously been infrequently observed in these species. The occurrence of beaked whales and the presence of double clicks and echoes were further investigated, along with how the diel cycle may affect these click characteristics. Hourly presence of goose-beaked whale double clicks and echoes was found to have significance for both day and night. There was no significance found for Sowerby’s beaked whale double clicks and echoes for day and night, along with the hourly occurrences of both beaked whales and the occurrence of other beaked whales. These findings highlight the need for future research on PAM and beaked whale acoustics, which could aid in better monitoring of their presence to address the impacts of human activities. Please do not hesitate to contact us should you have any inquiries. Thank you, Beatrice Cheung, MSc

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New Publication: Molecular identification of tapeworm infection in a bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops sp., in South Carolina, USA
by Bonnie Ertel - NOAA Affiliate 25 Aug '25

25 Aug '25

Dear colleagues, On behalf of my co-authors, I'm pleased to share our short communication in the Journal of Helminthology: *Molecular identification of tapeworm infection in a bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops sp., in South Carolina, USA* Authors: Bonnie M. Ertel, Kristy M. Hill-Spanik, Brooke A. Brown, Wayne E. McFee, Isaure de Buron Abstract: A bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops sp., stranded on the coast of South Carolina, USA was found to be heavily infected in its intestine by tapeworms, which we identified molecularly. Sequencing of portions of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase I (COI) and nuclear large subunit ribosomal RNA (28S rRNA) genes showed the cestodes to be Diphyllobothrium stemmacephalum, commonly known as a broad tapeworm. Infections of marine mammals by Diphyllobothrium have been previously reported in the Northwestern Atlantic Ocean, but only to genus level. Infection by tapeworms may be rare in dolphins in South Carolina, but because this species is zoonotic, its presence indicates the potential for an emerging public health concern. The full text is open access, available at doi.org/10.1017/S0022149X25100631 Best, -- *Bonnie Ertel* *Marine Mammal Microplastics Specialist* CSS-inc, on contract to NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science *PhD Candidate, Environmental Health Sciences* Arnold School of Public Health University of South Carolina

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