August 2025 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Recent publication: Ocean-basin-wide movement patterns of North Atlantic humpback whales
by Lindsey Jones 01 Aug '25

01 Aug '25

I wanted to be sure to share via MARMAM the work of so many dedicated co-authors on our recent publication using data from the North Atlantic humpback Whale Catalog: Jones, L. S., Allen, J. M., Balcomb, K. C., Basran, C., Berrow, S., Betancourt, L., Bouveret, L., Boye, T. K., Broms, F., Chosson, V., Clapham, P. J., Fernald, T. W., Frediani, J. G., Jann, B., Kempen, R., Lien, J., López Suárez, P., Magnúsdóttir, E. E., MacKay, M. M., Mattila, D. K., Øien, N., Rasmussen, M. H., Rinaldi, M., Robbins, J., Sears, R., Seton, R. E., Shamir Reynoso, O., Simon, M., Stevick, P. T., Víkingsson, G. A., Weinrich, M., Wenzel, F. W., Whitehead, H., Young, D., and Todd, S. K. 2025. Ocean-basin-wide movement patterns of North Atlantic humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management, 26. Available Open Access: https://doi.org/10.47536/jcrm.v26i1.951 Abstract: North Atlantic (NA) humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) migrate between high‐latitude maternal feeding grounds and low‐latitude breeding/calving grounds, with one distinct breeding segment currently considered endangered: Cape Verde Islands/northwest Africa (CVI). This study assesses the movement patterns and population spatial structuring of humpback whales across the NA Ocean basin for the first time in three decades. Photo‐ID records from collections contributed to the North Atlantic Humpback Whale Catalogue, a dataset of 38,319 records of 9,977 individuals documented between 1980 and 2015 were analysed. Transition probabilities were estimated between all five primary feeding grounds and three breeding/calving areas defined as CVI, Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles, dividing the West Indies distinct population segment into two, based on emerging trends. Breeding‐to‐feeding area transition probabilities were highest from the Greater Antilles to western feeding grounds (the Gulf of Maine, Atlantic Canada and West Greenland), from the Lesser Antilles to eastern feeding grounds (Norway and Iceland), and from CVI to eastern feeding grounds. The difference in migratory patterns of humpback whales using the Greater Antilles and Lesser Antilles regions within the West Indies indicates that they are behaviourally distinct and may be best managed as separate breeding populations. Thank you, Lindsey ___________________________________________________ Lindsey S. Jones (she/her) Research Associate, Allied Whale; College of the Atlantic Program Manager, North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog; Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium

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New publication: Novel paramyxovirus in wild pinnipeds, Brazil (Samira Costa-Silva)
by Samira Costa da Silva 01 Aug '25

01 Aug '25

Dear colleagues, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the publication of our new article entitled "Novel paramyxovirus in wild pinnipeds, Brazil" Costa-Silva, S., Ewbank, A. C., Duarte-Benvenuto, A., Sacristán, C., Soares, R. M., Sánchez-Sarmiento, A. M., Silvestre-Perez, N., Volkmer Castilho, P., Kolesnikovas, C. K. M., Freitas Pessi, C., Sardinha Murro, R., Barbosa, C. B., Ferioli, R. B., Catão-Dias, J. L., & Keid, L. B. (2025). doi: 10.1007/s11259-025-10799-5 <https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-025-10799-5> Abstract: Most emerging zoonotic viral infections originate in wildlife. The Paramyxoviridae and Coronaviridae families are important in terms of zoonotic potential and diversity of host susceptibility. To date, the only paramyxoviruses described in pinnipeds are within the genus Morbillivirus. An alphacoronavirus has been reported in pinnipeds. Herein, we surveyed for Paramyxoviridae and Coronaviridae in 46 animals of four pinniped species stranded along the coasts of Santa Catarina and São Paulo states, Brazil, between 2016 and 2022. A novel paramyxovirus (family Paramyxoviridae) was detected in an Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) and in two South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis). The sequences presented with less than 83% amino acid identity to the closest published paramyxovirus sequences, amplified in Microchiroptera sp. in Vietnam and in Asiatic yellow bats (Scotophilus kuhlii) in Cambodia. Phylogenetic analysis of the paramyxovirus sequences clustered into the genus Jeilongvirus. Gross and histopathological analyses did not identify any related lesions and the viral zoonotic potential is unknown. None of the animals were PCR-positive to coronavirus. To our knowledge, this is the first report of paramyxovirus infection in pinnipeds in Brazil and the first paramyxovirus not classified as Morbillivirus in seals, sea lions and walruses. To better understand the natural history of this novel virus, future pathological, serological, and molecular studies based on pan-Paramyxoviridae RT-PCRs are recommended. Available Open Access, download it here: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11259-025-10799-5 Best regards. Samira, PhD -- *Samira Costa da Silva* DMV, MSc, Ph.D. Health Coordinator for the MARESIS project. Veterinary at the Humpback Whale Institute Associated research at the University of São Paulo's Laboratory of Comparative Pathology Veterinária,Mestre, PhD Coordenadora da parte de saúde do projeto MARESIS, Veterinária no Projeto Baleia Jubarte Pesquisadora associada ao Laboratório de Patologia Comparada de Animais Selvagens, Universidade de São Paulo email:costasilva.samira@gmail.com; samira.silva(a)baleiajubarte.org.br

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New Publication on Common Bottlenose Dolphin Social Structure in the Main Hawaiian Islands
by Enrico Corsi 01 Aug '25

01 Aug '25

Dear colleagues, We are please to announce that our paper, "Variation in Social Structure Among Multiple Stocks of Island-Associated Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Hawaiian Waters" is now published online in Marine Mammal Science. Authors: Enrico Corsi, Robin W. Baird, Annette E. Harnish, Antoinette M. Gorgone, Jens J. Currie, Stephanie H. Stack, Jeremy J. Kiszka. Abstract: The drivers of animal social structures remain poorly understood, particularly in species such as cetaceans that are wide-ranging and challenging to study. Understanding the factors shaping sociality can shed light on population ecology, gene flow, and information transmission. Here, we investigated variation in social structure among three independent island-associated stocks of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) around the main Hawaiian Islands. We generated social networks for each stock using photo-identification data from 2002 to 2022. We calculated modularity, density, degree centralization, and betweenness centralization to assess network structure. We measured the stocks' available habitat and calculated their population densities. We also quantified association strength with the half-weight association index (HWI) and compared it within- and between-clusters, and by sex for each stock. HWIs revealed that within-cluster associations were much stronger than between-cluster in all stocks. Network modularity and HWI showed the lowest fragmentation into distinct clusters and the strongest associations in the smallest of the three habitats (Kaua��i-Ni��ihau). We found no conclusive evidence of sex differences in HWI. Our findings suggest that denser populations might drive social network fragmentation. Our study highlights the importance of further investigating the drivers of sociality. Citation: Corsi, E., Baird, R.W., Harnish, A. E., Gorgone, A. M., Currie, J. J., Stack, S. H. & Kiszka, J. J. (2025). ��Variation in Social Structure Among Multiple Stocks of Island-Associated Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Hawaiian Waters.�� Marine Mammal Science e70051. Https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70051. [https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/cms/asset/eae60ecc-59c7-444e-8add-9ef69d8e3…]<https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70051.> Variation in Social Structure Among Multiple Stocks of Island�\Associated Common Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in Hawaiian Waters<https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.70051.> The drivers of animal social structures remain poorly understood, particularly in species such as cetaceans that are wide-ranging and challenging to study. Understanding the factors shaping sociality... doi.org For more information on Cascadia��s Hawai��i odontocete research see https://cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/ [https://cascadiaresearch.org/files/2022/04/cascadia-logo-no-words.svg]<https://cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/> Hawaiian Cetacean Studies - https://cascadiaresearch.org<https://cascadiaresearch.org/hawaii/> Publications | Species pages | Field project updates | Hawaiian seabirds | Hawaiian sea turtles | Hawaiian cephalopods | Conservation Species ID sheets | Download a brochure | Got photos? | Data sample collection | WANTED: Dead or Alive cascadiaresearch.org Best, Enrico Corsi _________________________________________ Biology PhD Candidate - Florida International University, Miami, FL, USA Department of Biological Sciences - Marine Conservation Ecology Lab, North Miami, FL, USA Cascadia Research Collective, Olympia, WA, USA MSc Animal Behaviour �C University of Exeter, UK BSc Biological Sciences �C University of Pisa, Italy

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Marine Mammal Health and Disease book
by natalyn81＠yahoo.com 01 Aug '25

01 Aug '25

Hello marmamI wanted to let the community know Dr. Julia Zaias has written a new book called Marine Mammal Health and Disease. I have enclosed the link for you to look over. Marine Mammal Health and Disease | | | | | | | | | | | Marine Mammal Health and Disease A practical and authoritative reference for veterinary practitioners and technicians working with marine mammals in managed care or in free-ranging populations In Marine Mammal Health and Disease, distinguished veterinarian resea | | | | Thank you, Natalyn Jones

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New publication: Multi-year acoustic monitoring reveals fine-scale habitat preferences of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and species decline within a Special Area of Conservation
by Nicole Todd 01 Aug '25

01 Aug '25

My coauthors and I would like to share the publication of our latest research: Todd, N.R., Jessopp, M.J., Rogan, E. and Kavanagh, A.S., 2025. Multi-year acoustic monitoring reveals fine-scale habitat preferences of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and species decline within a Special Area of Conservation. Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science, p.109470. Available here Open Access: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0272771425003488?via%3Di… Abstract: Understanding spatio-temporal variation in habitat use is essential in underpinning our ecological understanding of species behaviour and supporting conservation and management decisions. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) data, collected from three monitoring locations within a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) for harbour porpoise in southwest Ireland, detected porpoises on average 77 % of days throughout 2020–2023. General Additive Models (GAMs) were applied to examine the spatio-temporal trends in harbour porpoise occurrence and foraging behaviour. Preferred habitat was identified at the most sheltered site, with twice the acoustic detections observed compared to the other sites. Harbour porpoise occurrence and foraging behaviour were found to be variable across relatively small spatial scales and across diel, tidal, and lunar cycles, suggesting sequential habitat use across the region. Notably, an anomalous increase in porpoise detections was observed during a COVID-19 lockdown, aligning with decreased anthropogenic activity and ambient noise levels in the region during this period. However, we observed an overall 67 % decline in acoustic detections between 2020 and 2023. This is of concern given the status of the bay as a SAC for harbour porpoise, and the declining abundance reported in the region prior to the commencement of this study. This study provides insights into fine-scale spatial and temporal patterns in the distribution of harbour porpoise that can inform future monitoring. Long-term PAM, with appropriate spatial coverage, should be integrated into protected area management plans to detect potential decreases or shifts in species occurrence over time. All the best, Nicole Nicole Todd Research Ireland -Government of Ireland Postdoctoral Fellow Marine Ecology Group MaREI Centre, Beaufort Building | Environmental Research Centre University College Cork @NicoleRETodd [cid:7738f610-d146-4d90-85f9-a853d97e017b] [cid:ca4e651c-6b25-413b-bce0-3f6af49e56ef]

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