Dear MARMAM-ers

On behalf of the team I am pleased to announce the publication of our new research paper in Ecology and Evolution.

The paper can be accsessed by the link:  http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10477

Chosson, V., Randhawa, H. S., Sigurðsson, G. M., Halldórsson, S. D., Björnsson, Þ. Þ., Svansson, V., Granquist, S. M., Gunnarsson, K., Samarra, F. I. P., & Pampoulie, C. (2023). First record of Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812) in Icelandic waters. Ecology and Evolution, 13, e10477. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.10477

Abstract

In July 2022, two Risso's dolphins were reported stranded in Hrútafjörður (N65°09,503; W21° 05,529), a fjord in northern Iceland. These events represent the first confirmed observations and strandings of Risso's dolphins in Icelandic waters. Given the uniqueness of these events, a decision was made to conduct full necropsies on these individuals. This study reports findings from viral and parasitological investigations, morphological and fitness measurements, as well as stomach and intestine content analysis for each of the Risso's dolphin specimens. The results of the necropsies do not suggest any other cause of death than lack of food and exhaustion. A large plastic fragment in one individual's stomach supports these suggestions. The presence of those specimens in the middle of the subarctic ocean illustrates ongoing changes in spatial distribution expanding northward, impacting not only Risso's dolphins but more generally marine life and biodiversity.

On the belhalf of the team

Sverrir

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Sverrir Daníel Halldórsson

líffræðingur, hvalarannsóknum Uppsjávarsviðs

Hafrannsóknastofnun - rannsókna og ráðgjafastofnun hafs og vatna

Fornubúðir 5, IS 220-Hafnarfjörður

Ísland

https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0037-8543

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Sverrir-Halldorsson