Dear colleagues,
Me and my co-authors are pleased to share with you the recently published paper in Journal of Morphology
Skull morphology of bottlenose dolphins from different ocean populations with emphasis on South America
Leandro S. L. Hohl Fernando L. Sicuro Janaína C. Wickert Ignacio B. Moreno Oscar Rocha?\Barbosa André S. Barreto
Abstract
The bottlenose dolphin, genus Tursiops, is cosmopolitan occurring in tropical and temperate regions, with morphological variation between and within different oceans. Since the genus' taxonomy has been under discussion for a long time, this work aimed at analyzing
the cranial variability of T. truncatus from different regions of the world. Geometric Morphometrics analyses were performed in 201 skulls of adult specimens, on dorsal, ventral, and lateral views, from the Eastern North Pacific, Eastern North Atlantic,
Eastern South Atlantic, and Western South Atlantic oceans. The results indicate differences between individuals that inhabit the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. Within the Atlantic Ocean, there is an evident longitudinal differentiation of specimens from the
eastern and western regions. A latitudinal separation was also observed, considering specimens from the North and South Atlantic Ocean. In the Western South Atlantic statistical differences were found between two morphological groups, identified as
T. gephyreus (sensu Lahille, 1908) and T. truncatus, and the cross?\validation presented 98% as minimum confidence for correct classification of these two groups. The present study provides strong morphological support to consider these two lineages
as separate species.
Please contact me for a pdf copy if needed.
Wishing good health to you all,
André Barreto