MARINE MAMMAL OCCURRENCE IN DEEP WATERS OF THE BRAZIL-MALVINAS CONFLUENCE OFF ARGENTINA DURING SUMMER.

MANDIOLA, MA; GIARDINO, G; BASTIDA, J; RODRÍGUEZ, D; BASTIDA,R

MASTOZOOLOGí­A NEOTROPICAL

UNIDAD DE ZOOLOGÍA Y ECOLOGÍA ANIMAL, INSTITUTO ARGENTINO DE INVESTIGACIÓN DE LAS ZONAS ARIDAS, CRICYT, CONICET

Lugar: Mendoza; Año: 2015

0327-9383

This article presents the results of marine mammal occurrence at the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence in the Argentine Sea shelf break during a summer survey. A total of 61 marine mammal sightings were recorded. The most frequent species recorded were South American fur seals (Arctocephalus australis; 75.4%; 78-4670m), followed by sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus; 8.2%; 478-2825m), sei whales (Balaenoptera borealis; 4.9%; 1513-4674m) and long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas; 3.3%; 1119-1534m), with a small number of unidentified cetaceans (4.9%; 87-2248m). This new information about marine mammal species in the Brazil-Malvinas Confluence updates knowledge of their distribution in this highly productive area.