A stranding of Balaenoptera borealis (Lesson 1828) from Patagonia Argentina, with notes of the parasite infestation and diet

M.S. LEONARDI; M.F. GRANDI; N. GARCÍA; G. SVENDSEN; A. ROMERO; R. GONZÁLEZ; E.A. CRESPO

AFRICAN JOURNAL OF MARINE SCIENCE

NATL INQUIRY SERVICES CENTRE PTY LTD

Año: 2011 vol. 33 p. 177 - 179

1814-232X

Strandings of baleen whales are uncommon in Patagonia, Argentina. We report on a stranding of an individual sei whale Balaenoptera borealis on the east coast of San Antonio (44º44’S, 64º58’W), Río Negro Province, Argentina. It was the eighth reported stranding of this species along the Argentinean coastline. The stomach content of the whale was dominated by crustaceans. Three parasite species were also recovered, namely Ogmogaster antarcticus (Trematoda), Anisakis simplex (Nematoda) and Tetrabothrius affinis (Cestoda). This was the first record of a host carrying the latter two species in the south-west Atlantic Ocean.