Southernmost records of bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus

R. NATALIE GOODALL; MARCHESI M. CONSTANZA; LIDA PIMPER; NATALIA DELLABIANCA; LUIS BENEGAS; MÓNICA A. TORRES; LUCIANA RICCIALDELLI

POLAR BIOLOGY

SPRINGER

Lugar: Berlin; Año: 2010 vol. 34 p. 1085 - 1090

0722-4060

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) are cosmopolitananimals widely distributed in waters of bothhemispheres. The taxonomy of Tursiops has long beencontroversial, with over 20 specific names being published,and subspecies and inshore/offshore forms being proposed.In the southwestern South Atlantic, subspecies T. truncatustruncatus and T. truncatus gephyreus were proposed forspecimens along the coasts of Brazil, Uruguay, andArgentina. Sightings of bottlenose dolphins are commonalong the coast of Argentina as far south as the Province ofChubut (ca. 46S). Here, we summarize and discuss thesouthernmost records of bottlenose dolphins. We cannotmake inferences about the species or subspecies to whichthese animals belong given the small number of specimens.Future studies of external measurements, pigmentation,DNA, and isotopes from both sides of the continent shouldhelp clarify the situation off southern South America.Furthermore, research is needed to explore a possible linkbetween an effect of general global warming and theTursiops specimens found this far south. The sighting andspecimens described here, at 53S?nearly 55S, are thesouthernmost records for the genus and extend the range ofthe species in the southern South Atlantic.