PRESS-NEWS.org - Press Release Distribution
PRESS RELEASES DISTRIBUTION

Scientists find that dolphin in Australian waters is a new species

Study of humpback dolphin in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific waters finds as-of-yet unnamed species

2013-10-29
(Press-News.org) Contact information: John Delaney
jdelaney@wcs.org
718-220-3275
Wildlife Conservation Society
Scientists find that dolphin in Australian waters is a new species Study of humpback dolphin in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific waters finds as-of-yet unnamed species

A species of humpback dolphin previously unknown to science is swimming in the waters off northern Australia, according to a team of researchers working for the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History, and numerous other groups that contributed to the study.

To determine the number of distinct species in the family of humpback dolphins (animals named for a peculiar hump just below the dorsal fin), the research team examined the evolutionary history of this family of marine mammals using both physical features and genetic data. While the Atlantic humpback dolphin is a recognized species, this work provides the best evidence to date to split the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin into three species, one of which is completely new to science.

"Based on the findings of our combined morphological and genetic analyses, we can suggest that the humpback dolphin genus includes at least four member species," said Dr. Martin Mendez, Assistant Director of WCS's Latin America and the Caribbean Program and lead author of the study. "This discovery helps our understanding of the evolutionary history of this group and informs conservation policies to help safeguard each of the species."

The authors propose recognition of at least four species in the humpback dolphin family: the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii), which occurs in the eastern Atlantic off West Africa; the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea), which ranges from the central to the western Indian Ocean; another species of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis), which inhabits the eastern Indian and western Pacific Oceans; and a fourth Sousa species found off northern Australia yet to be named (the formal adjustment of the naming and number of species occurs through a separate and complementary process based on these findings).

"New information about distinct species across the entire range of humpback dolphins will increase the number of recognized species, and provides the needed scientific evidence for management decisions aimed at protecting their unique genetic diversity and associated important habitats," said Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, Director of WCS's Ocean Giants Program and senior author on the paper.

Working to bring taxonomic clarity to a widespread yet poorly known group of dolphins, the authors assembled a large collection of physical data gathered mostly from beached dolphins and museum specimens. Specifically, the team examined features from 180 skulls covering most of the distribution area of the group in order to compare morphological characters across this region.

The researchers also collected 235 tissue samples from animals in the same areas, stretching from the eastern Atlantic to the western Pacific Oceans, analyzing both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA for significant variations between populations.



INFORMATION:



The study appears in the latest edition of Molecular Ecology. The authors are: Martin Mendez and Howard C. Rosenbaum of the Wildlife Conservation Society and American Museum of Natural History; Thomas J. Jefferson of Clymene Enterprises, Lakeside, California; Sergios-Orestis Kolokotronis of Fordham University; Michael Krützen of the University of Zurich, Switzerland; Guido J. Parra of Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia; Tim Collins of the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Environment Society of Oman; Giana Minton of the Environment Society of Oman and the University Malaysia Sarawak; Robert Baldwin of the Environment Society of Oman; Per Berggren of Newcastle University, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, United Kingdom; Anna Särnblad of Stockholm University, Sweden; Omar A. Amir of the University of Dar es Salaam, Zanzibar, Tanzania; Vic M. Peddemors of the School of Biological and Conservation Sciences, Durban, South Africa and the Cronulla Fisheries Research Centre, Australia; Leszek Karczmarkski of the University of Hong Kong; Almeida Guissamulo of the Museu de Historia Natural, Mozambique; Brian Smith of the Wildlife Conservation Society; Dipani Sutaria of James Cook University, Australia; and George Amato of the American Museum of Natural History.

The humpback dolphin grows up to 8 feet in length and ranges from dark gray to pink and/or white in color. The species generally inhabits coastal waters, deltas, estuaries, and occurs throughout the Indian and Pacific oceans to the coasts of Australia. The Atlantic humpback dolphin is considered "Vulnerable" according to the IUCN Red List, whereas the Indo-Pacific dolphin species Sousa chinensis is listed as "Near Threatened." Humpback dolphins are threatened by habitat loss and fishing activity.



ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:

NASA sees Tropical Storm Raymond fading fast

2013-10-29
NASA sees Tropical Storm Raymond fading fast Satellite data showed some recent convective activity within Tropical Storm Raymond on Oct. 28 but southwesterly wind shear and cooler ocean temperatures are predicted by the National Hurricane Center to weaken the ...

NASA sees newborn twenty-ninth Depression in the Philippine Sea

2013-10-29
NASA sees newborn twenty-ninth Depression in the Philippine Sea NASA infrared imagery revealed that bands of thunderstorms have been wrapping into the center of newborn Tropical Depression 29W, indicating it's organizing and strengthening in the Philippine Sea. The ...

Redwood trees reveal history of West Coast rain, fog, ocean conditions

2013-10-29
Redwood trees reveal history of West Coast rain, fog, ocean conditions Many people use tree ring records to see into the past. But redwoods – the iconic trees that are the world's tallest living things – have so far proven too erratic in their growth patterns to help ...

Gold mining ravages Peru

2013-10-29
Gold mining ravages Peru Washington, DC—For the first time, researchers have been able to map the true extent of gold mining in the biologically diverse region of Madre De Dios in the Peruvian Amazon. The team combined field surveys with airborne mapping and high-resolution ...

VIP treatment for jet lag

2013-10-29
VIP treatment for jet lag A brain chemical that desynchronizes the cells in the biological clock helps the clock adjust more quickly to abrupt shifts in daily light/dark schedules such as those that plague modern life A small molecule called VIP, known to ...

New technology shows promise in taking the guesswork out of vaccine development

2013-10-29
New technology shows promise in taking the guesswork out of vaccine development Scientists from the Center for Innovations in Medicine in the Biodesign Institute at Arizona State University have developed a comprehensive, microchip-based technology, ...

Resurgence in swaddling prompts fears of rise in babies' developmental hip abnormalities

2013-10-29
Resurgence in swaddling prompts fears of rise in babies' developmental hip abnormalities Technique soothing, but linked to heightened risk of osteoarthritis and hip replacement in middle age A resurgence in the popularity of traditional swaddling has prompted ...

DIY and gardening can cut heart attack/stroke risk by 30 percent and prolong life in 60+ age group

2013-10-29
DIY and gardening can cut heart attack/stroke risk by 30 percent and prolong life in 60+ age group These activities as good as exercise because they decrease total sedentary time A spot of DIY or gardening can cut the risk of a heart attack/stroke and prolong ...

Older heart patients need personalized preventive care

2013-10-29
Older heart patients need personalized preventive care Strategies to prevent heart attack, stroke and other major cardiac events should be individualized for older adults who should play a role in choosing their therapies, according to an American Heart Association ...

South Asians in Peel have lower cancer screening rates; increased risk of preventable disease

2013-10-29
South Asians in Peel have lower cancer screening rates; increased risk of preventable disease TORONTO, Oct. 28, 2013— South Asian-Canadians living in Peel Region may be 15 per cent less likely than other Ontarians to be screened for breast, cervical or colorectal ...

LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:

New post-hoc analysis shows patients whose clinicians had access to GeneSight results for depression treatment are more likely to feel better sooner

First transplant in pigs of modified porcine kidneys with human renal organoids

Reinforcement learning and blockchain: new strategies to secure the Internet of Medical Things

Autograph: A higher-accuracy and faster framework for compute-intensive programs

Expansion microscopy helps chart the planktonic universe

Small bat hunts like lions – only better

As Medicaid work requirements loom, U-M study finds links between coverage, better health and higher employment

Manifestations of structural racism and inequities in cardiovascular health across US neighborhoods

Prescribing trends of glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists for type 2 diabetes or obesity

Continuous glucose monitoring frequency and glycemic control in people with type 2 diabetes

Bimodal tactile tomography with bayesian sequential palpation for intracavitary microstructure profiling and segmentation

IEEE study reviews novel photonics breakthroughs of 2024

New method for intentional control of bionic prostheses

Obesity treatment risks becoming a ‘two-tier system’, researchers warn

Researchers discuss gaps, obstacles and solutions for contraception

Disrupted connectivity of the brainstem ascending reticular activating system nuclei-left parahippocampal gyrus could reveal mechanisms of delirium following basal ganglia intracerebral hemorrhage

Federated metadata-constrained iRadonMAP framework with mutual learning for all-in-one computed tomography imaging

‘Frazzled’ fruit flies help unravel how neural circuits stay wired

Improving care for life-threatening blood clots

Yonsei University develops a new era of high-voltage solid-state batteries

Underweight and unbalanced: Gut microbial diversity in underweight Japanese women

Astringent, sharper mind: Flavanols trigger brain activity for memory and stress response

New editorial urges clinicians to address sex-based disparities in sepsis treatment

Researchers at MIT develop new nanoparticles that stimulate the immune system to attack ovarian tumors

Opening the door to a vaccine for multiple childhood infections

New clue to ALS and FTD: Faulty protein disrupts brain’s ‘brake’ system

Detailed map of US air-conditioning usage shows who can beat the heat — and who can’t

An electronic fiber for stretchable sensing

New image captures spooky bat signal in the sky

Cobalt single atom-phosphate functionalized reduced graphene oxide/perylenetetracarboxylic acid nanosheet heterojunctions for efficiently photocatalytic H2O2 production

[Press-News.org] Scientists find that dolphin in Australian waters is a new species
Study of humpback dolphin in Atlantic, Indian, and Pacific waters finds as-of-yet unnamed species