(Press-News.org) Contact information: John Delaney
jdelaney@wcs.org
718-220-3275
Wildlife Conservation Society
Study discovers natural hybridization produced dolphin species
First documented natural hybrid species among marine mammals
A newly published study on the clymene dolphin, a small and sleek marine mammal living in the Atlantic Ocean, shows that this species arose through natural hybridization between two closely related dolphins species, according to authors from the Wildlife Conservation Society, the American Museum of Natural History's Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, the University of Lisbon, and other contributing groups.
In a molecular analysis including the closely related spinner and striped dolphins, scientists conclude that the clymene dolphin is the product of natural hybridization, a process that is more common for plants, fishes, and birds, but quite rare in mammals.
The study appears in the online journal PLOS ONE. The authors include: Ana R. Amaral of the University of Lisbon, Portugal, and the American Museum of Natural History; Gretchen Lovewell of the Mote Marine Laboratory; Maria Manuela Coelho of the University of Lisbon; George Amato of the American Museum of Natural History; and Howard Rosenbaum of the Wildlife Conservation Society and American Museum of Natural History.
"Our study represents the first such documented instance of a marine mammal species originating through the hybridization of two other species," said Ana R. Amaral, lead author of the study and research associate at the American Museum of Natural History. "This also provides us with an excellent opportunity to better understand the mechanisms of evolution."
The classification of the clymene dolphin has been a longstanding challenge to taxonomists, who initially considered it to be a subspecies of the spinner dolphin. Then in 1981, thorough morphological analyses established it as a recognized distinct species. In the current study, researchers sought to clarify outstanding questions about the dolphin's origin and relationships with rigorous genetic analyses.
"With its similar physical appearance to the most closely related species, our genetic results now provide the key insights into this species origin" said Dr. Howard Rosenbaum, Director for WCS's Ocean Giants Program and a senior author on the study. "Very little is known about the clymene dolphin, whose scientific name translated from Greek is oceanid, but ironically also can mean fame or notoriety. Hopefully, our work will help draw greater attention to these dolphins in large parts of their range."
Based on research conducted at the American Museum of Natural History's Sackler Institute for Comparative Genomics, the authors examined the nuclear and mitochondrial DNA from skin samples obtained from both free-ranging dolphins by means of biopsy darts and deceased dolphins obtained through stranding events. Using samples from 72 individual dolphins (both clymene dolphins and the closely related spinner and striped dolphins), the researchers amplified one mitochondrial DNA marker and six nuclear DNA markers as a means of analyzing the evolutionary relationship between the clymene dolphin and its closest relatives.
The level of discordance among the nuclear and mitochondrial markers from the three species, the authors assert, is best explained as an instance of natural hybridization. Specifically, the team discovered that while the mitochondrial genome of the clymene dolphin most resembled the striped dolphin, the nuclear genome revealed a closer relation to the spinner dolphin. The authors also noted that continued hybridization may still occur, although at low levels.
The clymene dolphin grows up to nearly seven feet in length and inhabits the tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean. Threats to the species include incidental capture as bycatch in fishing nets, which in some parts of the range has turned into direct hunts for either human consumption or shark bait.
INFORMATION:
The authors thank NOAA Fisheries for funding to initiate this project.
http://dx.plos.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0083645
Study discovers natural hybridization produced dolphin species
First documented natural hybrid species among marine mammals
2014-01-09
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Nociceptin: Nature's balm for the stressed brain
2014-01-09
Nociceptin: Nature's balm for the stressed brain
LA JOLLA, CA - January 8, 2014 - Collaborating scientists at The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI), the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the University of Camerino in Italy have published new findings on a system ...
New device can reduce sleep apnea episodes by 70 percent, Pitt-UPMC study shows
2014-01-09
New device can reduce sleep apnea episodes by 70 percent, Pitt-UPMC study shows
VIDEO:
Ryan Soose, M.D., director of the UPMC Division ...
SURA reports findings from data management pilot
2014-01-09
SURA reports findings from data management pilot
After 11 months of review, SURA announced the findings of a collaborative project to explore the capabilities of an open source application that assists with publishing, referencing, extracting and ...
Research suggests a blood test to locate gene defects associated with cancer may not be far off
2014-01-09
Research suggests a blood test to locate gene defects associated with cancer may not be far off
HOUSTON, TX - Some surprising research findings from scientists at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center suggest it's possible a ...
Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses
2014-01-09
Study identifies risk factors for non-fatal overdoses
(Boston) – Researchers from Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and Boston Medical Center (BMC) have identified that injection frequency and taking anti-retroviral therapy for HIV are risk ...
Quasars illuminate swiftly swirling clouds around galaxies
2014-01-09
Quasars illuminate swiftly swirling clouds around galaxies
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — A new study of light from quasars has provided astronomers with illuminating insights into the swirling clouds of gas that form stars and galaxies, proving that the clouds ...
Fossil pigments reveal the colors of ancient sea monsters
2014-01-09
Fossil pigments reveal the colors of ancient sea monsters
Unique finds of original pigment in fossilised skin from three multi-million-year old marine reptiles attract considerable attention from the scientific community. The pigment reveals that these animals were, ...
Radiocarbon dating suggests white sharks can live 70 years and longer
2014-01-09
Radiocarbon dating suggests white sharks can live 70 years and longer
Adult white sharks, also known as great whites, may live far longer than previously thought, according to a new study that used radiocarbon dating to determine age estimates ...
Does ObamaCare cause psychological distress among US adults?
2014-01-09
Does ObamaCare cause psychological distress among US adults?
The Affordable Care Act, dubbed 'ObamaCare', has proven to be one of the most controversial legislative acts of the Obama presidency. New research, published in Stress & Health explores the psychological relationship ...
Mass. General research could expand availability of hand, face transplants
2014-01-09
Mass. General research could expand availability of hand, face transplants
Immune tolerance to grafts of muscle, bone and skin could free recipients from lifelong immunosuppression
Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) investigators have made an important ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Robotic space rovers keep getting stuck. UW engineers have figured out why
New research shows how immigration status can become a death sentence during public health crisis
University of Toronto Engineering researchers develop safer alternative non-stick coating
Good vibrations: Scientists use imaging technology to visualize heat
More ecological diversity means better nutritional resources in Fiji’s agroforests
New global study shows freshwater is disappearing at alarming rates
Scientists create an artificial cell capable of navigating its environment using chemistry alone
A little salt is good for battery health
Deep-sea fish confirmed as a significant source of ocean carbonate
How to keep kids with eating disorders home after hospital stay? Therapy
Sex differences affect efficacy of opioid overdose treatment
Aligning AI with Human Values and Well-Being
Engineering the next generation of experimental physics
The scuba diving industry is funding marine ecosystem conservation and employing locals
BATMAN brings TCR therapy out of the shadows
Surrogates more likely to be diagnosed with mental illness, study finds
Columbia Engineering researchers turn dairy byproduct into tissue repair gel
Global estimates of lives and life-years saved by COVID-19 vaccination during 2020-2024
Potential trade-offs of proposed cuts to the NIH
New research simulates cancer cell behavior
COVID, over 2.5 million deaths prevented worldwide thanks to vaccines. One life saved for every 5,400 doses administered
Scuba diving generates up to $20 billion annually
Scientists advance efforts to create ‘virtual cell lab’ as testing ground for future research with live cells
How DNA packaging controls the “genome’s guardian”
Simplified models, deeper insights: Coarse-grained models unlock new potential for ionic liquid simulations
Gorillas’ personal circumstances shape their aggression towards groupmates
Which signalling pathways in the cell lead to possible therapies for Parkinson's disease
Identifying landslide threats using hydrological predictors
First graders who use more educational media spend more time reading
Exploring the meaning in life through phenomenology and philosophy
[Press-News.org] Study discovers natural hybridization produced dolphin speciesFirst documented natural hybrid species among marine mammals