福建平潭一头误捕灰鲸的部分形态学记录

2011 年11 月5 日,福建省平潭县白青乡青峰村渔民出海作业时发现一头误撞定置刺网死亡的灰鲸,为福建省的首次灰鲸误捕案例,也是本世纪以来我国海域的首次灰鲸误捕记录。本文描述了该灰鲸的外形特征和骨骼系统,并报道外形和骨骼的测量数据。该灰鲸系雌性,体长1 309 cm,体重约21 t,为目前本种在我国海域搁浅/ 误捕记录中的最大个体。头骨长281 cm,宽128 cm,重250 kg;脊椎式为C7 + T13 + L13 +Ca23 = 56;指式为Ⅰ1,Ⅱ3,Ⅲ7,Ⅳ5,Ⅴ3;肋骨14 对,V 形骨10 枚。脊椎式、指式、肋骨和V 形骨较之以前的报道存在差异,说明灰鲸的脊椎式、指式、肋骨和V 形骨可能存在个体差异。此外,本文还综述了西北太平洋灰鲸目前所面临的主要致危因素。     

误捕及其对海兽种群的影响

几乎在全世界都有误捕海兽的记录．有误捕记录的海兽有鲸目１４科６２种,鳍脚目３科１２种,海牛目２科２种及食肉目１科１种．误捕海兽的渔具包括刺网、拖网、围网、张网、插网和陷阱等．误捕可导致种群数量的下降及生活史特征的改变．我国需要开展这方面的研究工作．     

一头妊娠小须鲸的物种鉴定及外部形态测量

<正>小须鲸隶属于鲸目(Cetacea),须鲸亚目(Mysticeti),须鲸科(Balaenopteridae),须鲸属(Balaenoptera)。小须鲸的嘴部窄而尖,头部具一明显的嵴,背鳍高且呈镰刀状,位于身体的后三分之一处,其鳍肢外侧的白色横带是区别于其他须鲸的主要特征(王丕烈,2011)。小须鲸被分为两个物种,即\"传统\"小须鲸(B.acutorostrata)和南极小须鲸(B.bonaerensis)     

中国沿岸小型鲸类误捕情况的调查

报道了１９９４ ～１９９５ 年对中国沿岸小型鲸类误捕情况的调查结果．调查表明,有误捕记录的小型鲸类主要有５ 种,即江豚（ Ｎｅｏｐｈｏｃａｅｎａ ｐｈｏｃａｅｎｏｉｄｅｓ） 、长喙真海豚（ Ｄｅｌｐｈｉｎｕｓ ｃａｐｅｎｓｉｓ） 、瓶鼻海豚（ Ｔｕｒｓｉｏｐｓｔｒｕｎｃａｔｕｓ） 、点斑原海豚（Ｓｔｅｎｅｌｌａ ａｔｔｅｎｕａｔａ） 和伪虎鲸（ Ｐｓｅｕｄｏｒｃａ ｃｒａｓｓｉｄｅｎｓ） ,其中以江豚的误捕率最高．１９９４ 年在山东、浙江、福建、广东、海南省和广西壮族自治区沿岸渔业误捕的小型鲸类约３０４５ ±２１２０ 头,其中江豚的误捕量约２１３２ ±１４８４ 头．误捕小型鲸类的渔具主要有拖网、刺网和张网．中国沿岸没有专门捕鲸的渔业方式．误捕的小型鲸类在沿岸居民的生活中不占重要地位,它们大部分被丢弃或廉价出售．目前尚不知道误捕对中国水域小型鲸种群影响的程度,但可能是造成数量下降原因之一．     

中国大陆海域沿岸搁浅和误捕的喙鲸类调查

从2009 年1 月至2010 年2 月,我们对中国大陆海域沿岸搁浅和误捕的喙鲸类头骨标本进行了测量和鉴
定。目前中国大陆海域搁浅和误捕的喙鲸类有5 种,分别为柯氏喙鲸、贝氏喙鲸、朗氏喙鲸、柏氏中喙鲸和小
中喙鲸,其中小中喙鲸为中国海域(包括台湾)的首次报道,也是在西北太平洋区的首次记录。小中喙鲸的主
要形态鉴别特征为有1 对纺锤形牙齿着生在下颌骨联合后面。经对已报道过的大陆海域搁浅和误捕的3 个雌性
银杏齿中喙鲸头骨标本和台湾省搁浅银杏齿中喙鲸的颅骨、鼻骨、下颌骨以及牙齿特征对比重新鉴定,订正大
陆的3 个样本为雌性柏氏中喙鲸。本文报道了大陆沿岸海域搁浅和误捕的喙鲸类最新调查研究结果。     

一头罕见伪虎鲸的测量

2005 年10 月山东省荣成市远洋渔船的渔民偶然误捕了一头海豚,经鉴定,系伪虎鲸,且为畸形。主要鉴别特征:全身呈暗黑色,体细长,背鳍狭长而呈镰刀形,胸鳍前缘有一特有的隆起,即所谓的“肘部”,牙齿大,呈圆锥形,上颌齿数为14,下颌齿数为16。同时,还对其进行了较详细的观察和测量。畸形表现在:左右口角的形状不一;左鳍肢前缘有一明显的二分叉;雌性,乳沟内无乳头,但经解剖发现腹内却有一胎儿,系雄性,体长1.8 m,体重40 kg。
     

台湾海峡厦门-东山水域瓶鼻海豚的种群密度、分布和误捕研究

台湾海峡厦门东山水域瓶鼻海豚 ( Tursiopsaduncus)的种群密度约为 0 .0 4 36± 0 .0 2 86头 /km2 ,该水域南部瓶鼻海豚的发现率高于中部和北部。问卷调查和随船出海调查表明围网作业发现和误捕小型鲸类的频率要高于拖网 ,同时拖网又高于刺网。调查期间从东山港记录到的误捕致死的 2 0头小型鲸类中 ,6头 (占 30 % )为瓶鼻海豚 ,分别由拖网和围网捕获。需要开展对当地渔民的宣传教育和加强台湾海峡瓶鼻海豚等小型鲸类的种群生物学和保护生物学的研究。     

误捕:无心巨害

对于海洋生态系统,变化最重要的直接驱动力是过度捕捞。人类以鱼类为食并将鱼作为水产养殖饲料的需求将继续增长,其结果是区域海洋渔业资源受到重大而长期的破坏的危险在增加。在世界上多数地区,渔业目标鱼类(包括目标物种和意外捕获物种)的生物量同工业化捕捞前的水平相比减少了90%。世界上商业化海洋渔业品种的约3/4已被利用,其中50%已充分利用,25%已经过度利用。千年生态系统评估:生态系统与人类福祉—生物多样性综合报告     

高山姬鼠幼仔的生长发育和产热特征

根据高山姬鼠幼仔56 d 的生长资料初步分析了其生长发育规律;用电子天平测量了体重的增长过程; 用开放式呼吸仪测定了静止代谢率(Resting metabolic rate,RMR)、非颤抖性产热(Nonshivering thermogenesis, NST)以及肺皮蒸发失水(Evaporative water loss,EWL)。依据逻辑斯蒂曲线的拐点,高山姬鼠的体重生长可划分为加速生长相和减速生长相。幼仔的体温在17 日龄前逐渐升高,35 日龄时接近成体水平;静止代谢率和非颤抖性产热在17 日龄前随日龄逐渐增大,17 日龄后与体重成异速增长关系,RMR 在49 日龄时接近成体水平,NST 在6 日龄内即被激活;蒸发失水在断乳前较断乳后为高。高山姬鼠为典型的晚成性发育动物。高山姬鼠较短的妊娠期、较大的胎仔数、较长的哺乳期与其食物资源较丰富有关。     

中国蝾螈科动物的反捕行为

中国的蝾螈科（Family Salamandridae）动物演化出了卓越的,多种多样的特征,而这些特征往往伴随着强烈的皮肤毒腺存在来保护自己免受捕食者的侵害。这些反捕食行为机制分布列入表1,并以照片解释其反捕行为,来用于已创建的定义和术语是非常重要的。这些定义和义语与不同反捕行为是密切相关的。该科中大多数蝾螈都有鲜艳的腹部色型,有皮肤分泌物毒素存在以警告捕食者。有的蝾螈,象兰尾蝾螈Cynops cyanura和中国瘰螈Paramesotriton chinensis甚至向上翻转显示腹部颜色。     

RELATIONSHIPS AMONG MORPHOLOGICAL STATUS, STEROID HORMONES, AND POST-THAWING VIABILITY OF FROZEN SPERMATOZOA OF MALE MINKE WHALES (BALAENOPTERA ACUTOROSTRATA)

Spermatozoa from 21 mature minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) taken in the Antarctic Ocean for Japanese research were recovered from vasa deferentia, diluted 1:9 in a Tris-based diluent, and frozen at - 80°C on board the vessel. After a period ranging from 45 to 125 d, the samples were transferred to liquid nitrogen and transported to the laboratory. After thawing at 37°C the motility (percentage of motile spermatozoa), vitality (proportion of live spermatozoa), and sperm concentration were determined for each sample. These values were tested for correlations with morphological measurements (body size, body weight, testis weight) and serum concentrations of progesterone (Pd), estradiol-17β (E2), and testosterone (T). Ten of 21 samples had motile spermatozoa (2%-40%). Although no motile spermatozoa were observed in 1.1 samples, all sperm samples were examined by eosinnigrosin staining and showed vitality levels of 3%44%. It was found that the motility (Y = 0.54) and vitality (r = 0.53) of the spermatozoa were significantly (P < 0.01) correlated with the E₂ levels (8.50 ± 1.80 pg/ml). Serum T levels (0.07 ± 0.02 ngml) were significantly correlated with the E₂ levels (r = 0.58, P < 0.01>, but sperm concentrations were not correlated with either Ea or T levels. The present study demonstrates that spermatozoa of minke whales can be successfully cryopreserved.     

WHALE REACTIONS TO HUMAN ACTIVITIES IN CAPE COD WATERS

A review of our whale observations of more than 25 years indicated that each of the species commonly observed within 35 km of Cape Cod reacted differently to stimuli from human activities, and that these responses have gradually changed with time. Over the years of exposure to ships, for example, minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) have changed from frequent positive interest to generally uninterested reactions, finback whales ( B. physalus ) have changed from mostly negative to uninterested reactions, right whales ( Eubalaena glacialis ) have apparently continued the same variety of responses with little change, and humpbacks ( Megaptera novaeangliae ) have dramatically changed from mixed responses that were often negative to often strongly positive reactions. These reactions appeared to result mostly from three types of stimuli: primarily underwater sound, then light reflectivity, and tactile sensation. The whale reactions were related to their assessment of the stimuli as attractive, uninteresting or disturbing, their assessment of the movements of the sources of the stimuli relative to their own positions, and their assessment of the occurrence of stimuli as expected or unexpected. Whale reactions were modified by their previous experience and current activity: habituation often occurred rapidly, attention to other stimuli or preoccupation with other activities sometimes overcame their interest or wariness of stimuli, and inactivity seemed to allow whales to notice and react to stimuli that otherwise might have been ignored. The changes over time in the reactions of whales to stimuli from human activities were gradual and constantly varying with increased exposure to these activities.     

MORPHOMETRIC COMPARISON OF MINKE WHALES BALAENOPTERA ACUTOROSTRATA FROM DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC

Multivariate statistical analyses of 18 morphometric characters were performed in order to evaluate potential heterogeneity between predefined minke whale stock unit areas in the North Atlantic (West Greenland, Central, and Northeastern stocks). Results from principal component analyses suggested that the data cannot be regarded as random samples drawn from one uniform distribution. The overlap between groups was too substantial, however, to allow a firm conclusion concerning the question of isolated breeding stocks versus a large common breeding pool.     

IN VITRO FERTILIZATION OF IN VITRO MATURED MINKE WHALE (BALAENOPTERA ACUTOROSTRATA) FOLLICULAR OOCYTES

In vitro fertilization of follicular oocytes harvested from ovaries and matured in vitro was attempted for 55 minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) captured for Japanese research purposes in the Antarctic Ocean during the period from November 1995 to March 1996. In Experiment 1, effects of culture duration (96 h or 120 h) on maturation of follicular oocytes and addition of caffeine (5 mM) and/or heparin (100 pg/ml) on sperm penetration and pro-nuclear formation were investigated. Spermatozoa recovered from the vasa deferentia of four mature males were diluted (5-fold) and frozen at - 80°C. The post-thawed and pooled spermatozoa were used for in vitro insemination. A higher ( P < 0.05) proportion of the oocytes cultured for 120 h (34.2% of 260) progressed beyond the second metaphase stage than of the oocytes cultured for 96 h (26.0% of 262). For the matured oocytes, higher rates of penetration ( P < 0.05) and pronuclear formation ( P < 0.01) were obtained in the oocytes cultured for 120 h (55.1% and 40.4%) than in those cultured for 96 h (32.4 % and 20.6%). Addition of caffeine and heparin did not show a significant effect. In Experiment 2, follicular oocytes matured for 120 h and then inseminated were cultured to examine the subsequent development in two culture systems (with and without co-cultured cumulus cells). Of 448 inseminated oocytes, cleaved embryos (2–16 cells) were observed with (5.8%) and without (4.9%) co-cultured systems. No cleavage was observed in 54 ova without insemination. These results indicate that in vitro fertilization of minke whale in vitro matured follicular oocytes with cryopreserved spermatozoa is possible, yielding cleaved embryos.     

HAS THE AGE AT TRANSITION OF SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE MINKE WHALES DECLINED OVER RECENT DECADES?

The earplugs of several baleen whale stocks exhibit seasonal growth layers which have been shown for some species to indicate the total age of the animals. A transition from early, irregular layers, to later, more regular layers can be seen in these earplugs, and this is thought to indicate the age at maturity of the whale. The earplugs of Southern Hemisphere minke whales are relatively difficult to read, particularly for the age at transition, and it has been suggested that these readings reflect no more than random allocations by the reader, rather than any real effect. Plots of average transition phase against year of birth (cohort) show a decline in the average age at transition. However, certain factors can result in a downward bias in this trend, particularly when only a short time-series is available for analysis, as was the case when this trend was first estimated some 15 yr ago. Data collected over 25 yr are now available and are reanalyzed here. A plot of mean age at transition against year of sampling for animals of similar age shows a decline, as does the conventional plot against cohort, suggesting that the decline is real. A model that simulates random allocation of the transition phase by earplug readers yields predictions that show systematic deviations from the data. In contrast, a second model that allows for a real trend in the average age at transition and that takes account of two potentially biasing effects (termed truncation and the fringe effect) fits the data well. A tendency is evident for readers to recognize a transition phase in a greater proportion of the earplugs that they read as they gain experience over time. This is taken into account in the model. This model shows a decline in the average age at transition from roughly 11 for the cohorts of the 1950s to roughly 7 for those of the 1970s. These results suggest that minke whale transition-phase readings are related to a real signal in the data and are not simply an artefact, and further that there has been a real decline in the age to which this signal corresponds.