Fine‐scale habitat use in Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins,Sousa chinensis,may be more influenced by fish rather than vessels in the Pearl River Estuary,China

Shifts in habitat use and distribution patterns in dolphins are often concerns that can result from habitat degradation. We investigated how potential changes to a habitat from human activity may alter dolphin distributions within Lingding Bay in the Pearl River Estuary, China, by studying the relationship between fish choruses, vessel presence and Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) detection rates. Analyses revealed temporal and spatial variation within fish choruses, vessel presence and dolphin detection rates. After accounting for any temporal autocorrelation, correlations between fish choruses and dolphin detection rates were also found; however, no relationship between fish choruses and vessel presence or dolphin detection rates and vessel presence were observed. Furthermore, fewer dolphins were detected at sites where fish activity was less intense. Thus fish activity, rather than vessels, may be a key factor influencing the distribution of the dolphins within the estuary. These findings emphasize the risk of potential shifts in habitat use for Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins due to detrimental changes to prey availability and dolphin feeding grounds from human activity, such as overfishing and coastal developments, within the estuary. This is a critical conservation issue for this dolphin population that is facing intense anthropogenic pressure.     

中华白海豚3 个MHC 基因座位遗传变异的初步分析

主要组织相容性复合体(Major histocompatibility complex,MHC) 基因是由一组紧密连锁的基因组成,是哺乳动物免疫系统中最重要的组成部分。本文选择3 个MHC 基因座位的第二外元,即:MHC-I 类基因和II 类基因的DRA 和DQB 座位,初步调查濒危物种中华白海豚的遗传变异。共鉴定了2 个DRA、2 个DQB 和7 MHC-I等位基因。DRA 座位遗传变异非常低,而DQB 和MHC-I 座位具有相对较高水平的遗传变异。并且,在DQB 和MHC-I 基因座位的假定的抗原结合位点(Antigen binding sites,ABS),非同义替代明显大于同义替代,提示平衡选择(Balancing selection)维持这两个座位的多态性,而在DRA 座位上,并没有检测到平衡选择。系统发生分析表明中华白海豚的MHC 等位基因没有聚在一起,而是和其他的物种聚在一起,符合MHC 跨种进化(Transspecies evolution)的模式。     

厦门水域中华白海豚出现于围头湾

厦门海域的中华白海豚是一个受威胁的种群。以往有关该种群的调查范围主要集中在厦门以及邻近的南部漳州海域。为了获得厦门岛东部海域（包括晋江围头湾、小嶝岛以及大嶝岛部分水域）白海豚的分布和数量等信息,本文于2013年6—8月对该水域进行了船基样线法调查和照相识别研究。调查期间共目击到白海豚26群,照相识别白海豚个体27头。所有照相识别的白海豚个体均与厦门中华白海豚个体识别数据库中的个体匹配,表明厦门中华白海豚的分布区至少向东延伸至围头湾。本文白海豚遇见率为5.8群/100km和24.8头/100km,均要高于以往在厦门水域的调查结果,表明大嶝岛—围头湾水域是厦门中华白海豚的重要栖息地之一,值得优先保护和管理。     

Abundance and site fidelity of Indo‐Pacific Humpback dolphins in the Great Sandy Strait,Queensland, Australia

This study examined the population of Indo‐Pacific humpback dolphins, Sousa chinensis, inhabiting the Great Sandy Strait Marine Park, Queensland, Australia. A total of 106 dolphins were identified during 228 boat‐based surveys, completed between April 2004 and April 2007. Based on the distribution of resighted individuals and the pattern of associations, it was established that this population consists of two largely geographically distinct communities, referred to as the Northern Community (NC) and the Southern Community (SC). The only recorded interaction between the two groups was a single pod composed of one member of the NC and 11 dolphins from the SC. Abundance was estimated for the entire population and by geographical area using open population models. Estimates for the Great Sandy Strait indicate that about 150 dolphins (N_GSS= 148.4, SE = 8.3, 95% CI: 132.5–165.2) used this area during the study. The NC and SC total population sizes was estimated to be 76 (N_NGSS= 75.80, SE = 3.88, 95% CI = 71–86) and 75 (N_SGSS= 74.98, SE = 4.43, 95% CI: 66–83), respectively. Analysis of residence patterns indicates that a majority of the identified dolphins are long‐term residents.     

Social dynamics and sexual segregation of Australian humpback dolphins (Sousa sahulensis) in Moreton Bay,Queensland

Understanding the social organization of coastal dolphins, particularly those that reside adjacent to major cities and urbanized regions, is important for understanding the vulnerability of populations to human impacts. We investigated the sexual segregation and social dynamics in a population of Australian humpback dolphins (Sousa sahulensis) inhabiting the near-urban embayment of Moreton Bay, Queensland. Over 160 vessel-based surveys, 148 adults were photographically identified. This included 116 assumed females and 32 assumed males. The population was sexually segregated (SSAS = 0.52, p < .001) and individuals preferred to associate with others of the same sex occupying the same spatial area (p < .025). Association indices between paired males were almost double those of females ($\text{◂=▸}\overline{x}\mathrm{HWI}=0.09$, SD = 0.04 and $\text{◂=▸}\overline{x}\mathrm{HWI}=0.05$, SD = 0.02, respectively). However, females were more gregarious than males and maintained a larger network of associates based on preferred companionships. The social network was also modular with five clusters identified, and a limited number of individuals had a disproportionate influence on connectivity between clusters. This highly fragmented social network implies that the population may be vulnerable to social disruptions from human impacts.     

海南三亚一头死亡中华白海豚的形态学记录

On February 2,2015, a dead female Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) was found in the coastal water of Meilian Village, Yacheng Town, Sanya City, Hainan Province, China. It was the first Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin death case ever found in waters southwest of Hainan Island. In the present study, data about external morphology and skeleton system of the dead dolphin were documented, Body length and body mass of the animal were 235.0 cm and ca. 150 kg, respectively, with completely white body color. The cranium of this dolphin wa 189 mm in zygomatic width, and 415 mm in skull length. Its vertebra formula was C6+T12+L10+Ca20=48. It had 12 pairs of ribs and 11 V-bones. According to previous reports, our skeleton sample may have one cervical vertebra missing, and one or more caudal vertebras and V bones missing. More new skeleton samples from the same population are needed to confirm this presumption.     

厦门海域两头中华白海豚体内微量元素的积累

对2004年4月在厦门海域搁浅死亡的两头中华白海豚（Sousa chinensis）进行了肝脏、胰、胃、肾、肠、肺、肌肉、心脏等多组织微量元素锌（Zn）、铜（Cu）、汞（Hg）、铅（Pb）、镉（Cd）和砷（As）浓度的测定。两豚各组织总体上必需元素Zn、Cu浓度高于有毒元素Hg、Pb、Cd和As。XM20040430体内特别高的Zn、Hg、Pb、Cd浓度分别出现于皮肤（500μg/g干重）、肝脏（255μg/g干重）、肺（13.0μg/g干重）和肾（2.82μg/g干重）中,而Cu和As在各组织中的浓度较为相似。XM20040429体内仅肝脏中Zn（448μg/g干重）和Cu（52.0μg/g干重）的浓度远高于其他组织。虽然两海豚微量元素的总体积累多低于急性毒性水平,但有毒元素Hg、Pb、Cd、As的明显检出和XM20040429肝脏中异常高的Zn浓度均显示出进一步研究微量元素慢性胁迫效应的必要性。结果还显示厦门港海域近年来Hg、Cd、Pb污染未见减轻,As也明显检出,必须引起高度重视。今后有关水生哺乳动物中As积累的研究也有待加强。     

厦门海域两头中华白海豚体内铁的含量

铁是动物体的必需元素,是血红蛋白和肌红蛋白中氧的携带者。动物体内的含铁化合物主要为血红蛋白、肌红蛋白（Mb）、转铁蛋白、含铁血黄素和含铁酶（王夔,1992）。铁与水生哺乳动物的潜水能力密切相关。Wright和Davis（2006）对威德尔海豹（Leptonychotes weddellii）的研究表明,Mb是水生哺乳动物最重要的储氧部位,在胃肠吸收后状态下Mb从正常水平降低7％时,有氧潜水限度（Aerobic Dive Limit,ADL）下降39％;Mb增加两倍时,ADL则增加30％。     

Genotyping‐by‐sequencing analysis of Orobanche crenata populations in Algeria reveals genetic differentiation

Crenate broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) is a serious long‐standing parasitic weed problem in Algeria, mainly affecting legumes but also vegetable crops. Unresolved questions for parasitic weeds revolve around the extent to which these plants undergo local adaptation, especially with respect to host specialization, which would be expected to be a strong selective factor for obligate parasitic plants. In the present study, the genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) approach was used to analyze genetic diversity and population structure of 10 Northern Algerian O. crenata populations with different geographical origins and host species (faba bean, pea, chickpea, carrot, and tomato). In total, 8004 high‐quality single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (5% missingness) were obtained and used across the study. Genetic diversity and relationships of 95 individuals from 10 populations were studied using model‐based ancestry analysis, principal components analysis, discriminant analysis of principal components, and phylogeny approaches. The genetic differentiation (F _ST) between pairs of populations was lower between adjacent populations and higher between geographically separated ones, but no support was found for isolation by distance. Further analyses identified four genetic clusters and revealed evidence of structuring among populations and, although confounded with location, among hosts. In the clearest example, O. crenata growing on pea had a SNP profile that was distinct from other host/location combinations. These results illustrate the importance and potential of GBS to reveal the dynamics of parasitic weed dispersal and population structure.     

Record of an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) without its upper rostrum in Xiamen Bay,Fujian Province,China

Many cetaceans are killed as a result of intensive anthropogenic impacts, and those that survive often endure wounds or scars. This study is the first report of an Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) that is missing its upper rostrum. This individual has inhabited Xiamen Bay, Fujian Province, China, for more than 3 years. Since the lower jaw and the other part around the upper jaw are intact, it is likely that the upper jaw was entangled in fishing nets or pipelines and subsequently broke off. Without the upper rostrum, this dolphin cannot snap prey, but it may use other feeding strategies – and the fact that this individual has survived for more than 3 years without its upper rostrum provides a novel insight into the ability of this species to persist in the wild.     

A standard panel of microsatellites for Asian seabass (Lates calcarifer)

Microsatellites are the most popular markers for parentage assignment and population genetic studies. To meet the demand for international comparability for genetic studies of Asian seabass, a standard panel of 28 microsatellites has been selected and characterized using the DNA of 24 individuals from Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia and Australia. The average allele number of these markers was 10.82 ± 0.71 (range: 6–19), and the expected heterozygosity averaged 0.76 ± 0.02 (range: 0.63–1.00). All microsatellites showed Mendelian inheritance. In addition, eight standard size controls have been developed by cloning a set of microsatellite alleles into a pGEM‐T vector to calibrate allele sizes determined by different laboratories, and are available upon request. Seven multiplex PCRs, each amplifying 3–5 markers, were optimized to accurately and rapidly genotype microsatellites. Parentage assignment using 10 microsatellites in two crosses (10 × 10 and 20 × 20) demonstrated a high power of these markers for revealing parent‐sibling connections. This standard set of microsatellites will standardize genetic diversity studies of Asian seabass, and the multiplex PCR sets will facilitate parentage assignment.     

A set of polymorphic dinucleotide and tetranucleotide microsatellite markers for the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) and cross-amplification in other cetacean species

Eleven dinucleotide and five tetranucleotide polymorphic microsatellite loci were presented for the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin Sousa chinensis, a species categorized as ‘data deficiency’ in the IUCN Red List. These markers were developed to allow future population studies, such as characterization of population structure and genetic diversity that are important for the species’ conservation. The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 9 with observed heterozygosity ranging from 0.167 to 0.917, and expected heterozygosity ranging from 0.159 to 0.913. Test of these loci in five additional cetacean species found that 10–13 loci have successful cross-amplifications.     

High genetic differentiation of red gorgonian populations from the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea

Patterns of genetic variation within a species may be used to infer past events in the evolutionary history of marine species. In the present study we aimed to compare the genetic diversity of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata in the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. For genetic markers we used microsatellites and a mitochondrial gene fragment. Our results revealed a distinct genetic composition and diversity between the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The Mediterranean samples had higher microsatellite heterozygosity, allelic richness and private allelic richness. The hypotheses that can explain these patterns are the isolation of Atlantic populations and/or a founder effect. Additionally, a clear difference was obtained from the mitochondrial locus, since sequences from Atlantic and Mediterranean samples diverged by 1%, which is high for soft corals.