Home Ranges of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Environmental Correlates and Implications for Management Strategies

Mazzoil, Marilyn; Reif, John S.; Youngbluth, Marsh J.; Murdoch, M. Elizabeth; Bechdel, Sarah E.; Howells, Elisabeth; McCulloch, Stephen D.; Hansen, Larry J.; Bossart, Gregory D.

doi:10.1007/s10393-008-0194-9

Cited by 54 publications

(70 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…Photographic evaluation has proven to be a useful tool to monitor the course of individual and population health for lacaziosis in the IRL population (Murdoch et al 2008). In our previous work, we showed that photographic assessment had a sensitivity of 75% and a specificity of 100% (Murdoch et al 2008).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Photo-identification methods have been described previously (Mazzoil et al 2004). We followed the classification scheme for identifying presumed evidence of lacaziosis described by Murdoch et al (2008). Briefly stated, the analysis was limited to areas of body visible during surfacing (e.g.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In a cross-sectional study of 75 dolphins caught and released during a health assessment from 2003 to 2005, the prevalence was 12.0% (Reif et al 2006). In a retrospective analysis of 704 IRL dolphins assessed for photographic evidence of lesions indicative of lacaziosis, the prevalence was 6.8% (Murdoch et al 2008). NokeDurden et al (2009) confirmed lacaziosis histologically in 9% (3/33) of stranded dolphins in the northern IRL.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Lesions are found on the dorsal and pectoral fins, the head, fluke and caudal peduncle, where they form multiple aggregations of firm, white raised nodules that may extend > 30 cm in the broadest dimension (Reif et al 2006). Lesions may be associated with sites of apparent previous trauma, such as shark bites (Murdoch et al 2008). Many dolphins with lacaziosis have significant impairment in adaptive immunity, suggesting that the disease in dolphins may represent an opportunistic infection in an immune-compromised host (Reif et al 2008).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The IRL is connected to the Atlantic Ocean via 5 inlets and the Canaveral Lock. Long-term, year-round resident dolphins have been observed in the estuary (Mazzoil et al 2005), and at least 3 distinct communities have been identified within the population (Mazzoil et al 2008). Recent research has provided evidence for distinct populations in both the IRL Estuary and Atlantic Ocean population(s) (Mazzoil et al 2010).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus along the coastal Atlantic Ocean, Florida, USA

Murdoch¹,

Mazzoil²,

McCulloch³

et al. 2010

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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This study represents the first systematic study of lacaziosis (lobomycosis) in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus in the Atlantic Ocean along the east-central coast of Florida, USA. Lacaziosis is a chronic infection of the skin caused by the fungus Lacazia loboi, which affects only dolphins and humans. Previous studies have shown a high prevalence (6.8 to 12.0%) of lacaziosis in resident dolphins from the adjacent Indian River Lagoon Estuary (IRL), where the disease is endemic. We examined the prevalence of lacaziosis in this coastal area using photo-identification data collected between 2002 and 2008 to determine the prevalence of lacaziosis in coastal dolphins using photographic methodology shown to have high sensitivity and specificity in prior research. The prevalence of skin lesions compatible with lacaziosis estimated from photographic data was 2.1% (6/284), approximately 3 times lower than that described for the estuarine population using similar methods. To exclude potential bias introduced by differences in study duration and survey effort among areas, an 18 mo period when effort was most equal (January 2006 to June 2007) was chosen for statistical comparison. The prevalence of lacaziosis estimated from photographic data was significantly lower (3.8%: n = 6/160) in the Atlantic Ocean compared to the IRL (12.0%: n = 20/167) (risk ratio = 3.19, 95% CI 1.32 to 7.75, p < 0.01 by chi-square analysis). The lower prevalence of lacaziosis in dolphins found in the Atlantic Ocean and the overall lack of movement of dolphins between these habitats suggests that environmental conditions within the estuary may favor viability of L. loboi, and/or that immune compromise in resident estuarine dolphins is a precursor to the disease.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus along the coastal Atlantic Ocean, Florida, USA

Murdoch¹,

Mazzoil²,

McCulloch³

et al. 2010

Dis. Aquat. Org.

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Fine‐scale social and genetic structure of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA

Speakman

Wilcox

Balmer

et al. 2022

Aquatic Conservation

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Ranging patterns, spatial overlap, and association with dolphin morbillivirus exposure in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Georgia, USA coast

Balmer

Zolman

Rowles

et al. 2018

Ecology and Evolution

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During 2013–2015, an outbreak of dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) occurred in the western North Atlantic, which resulted in the stranding of over 1,600 common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). There are currently five coastal and 10 bay, sound, and estuary dolphin stocks along the U.S. Atlantic coast, yet there is very limited understanding of which stocks were exposed to DMV during the recent outbreak, or how DMV was transmitted across stocks. In order to address these questions, information is needed on spatial overlap and stock interactions. The goals of this project were to determine ranging patterns, prevalence of DMV, and spatial overlap of the South Carolina‐Georgia (SC‐GA) Coastal Stock, and adjacent Southern Georgia Estuarine System (SGES) Stock. During September 2015, a health assessment and telemetry study was conducted in which 19 dolphins were captured, tested for antibodies to DMV, and satellite tagged. Dolphins were classified into one of three ranging patterns (Coastal, Sound, or Estuary) based upon telemetry data. Coastal dolphins (likely members of the SC‐GA Coastal Stock) had a significantly higher prevalence of positive DMV antibody titers (0.67; N = 2/3), than Sound and Estuary dolphins (likely members of the SGES Stock) (0.13; N = 2/16). These results suggest that the SC‐GA Coastal Stock may have experienced greater exposure to DMV as compared to the SGES Stock. However, due to the small size of the SGES Stock and its exposure to high levels of persistent contaminants, this stock may be particularly vulnerable to DMV infection in the future.

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Home Ranges of Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Indian River Lagoon, Florida: Environmental Correlates and Implications for Management Strategies

Cited by 54 publications

References 39 publications

Lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus along the coastal Atlantic Ocean, Florida, USA

Lacaziosis in bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus along the coastal Atlantic Ocean, Florida, USA

Fine‐scale social and genetic structure of common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in the Barataria Basin, Louisiana, USA

Ranging patterns, spatial overlap, and association with dolphin morbillivirus exposure in common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) along the Georgia, USA coast

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