The Cetaceans of the Spanish Coasts : A Survey

Casinos, Adriá; Vericad, J.-R.

doi:10.1515/mamm.1976.40.2.267

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 2 publications

(3 reference statements)

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“…The date and locality of decease, the sex, body length, and body weight, and the presence or absence of the umbilical cord in stranded extracted from the unpublished data files of the University of Barcelona and from published sources (Busnel et al 1968;Cagnolaro et al 1986;Casinos and Filella 1975;Casinos and Vericad 1976;Cendreros et al 1983;Centro Studi dei Cetacei 1987, 1988Duguy 1973, 1974, 1975, 1979, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986, 1988, 1989, Duguy and Budker 1972El Bouali 1987;Grau et al 1980Grau et al , 1986Pelegri 1980;Rey and Cendrero 1979, 198 1 ;van Bree et al 1969).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calving and early mortality in the western Mediterranean striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

Aguilar¹

1991

Can. J. Zool.

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Foetal growth and associated calving parameters for the northwestern Mediterranean striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) population were studied using data from 437 strandings. Births occurred during autumn and length of calves was estimated as 92.5 cm, which corresponds to a weight of 11.3 kg. Calving was estimated to peak in mid-October according to the Huggett and Widdas model, and in mid-September according to the mean date of births for the population. In the western Mediterranean, calving in autumn coincides with the time of year when waters are warmest and precedes a peak of productivity, both of which provide optimum conditions for feeding and coping with the energetic demands of lactation. The frequency of strandings shows a clear peak in September–November, which suggests that mortality of neonates and of calves early in lactation is much higher than that of juveniles and calves during mid or late lactation. Consistent with previous studies on the genus Stenella, the sex ratio favoured males, falling from an initial value of 1.4 in foetuses to almost 1 postweaning.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Calving and early mortality in the western Mediterranean striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

Aguilar¹

1991

Can. J. Zool.

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“…Although a certain number of misidentifications exist in past accounts (e.g. Richard, 1936, plates VI.1, VII.4; Tortonese, 1965, p. 183), in which striped dolphins were mistakenly labelled as common dolphins (Poggi, 1982), literature, photographic records and osteological collections unambiguously indicate that common dolphins used to be abundant in many parts of the Mediterranean where they are now absent or extremely rare (Giglioli, 1880; Barone, 1895; Arbocco, 1969; Pilleri, 1970; Duguy & Cyrus, 1973; Casinos & Vericad, 1976; Pilleri & Gihr, 1977; Casinos, 1982; Cagnolaro, Di Natale & Notarbartolo di Sciara, 1983; Pilleri & Pilleri, 1982, 1983; Poggi, 1986; Cagnolaro, 1996). Brunelli (1928, 1932) reported D. delphis to be a common species in Mediterranean waters off Spain, France, Italy, former Yugoslavia (Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Montenegro), and Turkey.…”

Section: Past and Present Trends In Abundancementioning

confidence: 99%

Ecology, status and conservation of short‐beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis in the Mediterranean Sea

et al. 2003

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1. The recent decline in the Mediterranean population of short‐beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis has been the subject of scientific controversy and political indifference. Research on these animals has been very limited and there has been no large‐scale, systematic effort to assess and monitor their abundance and distribution. The consequent lack of data has prevented a good understanding of historical and ongoing trends. 2. Nonetheless, literature and osteological collections confirm that common dolphins were widespread and abundant in much of the Mediterranean Sea until the late 1960s and that their decline occurred relatively quickly. Today, common dolphins remain relatively abundant only in the westernmost portion of the basin (Alboràn Sea), with sparse records off Algeria and Tunisia, concentrations around the Maltese islands and in parts of the Aegean Sea, and relict groups in the south‐eastern Tyrrhenian and eastern Ionian Seas. Otherwise, these dolphins are rare in, or completely absent from, Mediterranean areas where information is available. 3. Circumstantial evidence and qualitative judgements by the authors suggest that the following factors may have contributed to the decline of common dolphins: reduced availability of prey caused by overfishing and habitat degradation; contamination by xenobiotic chemicals resulting in immunosuppression and reproductive impairment; environmental changes such as increased water temperatures affecting ecosystem dynamics; and incidental mortality in fishing gear, especially gillnets. The cumulative importance of these factors is poorly understood, and as a result, few conservation measures have been implemented. 4. This paper reviews current knowledge and suggests priorities for action aimed at identifying and mitigating the main threats to common dolphins in the Mediterranean, with the ultimate goal of restoring the species’ favourable conservation status in the region.

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“…Sergeant (1977) considered that strandings in South-West Britain must be related to Fin whales occurring in the Bay of Biscay, but I suggest that they are as k e l y to belong to the Scottish/ Faroese/West Norwegian stock. Sightings and strandings along the Atlantic coast of France are comparatively rare (Budker, 1968;1076;1977a;Duguy & Budker, 1972;Duguy & Cazaux, 1974;Duguy & Robineau, 1973;Duguy & van Bree, 1968;Casinos & Vericad, 1976), although several were sighted far west towards the Azores (Duguy & Aloncle, 1974). It may be that these sightings are of Fin whales belonging to the same stock as those passing west of Britain along the edge of the continental shelf.…”

Section: (A) Status and Distributionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cetaceans in British waters

Evans

1980

Mammal Review

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Most information on the distribution, movements and ecology of cetaceans in the N.E. Atlantic have come from whale catches mainly in the early part of this century, and from strandings records collected by the British Museum (Nat. Hist.). With the formation of the Cetacean Group in 1973, a scheme for recording live cetaceans at sea was started. This paper summarizes the results of about two thousand sightings involving nearly 25,000 individual animals between the years 1958– 1978 (but mainly from the last 10 years), and relates them to existing information collected from other sources. Difficulties of identification and potential sources of bias are discussed. Most large cetaceans are present in British waters as part of a latitudinal feeding migration whereas smaller species may be present in the N.E. Atlantic throughout the year with movements being mainly of an offshore‐inshore nature. Some species are clearly very rare probably as a result of over‐exploitation in the last century and early part of this century. These include the Right whale, Blue whale and probably Humpback whale. Other species are rarely recorded because their usual range is some distance from British waters. These include narwhal and White whale (from Arctic waters), Pygmy sperm whale, smaller beaked whales and Euphrosyne dolphin (from warm temperate to tropical waters). The Harbour porpoise is by far the most common and widespread species in British waters, occurring mainly in inshore waters, although it has apparently declined in certain regions (e.g. Southern North Sea, English Channel, Irish Sea) in recent years probably as a result of pollution, disturbance and/or over‐exploitation of food resources. Bottle‐nosed and Risso's dolphins are also widely distributed close to the coast, although the latter is restricted to the west and south coasts and the former is associated particularly with some large estuaries. Common dolphins are relatively abundant and widespread, and are more pelagic than the previous three species. White‐sided dolphins have a mainly pelagic distribution centred on the Northern North Sea whilst the White‐sided dolphin has a wider distribution which includes all the western seaboard. Of larger cetaceans, the Killer whale is relatively common particularly on the west coasts and the Pilot whale is locally and seasonally abundant at the north and south ends of Britain and Ireland where they probably represent distinct populations. The Bottlenose whale, Minke, Fin and Sei whales are confined to the west and north coasts, all but the Minke whale having a primarily pelagic distribution. Sperm whales although increasingly commonly stranded on British coasts, are rarely sighted in inshore waters. The west coast of Britain and Ireland are the most important regions for cetaceans whereas the Southern North Sea has the smallest number although in previous decades numbers were probably higher. Most cetacean species occur mainly in the summer months, particularly August and September, although some species, e.g. White‐sid...

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The Cetaceans of the Spanish Coasts : A Survey

Cited by 32 publications

References 2 publications

Calving and early mortality in the western Mediterranean striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

Calving and early mortality in the western Mediterranean striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba

Ecology, status and conservation of short‐beaked common dolphins Delphinus delphis in the Mediterranean Sea

Cetaceans in British waters

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