National Progress Reports Japan – 2020 & 2019
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2017 377 Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises
2017 BOOK REVIEWS 377 Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises By Erich Hoyt. 2017. Firefly Books. 300 pages, 49.95 CAD, Cloth. Written by a British-based, dual-citizen Canadian tion that individual animals could be photographed and who is a research scientist, conservationist, and author, identified by distinctive species-specific features, such the Encyclopedia of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises as flukes, dorsal fins, pigmentation patterns, scars, and provides an interesting and beautiful global overview wounds. this led to great advances in previously dif- of cetaceans. Part pictorial guide, part research over - ficult areas to research such as migration, distribution, view, part coffee table book, and part call to action, and social behaviour. In a general book such as this and brimming with incredibly beautiful photographs obviously not all biological facts can be provided, but showing cetaceans in action, this book will appeal to it does provide an interesting and sometimes astound- many readers in its attractive, easy-to-read format. ing array of biological information. It is quite enlight- the reader will learn a great deal. the book contains ening how little is still known about some cetacean many interesting facts about this hugely popular yet species, even breeding areas and species taxonomy, mystical group of marine mammals. In recounting the and how recently much of the known scientific infor- history of cetacean research and monitoring, the author mation has been gathered. It was sobering to learn that emphasized the major progress made with the realiza- almost half of all cetaceans globally are considered 378 THE CANADIAN FIELD -N ATURALIST Vol. -
Balaenoptera Bonaerensis – Antarctic Minke Whale
Balaenoptera bonaerensis – Antarctic Minke Whale compared to B. bonaerensis. This smaller form, termed the “Dwarf” Minke Whale, may be genetically different from B. bonaerensis, and more closely related to the North Pacific Minke Whales, and thus has been classified B. acutorostrata (Wada et al. 1991; IWC 2001). This taxonomic position, although somewhat controversial, has been accepted by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), and the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS). Assessment Rationale The current IWC global estimate of abundance of Antarctic Dr. Meike Scheidat Minke Whales is about 500,000 individuals. The abundance estimates declined from about 700,000 for the second circumpolar set of abundance survey cruises Regional Red List status (2016) Least Concern* (1985/86 to 1990/91) to about 500,000 for the third National Red List status (2004) Least Concern (1991/92 to 2003/04). Although this decline was not statistically significant, the IWC Scientific Committee does Reasons for change No change consider these results to reflect a change. However, Global Red List status (2008) Data Deficient whether this change is genuine or attributed to greater proportions of pack ice limiting the survey extent, has not TOPS listing (NEMBA) (2007) None yet been determined. More detailed results from an CITES listing (1986) Appendix I assessment model are available for the mid-Indian to the mid-Pacific region, and suggest that the population Endemic No increased to a peak in 1970 and then declined, with it *Watch-list Data being unclear whether this decline has levelled off or is still continuing past 2000. -
Description of a New Species of Beaked Whale (Berardius) Found in the North Pacific
www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Description of a new species of beaked whale (Berardius) found in the North Pacifc Received: 30 November 2018 Tadasu K. Yamada1, Shino Kitamura2,3, Syuiti Abe3, Yuko Tajima1, Ayaka Matsuda3, Accepted: 4 July 2019 James G. Mead4 & Takashi F. Matsuishi3,5 Published: xx xx xxxx Two types of Berardius are recognised by local whalers in Hokkaido, Japan. The frst is the ordinary Baird’s beaked whale, B. bairdii, whereas the other is much smaller and entirely black. Previous molecular phylogenetic analyses revealed that the black type is one recognisable taxonomic unit within the Berardius clade but is distinct from the two known Berardius species. To determine the characteristics of the black type, we summarised external morphology and skull osteometric data obtained from four individuals, which included three individuals from Hokkaido and one additional individual from the United States National Museum of Natural History collection. The whales difered from all of their congeners by having the following unique characters: a substantially smaller body size of physically mature individuals, proportionately shorter beak, and darker body colour. Thus, we conclude that the whales are a third Berardius species. Beaked whales (Family Ziphiidae, Odontoceti, Cetacea) include the second largest number of species among toothed whale families. Teir preference for deep ocean waters, elusive habits, and long dive capacity1 make beaked whales hard to see and inadequately understood. A total of 22 species are currently recognized in six genera (Berardius, Hyperoodon, Indopacetus, Mesoplodon, Tasmacetus, and Ziphius)2. Te genus Berardius has two species, Baird’s beaked whale Berardius bairdii, found in the North Pacifc and adjacent waters, and Arnoux’s beaked whale B. -
Genetic Structure of the Beaked Whale Genus Berardius in the North Pacific
MARINE MAMMAL SCIENCE, 33(1): 96–111 (January 2017) Published 2016. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA DOI: 10.1111/mms.12345 Genetic structure of the beaked whale genus Berardius in the North Pacific, with genetic evidence for a new species PHILLIP A. MORIN1, Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Cen- ter, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, U.S.A. and Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UCSD, 9500 Gilman Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, U.S.A.; C. SCOTT BAKER Marine Mammal Institute and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, 2030 SE Marine Science Drive, Newport, Oregon 07365, U.S.A.; REID S. BREWER Fisheries Technology, University of Alaska South- east, 1332 Seward Avenue, Sitka, Alaska 99835, U.S.A.; ALEXANDER M. BURDIN Kam- chatka Branch of the Pacific Geographical Institute, Partizanskaya Str. 6, Petropavlovsk- Kamchatsky, 683000 Russia; MEREL L. DALEBOUT School of Biological, Earth, and Environ- mental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, New South Wales 2052, Australia; JAMES P. DINES Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, 900 Exposition Boulevard, Los Angeles, California 90007, U.S.A.; IVAN D. FEDUTIN AND OLGA A. FILATOVA Faculty of Biology, Moscow State University, Moscow 119992, Russia; ERICH HOYT Whale and Dol- phin Conservation, Park House, Allington Park, Bridport, Dorset DT6 5DD, United King- dom; JEAN-LUC JUNG Laboratoire BioGEMME, Universite de Bretagne Occidentale, Brest, France; MORGANE LAUF Marine Mammal and Turtle Division, Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA, 8901 La Jolla Shores Drive, La Jolla, California 92037, U.S.A.; CHARLES W. -
FC Inshore Cetacean Species Identification
Falklands Conservation PO BOX 26, Falkland Islands, FIQQ 1ZZ +500 22247 [email protected] www.falklandsconservation.com FC Inshore Cetacean Species Identification Introduction This guide outlines the key features that can be used to distinguish between the six most common cetacean species that inhabit Falklands' waters. A number of additional cetacean species may occasionally be seen in coastal waters, for example the fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), the humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), the long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and the dusky dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obscurus). A full list of the species that have been documented to date around the Falklands can be found in Appendix 1. Note that many of these are typical of deeper, oceanic waters, and are unlikely to be encountered along the coast. The six species (or seven species, including two species of minke whale) described in this document are observed regularly in shallow, nearshore waters, and are the focus of this identification guide. Questions and further information For any questions about species identification then please contact the Cetaceans Project Officer Caroline Weir who will be happy to help you try and identify your sighting: Tel: 22247 Email: [email protected] Useful identification guides If you wish to learn more about the identification features of various species, some comprehensive field guides (which include all cetacean species globally) include: Handbook of Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises by Mark Carwardine. 2019. Marine Mammals of the World: A Comprehensive Guide to Their Identification by Thomas A. Jefferson, Marc A. Webber, and Robert L. Pitman. 2015. Whales, Dolphins and Seals: A Field Guide to the Marine Mammals of the World by Hadoram Shirihai and Brett Jarrett. -
Lunge Filter Feeding Biomechanics Constrain Rorqual Foraging Ecology Across Scale S
© 2020. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd | Journal of Experimental Biology (2020) 223, jeb224196. doi:10.1242/jeb.224196 RESEARCH ARTICLE Lunge filter feeding biomechanics constrain rorqual foraging ecology across scale S. R. Kahane-Rapport1,*, M. S. Savoca1, D. E. Cade1,2, P. S. Segre1, K. C. Bierlich3, J. Calambokidis4, J. Dale3, J. A. Fahlbusch1, A. S. Friedlaender2, D. W. Johnston3, A. J. Werth5 and J. A. Goldbogen1 ABSTRACT morphological scaling (Haldane, 1926), resulting in functional Fundamental scaling relationships influence the physiology of vital trade-offs that ultimately impact evolution and ecology. rates, which in turn shape the ecology and evolution of organisms. For The physiological advantages and disadvantages associated with diving mammals, benefits conferred by large body size include different body sizes have wide-ranging effects, from behavior to life reduced transport costs and enhanced breath-holding capacity, history. For example, the smallest animals have the lowest absolute thereby increasing overall foraging efficiency. Rorqual whales feed energetic demands (Kelt and Van Vuren, 1999), yet they may also by engulfing a large mass of prey-laden water at high speed and struggle with thermoregulation and be forced to compensate by filtering it through baleen plates. However, as engulfment capacity increasing their metabolism (Scholander et al., 1950; Taylor et al., increases with body length (engulfment volume∝body length3.57), the 1980). Small size enables high performance maneuverability and surface area of the baleen filter does not increase proportionally agility (Domenici, 2001), but may limit maximum attainable speeds (baleen area∝body length1.82), and thus the filtration time of larger (Carrier, 1994; Hirt et al., 2017). -
Cruise Report of the Japanese Cetacean Sighting Survey in the Western North Pacific in 2012
Cruise report of the Japanese cetacean sighting survey in the western North Pacific in 2012 1 2 3 KOJI MATSUOKA , ISAMU YOSHIMURA AND TOMIO MIYASHITA 1Institute of Cetacean Research, Toyomi 4-5, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0055, JAPAN 2Kyodo Senpaku Co. Ltd., Toyomi 4-5, Chuo-ku Tokyo, 104-0055, JAPAN 3National Research Institute of Far Seas Fisheries, Fukuura 2-12-4, Kanazawa, Yokohama, Kanagawa 236-8648, JAPAN Contact e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT Three systematic vessel-based sighting surveys were conducted in the spring/summer of 2012 by Japan to examine the distribution and abundance of large whales in the western North Pacific. The research area for ‘Survey 1’ was set between 35° N and 44° N and between 140° E and 150° E (sub-area 7). The research area for ‘Survey 2’ was set between 30° N and 40° N and between 140° E and 170° E. The research area for ‘Survey 3’ was set between 41° N and 44° N, and between 141° E and 147°E (sub-area 7CN). Survey 1 was conducted between 17 May and 30 June. Survey 2 was conducted between 20 August and 3 October and the Survey 3 was conducted between 14 September and 1 October. The research vessels Yushin-Maru (Survey 2), Yushin-Maru No.2 (Survey 2) and Yushin-Maru No.3 (Surveys 1 and 3) were engaged in these surveys. A total of 2,728.3 n.miles, 5,291.8 n.miles and 727.6 n.miles were searched in Surveys 1, 2 and 3, respectively. -
Fall Feeding Aggregations of Fin Whales Off Elephant Island (Antarctica)
SC/64/SH9 Fall feeding aggregations of fin whales off Elephant Island (Antarctica) BURKHARDT, ELKE* AND LANFREDI, CATERINA ** * Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine research, Am Alten Hafen 26, 256678 Bremerhaven, Germany ** Politecnico di Milano, University of Technology, DIIAR Environmental Engineering Division Pza Leonardo da Vinci 32, 20133 Milano, Italy Abstract From 13 March to 09 April 2012 Germany conducted a fisheries survey on board RV Polarstern in the Scotia Sea (Elephant Island - South Shetland Island - Joinville Island area) under the auspices of CCAMLR. During this expedition, ANT-XXVIII/4, an opportunistic marine mammal survey was carried out. Data were collected for 26 days along the externally preset cruise track, resulting in 295 hrs on effort. Within the study area 248 sightings were collected, including three different species of baleen whales, fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae ), and Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis ) and one toothed whale species, killer whale ( Orcinus orca ). More than 62% of the sightings recorded were fin whales (155 sightings) which were mainly related to the Elephant Island area (116 sightings). Usual group sizes of the total fin whale sightings ranged from one to five individuals, also including young animals associated with adults during some encounters. Larger groups of more than 20 whales, and on two occasions more than 100 individuals, were observed as well. These large pods of fin whales were observed feeding in shallow waters (< 300 m) on the north-western shelf off Elephant Island, concordant with large aggregations of Antarctic krill ( Euphausia superba ). This observation suggests that Elephant Island constitutes an important feeding area for fin whales in early austral fall, with possible implications regarding the regulation of (krill) fisheries in this area. -
Predicted Decline of Protected Whales Based on Molecular Genetic Monitoring of Japanese and Korean Markets C
Predicted decline of protected whales based on molecular genetic monitoring of Japanese and Korean markets C. S. Baker1*,G.M.Lento1, F. Cipriano2 and S. R. Palumbi2 1School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland, New Zealand 2Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138, USA We present a two-tiered analysis of molecular genetic variation in order to determine the origins of `whale' products purchased from retail markets in Japan and the Republic of South) Korea during 1993^1999. This approach combined phylogenetic analysis of mitochondrial DNA sequences for identi¢- cation of protected species with a statistical comparison of intraspeci¢c haplotype frequencies for distinguishing regional subpopulations or `stocks' hunted for scienti¢c research by the Japanese and killed incidentally in coastal ¢sheries by the Koreans. The phylogenetic identi¢cation of 655 products included eight species or subspecies of baleen whales, sperm whales, a pygmy sperm whale, two species of beaked whales, porpoises, killer whales and numerous species of dolphins as well as domestic sheep and horses. Six of the baleen whale species the ¢n, sei, common-form and small-form Bryde's, blue or blue/¢n hybrid, and humpback) and the sperm whale are protected by international agreements dating back to at least 1989 for all species and 1966 for some species. We compared the haplotype frequencies from the Japanese market sample to those reported from scienti¢c hunting in the western North Paci¢c stock for products derived from the exploited North Paci¢c minke whale. -
Allelic Diversity of the PRDM9 Coding Minisatellite in Minke Whales
bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.11.422147; this version posted December 11, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 1 Allelic diversity of the PRDM9 coding minisatellite in minke whales 2 3 Elena Damm*§, Kristian K Ullrich*§, William B Amos†, Linda Odenthal-Hesse*# 4 5 6 Affiliations: 7 *Department Evolutionary Genetics, Research Group Meiotic Recombination and 8 Genome Instability, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology, Plon̈ D-24306, 9 Germany 10 †Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, United Kingdom= 11 #corresponding author 12 §These authors contributed equally 13 14 ORCID IDs: 0000-0002-6261-6076 (E.D.), 0000-0003-4308-9626 (K.K.U.), 0000- 15 0002-5519-2375 (L.O.-H.) 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 1 bioRxiv preprint doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.12.11.422147; this version posted December 11, 2020. The copyright holder for this preprint (which was not certified by peer review) is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under aCC-BY 4.0 International license. 24 Running title 25 PRDM9 diversity in minke whales 26 27 Keywords 28 PRDM9, minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata, Balaenoptera bonarensis, 29 Microsatellite loci, mtDNA, postzygotic reproductive isolation, meiotic recombination 30 regulation 31 32 Corresponding Author: 33 34 Dr. Linda Odenthal-Hesse, 35 36 Research Group Leader, Group Meiotic Recombination and Genome Instability, 37 Department of Genetics, Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Biology 38 August-Thienemann Str. -
Nisshin Maru Facts and Photographs (PDF Data)
THE INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH 4-5 TOYOMI-CHO, CHUO-KU, TOKYO 104-0055 JAPAN PHONE: +81-3-3536-6521 FAX: +81-3536-6522 MEDIA RELEASE 16 February 2007 NISSHIN MARU FACTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS Photographs of the current situation of the Nisshin Maru can be found using this link: http://www.icrwhale.org/08/s/08-A-03.htm Originally built to operate as a trawler, in 1991 was transformed and renamed into the whaling research mother ship Nisshin Maru. It is Japan’s largest research whaling vessel. It is utilized for both research programs in the Antarctic and the western North Pacific. In November 1998, a fire occurred on the Nisshin Maru on the way to the Antarctic and the vessel made an emergency port call in Noumea, New Caledonia, where some repairs were carried out before she returned to Japan. When the vessel returned to Japan at that time, it underwent extensive repairs in December 1998 to make her ready to return to the Antarctic. Almost all of the electrical components and old wiring were replaced. Older machinery and other electrical equipment were either replaced or rebuilt, including the fire safety and prevention system and fire fighting equipment. The Nisshin Maru undergoes a full service and maintenance check before departing each year to the Antarctic for the JARPA II research. Launch dates of the JARPA II research vessels: • Nisshin Maru: 1987 • Yushin Maru No. 2: 2002 • Yushin Maru: 1998 • Kyo Maru No. 1: 1971 • Kyoshin Maru No. 2: 1987 • Kaiko Maru: 1974 The cause of the latest fire remains unknown at this stage. -
WWF FACTSHEET 12Th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES Santiago, 3-15 November 2002
CITES 2002 www.panda.org/species/CITES WWF FACTSHEET 12th Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to CITES Santiago, 3-15 November 2002 Northern and Southern minke whales Balaenoptera acutorostrata and B. bonaerensis I. Species Facts History, appearance and distribution The minke whale has been known under this name since the beginning of the 20th century. It is thought that a Norwegian whaler called Meincke, mistook a group of this species for blue whales. Up until the 1930s, no-one in the whaling industry bothered about minke whales because their larger relatives, such as fin and blue whales, were plentiful and brought a higher profit per catch. However, when populations of the larger whales started being seriously depleted, with several species being brought close to extinction, attention turned to minkes. In 1949, Norway alone caught no fewer than 4,000 of this species. By the time the International Whaling Commission’s (IWC) moratorium on commercial whaling was agreed in 1982, minkes were the most important species for whaling in both the North Atlantic and the Antarctic. In 2000, whale scientists agreed that there are in fact two separate species of minke whales, Northern (or Common) Minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in the Northern hemisphere, and the larger Southern (or Antarctic) minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) in the Southern Hemisphere. Having been around for millions of years, these mammals are cetaceans which belong to the Mysticeti suborder and the Balaenopteridae family (they have baleen plates and ventral grooves). Although the smallest of the rorquals, they may still reach 10 metres (females usually being bigger than males) and weigh up to 10 tonnes.