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ICR TECHNICAL REPORTS of the INSTITUTE of CETACEAN RESEARCH December 2020

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TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE ICR INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH No. 4 December 2020 TEREP-ICR is published annually by the InsƟtute of Cetacean Research. ISSN: 2433-6084 Copyright © 2020, The InsƟtute of Cetacean Research (ICR). CitaƟon EnƟre issue: InsƟtute of Cetacean Research. 2020. Technical Reports of the InsƟtute of Cetacean Research (TEREP -ICR) No. 4. The InsƟtute of Cetacean Research, Tokyo, Japan, 79 pp. Individual reports: ‘Author Name’. 2020. ‘Report Ɵtle’. Technical Reports of the InsƟtute of Cetacean Research (TEREP- ICR) No. 4: ‘pp’-’pp’. Editorial correspondence should be sent to: Editor, TEREP-ICR The InsƟtute of Cetacean Research, 4-5 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104-0055, Japan Phone: +81(3) 3536 6521 Fax: +81(3) 3536 6522 E-mail: [email protected] TEREP-ICR is available online at www.icrwhale.org/TEREP-ICR.html Cover photo: Stereoscopic microscope used for age determinaƟon based on counƟng of earplug growth laminae (top); capillary sequencer ABI SeqStudio used for DNA sequencing analysis (middle); ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometer used for age determinaƟon based on racemizaƟon analysis (boƩom). Copyright © 2020, The InsƟtute of Cetacean Research (ICR). TECHNICAL REPORTS OF THE INSTITUTE OF CETACEAN RESEARCH TEREP-ICR No. 4 The Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (ICR) Tokyo, 2020 Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (2020) pp. i Foreword It is a pleasure for me to introduce the fourth issue of the Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (TEREP- ICR-4). Following the change in Japan’s whaling policy last year, the ICR has been designing and implemen�ng whale research programs based on non-lethal methods. In the North Pacific, ICR scien�sts have contributed to the design and implementa�on of na�onal dedicated sigh�ng surveys and of the IWC-sponsored Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (POWER) surveys. In the Antarc�c, ICR scien�sts designed the new program called ‘Japanese Abundance and Stock structure Surveys in the Antarc�c’ (JASS-A), and the first survey under this program was completed successfully during the 2019/20 austral summer season. In addi�on, ICR scien�sts commenced the collec�on of biological samples and data based on whales caught for commercial purposes in Japan’s Exclusive Economic Zone since 1 July 2019. Consistent with its stated objec�ves, TEREP-ICR describes and reports on the process, progress, and results of techni- cal or scien�fic research, or the state of technical or scien�fic research programs conducted by the ICR, including those commenced recently. ICR scien�sts were preparing for their par�cipa�on in several na�onal and interna�onal mee�ngs planned for 2020. Due to the current Covid-19 pandemic affec�ng the world, these mee�ngs were either cancelled or replaced by virtual mee�ngs (or e-mail discussions), and our scien�sts par�cipated in those virtual mee�ngs and discussions as much as possible, given the circumstances. Similar to previous TEREP-ICR issues, TEREP-ICR-3 was widely distributed to approximately 120 individual scien�sts from Japan and 30 foreign countries. It was also distributed to approximately 190 research ins�tu�ons (including uni- versi�es, research ins�tutes, public libraries, museums and aquariums), both in Japan and foreign countries. As a result of dissemina�ng informa�on on ICR’s research ac�vi�es through the TEREP-ICR, an increasing number of interna�onal scien�sts are showing interest in conduc�ng research in collabora�on with the ICR. Based on this, I believe that TEREP- ICR is making contribu�on toward achieving its stated objec�ves. Furthermore, TEREP has been a good opportunity for our scien�sts to compile and summarize their research, conducted over the years, as a prior step before submi�ng their works for peer-review publica�ons. Finally, I am pleased to announce that the reports published in TEREP are now indexed in the Japan Science and Tech- nology Agency’s J-GLOBAL, which aims to link, expand and spark scien�fic informa�on in Japan and the world. I sincerely hope that this fourth issue of the TEREP-ICR will con�nue to contribute to an increased understanding of the technical and research ac�vi�es conducted by the ICR among the na�onal and interna�onal scien�fic communi�es. Dr. Yoshihiro Fujise Director General ICR Tokyo, December 2020 i Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (2020) pp. iii Editorial Welcome to the fourth issue of the Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (TEREP-ICR-4). This issue contains eight technical reports and one commentary ar�cle. We con�nue with the series of reports sum- marizing the research findings on whales and the ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific sector of the Antarc�c. This �me, Tamura and colleagues focus on the findings of the ecological research on whales and their environment. Outlines of two impor- tant whale research programs, including results of the latest surveys, are included in this issue. Isoda and colleagues ex- plain the program ‘Japanese Abundance and Stock structure Surveys in the Antarc�c (JASS-A)’, while Matsuoka explains the IWC-sponsored program ‘Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-POWER)’. The basic concept of gene�c tagging, and its applica�on for abundance es�mates in whales, are explained in the reports by Taguchi and Takahashi, respec�vely. Works on earplug-based age determina�on and the es�ma�on of biological parameters have con�nued, based on the samples and data collected during the former whale research programs under special scien�fic permit. This �me, Bando and Maeda show the results of age determina�on and biological parameter es�mates of North Pacific sei whales. The first Note by Goto and Oikawa describes Japan’s system for monitoring of whale products sold in its domes- �c market through DNA registra�on, and the second Note by Konishi and colleagues focuses on the preliminary results of satellite-monitored tracking of Antarc�c minke and fin whales during the first JASS-A survey. In the commentary ar�cle, Yasunaga presents his views on the use of lethal and nonlethal techniques for the research of large whales. This fourth TEREP-ICR issue also includes sec�ons to outline the contribu�on of ICR scien�sts to interna�onal meet- ings in 2020, as well as their contribu�on in terms of peer-reviewed publica�ons up to December 2020. I hope you will find this fourth issue informa�ve and useful. Dr. Luis A. Pastene Editor TEREP-ICR Tokyo, December 2020 iii Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (2020) p. v Contents Foreword i Editorial iii Contents v Technical Reports Tamura, T., Matsuoka, K., Yasunaga, G. and Pastene, L.A. What do we know about whales and ecosys- tem in the Indo-Pacific region of the Antarc�c? Part 2: summary of ecological studies 1 Isoda, T., Katsumata, T., Tamura, T., Matsuoka, K. and Pastene, L.A. An outline of the Japanese Abun- dance and Stock structure Surveys in the Antarc�c (JASS-A) including results of the first survey under this new research program 12 Matsuoka, K. An outline of the IWC-Pacific Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-POWER) including results of the 2019 survey 23 Taguchi, M. Gene�c tagging technique: basic concept and a case study by the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research 35 Takahashi, M. Use of gene�c data for abundance es�mate purposes: a brief review of methods and case studies by the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research 41 Bando, T. and Maeda, H. Progress in the research on earplug-based age determina�on and biological parameters of North Pacific sei whales at the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research 48 Technical Reports-Notes Goto, M. and Oikawa, H. Japan’s system for monitoring of whale products sold in its domes�c market through DNA registra�on 54 Konishi, K., Isoda, T. and Katsumata, T. Satellite-monitored tracking of Antarc�c minke and fin whales under the first JASS-A survey in the 2019/2020 austral summer season 57 Commentary Yasunaga, G. Comments on the use of lethal and non-lethal techniques in the studies of large whales 59 Interna�onal mee�ngs 61 Peer-reviewed publica�ons 62 v Technical Reports of the Ins�tute of Cetacean Research (2020) pp. 1–11 Technical Report (not peer reviewed) What do we know about whales and ecosystem in the Indo-Pacific region of the Antarc�c? Part 2: summary of ecological studies Tsutomu Tamura*, Koji Matsuoka, Genta Yasunaga and Luis A. Pastene Institute of Cetacean Research, –4 5 Toyomi-cho, Chuo-ku, Tokyo 104–0055, Japan *Contact e-mail: [email protected] ABSTRACT The Ins�tute of Cetacean Research conducted whale research under special scien�fic permit in the Antarc�c star�ng from the austral summer season 1987/88. The research was conducted systema�cally under different research programs such as JARPA and JARPAII, and more recently, under NEWREP-A. These research programs employed both lethal and non-lethal methods. NEWREP-A ceased a�er the 2018/19 austral summer season as a consequence of Japan’s decision to withdraw from the Interna�onal Conven�on for the Regula�on of Whal- ing. Japan’s whale research con�nues in the Antarc�c, using non-lethal methods only. This paper summarizes the most relevant ecological outputs from Japan’s whale research under special scien�fic permit in the Indo- Pacific region of the Antarc�c. the most relevant ecological outputs from Japan’s whale INTRODUCTION research under special scien�fic permit in the Indo-Pacific Japan conducted systema�c research on whales and the region of the Antarc�c.
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  • Mandible Allometry in Extant and Fossil Balaenopteridae (Cetacea: Mammalia): the Largest Vertebrate Skeletal Element and Its Role in Rorqual Lunge Feeding

    Mandible Allometry in Extant and Fossil Balaenopteridae (Cetacea: Mammalia): the Largest Vertebrate Skeletal Element and Its Role in Rorqual Lunge Feeding

    bs_bs_banner Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2013, 108, 586–599. With 6 figures Mandible allometry in extant and fossil Balaenopteridae (Cetacea: Mammalia): the largest vertebrate skeletal element and its role in rorqual lunge feeding NICHOLAS D. PYENSON1,2*, JEREMY A. GOLDBOGEN3 and ROBERT E. SHADWICK4 1Department of Paleobiology, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, P.O. Box 37012, Washington, DC, 20013-7013, USA 2Departments of Mammalogy and Paleontology, Burke Museum of Natural History and Culture, Seattle, WA 98195, USA 3Cascadia Research Collective, 218½ West 4th Avenue, Olympia, WA, USA 4Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, 6270 University Boulevard, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6T 1Z4 Received 4 July 2012; revised 10 September 2012; accepted for publication 10 September 2012 Rorqual whales (crown Balaenopteridae) are unique among aquatic vertebrates in their ability to lunge feed. During a single lunge, rorquals rapidly engulf a large volume of prey-laden water at high speed, which they then filter to capture suspended prey. Engulfment biomechanics are mostly governed by the coordinated opening and closing of the mandibles at large gape angles, which differentially exposes the floor of the oral cavity to oncoming flow. The mouth area in rorquals is delimited by unfused bony mandibles that form kinetic linkages to each other and with the skull. The relative scale and morphology of these skeletal elements have profound consequences for the energetic efficiency of foraging in these gigantic predators. Here, we performed a morphometric study of rorqual mandibles using a data set derived from a survey of museum specimens. Across adult specimens of extant balaenopterids, mandibles range in size from ~1–6 m in length, and at their upper limit they represent the single largest osteological element of any vertebrate, living or extinct.