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The little-known Fraser’s dolpin Lagenodelphis hosei in the North Atlantic: new records and a review of distribution

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Abstract

The distribution of the poorly known Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser (Sarawak Mus J 7:478–503, 1956), is revised for the northern Atlantic (NA), with new records for temperate and subtropical oceanic islands. Fraser’s dolphins are reported for the first time in the Azores, from a pod of approximately 50 individuals observed in August 2008, and for the Madeira Archipelago, where a pod of circa 80 individuals is described from opportunistic observations in August 2010. Observations in the Azores occurred during a period of regional increase in seawater temperature (23.5 °C; >1 °C for circa 15 days), revealing the species potential as a bio-indicator of climate change. The occurrence of Fraser’s dolphins in the NA is characterized by an equally small number of stranding events and sightings at sea which have been accumulating since 1972. A compilation of 47 occurrences from publications, reports and online databases (plus one report with 123 sightings in the Lesser Antilles), was used to comment on the species ecology in the region. Stranding events are often of a single specimen, occurring on both western and eastern margins. Sightings at sea are scattered throughout the NA, with most observations from the Gulf of Mexico, and the Caribbean Sea, where year-round sightings have been reported in the Lesser Antilles (off Guadeloupe). Observations are mostly confined to open waters over 200–2,200 m depth areas, approaching the coasts of oceanic islands. Pod sizes vary between 50 and 80 in the Caribbean Sea, with smaller pods observed in the Gulf of Mexico (15–30), only rarely exceeding 100 individuals per group (20 %, n = 5), in contrast to large aggregations reported in the Pacific. Captures have been reported from St. Vincent (Lesser Antilles) and more recently from Ghana. Mixed-species groups have been observed, such as with Peponocephala electra and Globicephala macrorhynchus. Knowledge of Fraser’s dolphin ecology in the NA is expected to grow with increasing surveys in the Caribbean area and tropical latitudes. Reports on the species occurrence, such as data from opportunistic platforms, should continue to reach the scientific community, including with associated environmental data.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to João Quaresma for the photographs taken south of Pico Island. The commentaries received by two anonymous referees during publication have considerably helped to improve this manuscript, including the English revision by Helen Martins. The authors wish to acknowledge the collaboration of Charley Potter (Smithsonian Institution), Jessica Rowley (IWC), Caroline Weir (Ketos Ecology), Charlotte Dunn (Bahamas Marine Mammal Research Organisation), Katherine Maze-Foley (SFSC, NOAA), Filipe Henriques and the Madeira Whale Museum. Logistic support by Serge Viallele from ‘Espaço Talassa’ whale-watching company, their team and ‘Rota dos Cetáceos’ whale-watching in Madeira is much appreciated. Finally, we would like to thank the Chemistry Section at DOP/UAz for providing the Azores in situ time series temperature data. IMAR/DOP/UAc is Research and Development Unit no. 531 and LARSyS-Associated Laboratory no. 9 were funded by the Portuguese Foundation for Science and Technology (FCT) through pluriannual and programmatic funding schemes (OE, FEDER, POCI2001, FSE) and more recently through Pest project (OE and COMPETE) and by the Azores Directorate for Science and Technology (DRCTC). J.N.G.P. was supported by the doctoral grant from the Regional Directorate for Science, Technology and Communications (DRCTC) of the Regional Government of the Azores (M3.1.2/F/062/2011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, Centre of IMAR (Institute of the Sea) of the University of the Azores, 9901-862, Horta, Portugal

    José Nuno Gomes-Pereira

  2. LARSyS - Associated Laboratory of Robotics and Systems in Engineering and Science, Rua Rovisco Pais, 1, 1049-001, Lisboa, Lisboa

    José Nuno Gomes-Pereira

  3. Faculdade de Ciências e Tecnologia, Universidade do Algarve, Campus de Gambelas, 8005-139, Faro, Portugal

    Raquel Marques

  4. Rota dos Cetáceos, Avenida Arriaga, 75, loja 247, 9000-533, Funchal, Madeira Island, Portugal

    Raquel Marques

  5. Espaço Talassa, 9930-143, Lages do Pico, Pico Island, Portugal

    Maria Joana Cruz

  6. CIBIO-Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources, InBIO Associated Laboratory & Department of Oceanography and Fisheries, University of the Azores, Rua Professor Doutor Frederico Machado, 9901-862, Horta, Faial, Açores, Portugal

    Ana Martins

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Table 1 Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei in the North Atlantic
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Gomes-Pereira, J.N., Marques, R., Cruz, M.J. et al. The little-known Fraser’s dolpin Lagenodelphis hosei in the North Atlantic: new records and a review of distribution. Mar Biodiv 43, 321–332 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12526-013-0159-2

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