Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T09:03:31.706Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

New Gulf of Guinea (Africa) range state records for pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) and Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 March 2013

Caroline R. Weir*
Affiliation:
Ketos Ecology, 4 Compton Road, Kingsbridge, TQ7 2BP, UK School of Biological Sciences (Zoology), University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen, AB24 2TZ, UK
Luis Goncalves
Affiliation:
Carrer Tres Senyores, 37, Entresuelo, 08024, Barcelona, Spain
Duncan May
Affiliation:
Marine Biological Solutions, Rientraid, Kylesku, Lairg, Sutherland, IV24HP
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: C.R. Weir, Ketos Ecology, 4 Compton Road, Kingsbridge, TQ7 2BP, UK email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The cetacean fauna inhabiting the poorly-studied waters of the eastern tropical Atlantic (ETA), along the west coast of Africa, is still being described. Information on the cetacean species occurring in specific ETA range states is important for understanding their geographical distribution ranges and for implementing conservation and management measures. Here we provide photographically-verified records for the occurrence of pygmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata) off Côte d'Ivoire and of Fraser's dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei) off Gabon. These records represent new range state records for both species, and are also the first verified at-sea sightings in the ETA and the Gulf of Guinea respectively.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2013

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bamy, I.L., Van Waerebeek, K., Bah, S.S., Dia, M., Kaba, B., Keita, N. and Konate, S. (2010) Species occurrence of cetaceans in Guinea, including humpback whales with southern hemisphere seasonality. Marine Biodiversity Records 3, e48. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S1755267210000436.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cadenat, J. (1958) Notes sur les Delphinidés ouest-africains. II. Un spécimen du genre Feresa capturé sur les côtes du Sénégal. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 20, 14861493.Google Scholar
Cadenat, J. (1959) Rapport sur les petits cétacés ouest-africaines. Résultats des recherches enterprises sur ces animaux jusqu'au mois de mars 1959. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 21A, 13671440.Google Scholar
de Boer, M.N. (2010) Cetacean distribution and relative abundance in offshore Gabonese waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 90, 16131621.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fraser, F.C. (1960) A specimen of the genus Feresa from Senegal. Bulletin de l'Institut Français d'Afrique Noire 22, 699707.Google Scholar
Hazevoet, C.J., Monteiro, V., López, P., Varo, N., Torda, G., Berrow, S. and Gravanita, B. (2010) Recent data on whales and dolphins (Mammalia: Cetacea) from the Cape Verde Islands, including records of four taxa new to the archipelago. Zoologia Caboverdiana 1, 7599.Google Scholar
IHO (1953) International hydrographic organization special publication 23, limits of oceans and seas. 3rd edition. Monaco: International Hydrographic Organization.Google Scholar
Jefferson, T.A., Curry, B.E., Leatherwood, S. and Powell, J.A. (1997) Dolphins and porpoises of West Africa: a review of records (Cetacea: Delphinidae, Phocoenidae). Mammalia 61, 87108.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
López-Suárez, P., Oujo, C., Acre, M. and Hazevoet, C.J. (2012) A stranding of pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata Gray, 1874 on Boavista during February 2012: first record for the Cape Verde Islands. Zoologia Caboverdiana 3, 5255.Google Scholar
Mörzer Bruyns, W.F.J. (1971) Field guide of whales and dolphins. Amsterdam, The Netherlands: CA Mees.Google Scholar
Robineau, D. and Vely, M. (1998) Les cétacés des côtes de Mauritanie (Afrique du Nord-Est). Particularités et variations spatio-temporelles de répartition: rôle des facteurs océanographiques. Revue d'Ecologie (La Terre et la Vie) 53, 123152.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Segniagbeto, G. and Van Waerebeek, K. (2010) A note on the occurrence and status of cetaceans in Togo. Paper SC/62/SM11 presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, Agadir, 2010.Google Scholar
Torda, G., López Suárez, P. and López Jurado, L.F. (2010) First records of Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei for the Cape Verde Islands. Zoologia Caboverdiana 1, 7173.Google Scholar
Tormosov, D.D., Budylenko, G.A. and Sazhinov, E.G. (1980) Biocenological aspects in the investigations of sea mammals. Paper SC/32/02 presented to the Scientific Committee of the International Whaling Commission, Cambridge, 1980.Google Scholar
Van Waerebeek, K., Ndiaye, E., Djiba, A., Diallo, M., Murphy, P., Jallow, A., Camara, A., Ndiaye, P. and Tous, P. (2000) A survey of the conservation status of cetaceans in Senegal, The Gambia and Guinea-Bissau. Bonn, Germany: UNEP/CMS Secretariat, 80 pp.Google Scholar
Van Waerebeek, K., Ofori-Danson, P.K. and Debrah, J. (2009) The cetaceans of Ghana, a validated faunal checklist. West African Journal of Applied Ecology 15, 6190.Google Scholar
Weir, C.R. (2007) Occurrence and distribution of cetaceans off northern Angola, 2004/05. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 9, 225239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weir, C.R. (2010) A review of cetacean occurrence in West African waters from the Gulf of Guinea to Angola. Mammal Review 40, 239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weir, C.R. (2011a) Distribution and seasonality of cetaceans in tropical waters between Angola and the Gulf of Guinea. African Journal of Marine Science 33, 115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Weir, C.R. (2011b) Ecology and conservation of cetaceans in the waters between Angola and the Gulf of Guinea, with focus on the Atlantic humpback dolphin (Sousa teuszii). PhD thesis. University of Aberdeen, UK.Google Scholar
Weir, C.R., Debrah, J., Ofori-Danson, P.K., Pierpoint, C. and Van Waerebeek, K. (2008) Records of Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser 1956 from the Gulf of Guinea and Angola. African Journal of Marine Science 30, 241246.CrossRefGoogle Scholar