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99 results for “sperm whale”
Data from: Kin relationships in cultural species of the marine realm: case study of a matrilineal social group of sperm whales off Mauritius Island, Indian Ocean
<p>Understanding the organization and dynamics of social groups of marine mammals through the study of kin relationships is particularly challenging. Here we studied a stable social group of sperm whales off Mauritius, using underwater observations, individual-specific identification, non-invasive sampling, and genetic analyses based on mitochondrial sequencing and microsatellite profiling. Twenty-four sperm whales were sampled between 2017 and 2019. All individuals except one adult female shared the same mtDNA haplotype—one that is rare in the Western Indian Ocean—thus confirming with near certainty the matrilineality of the group. All probable first- and second-degree kin relationships were depicted in a sperm whale social group: 13 first-degree and 34 second-degree relationships were identified. Notably, we highlight the likely case of an unrelated female having been integrated into a social unit, in that she presented a distinct mtDNA haplotype and no close relationships with any members of the group. Investigating the possible matrilineality of sperm whale cultural units (i.e., vocal clans) is the next step in our research program to elucidate and better apprehend the complex organization of sperm whale social groups.</p>
Data from: Kinship of long-term associates in the highly social sperm whale
The evolution of stable social groups can be promoted by both indirect and direct fitness benefits. Sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are highly social, with a hierarchical social structure based around core groups of adult females and sub-adults, a rare level of complexity among mammals. We combined long-term satellite tracking (ranging from 11 to 607 days) of 51 individual sperm whales with genetic kinship analysis to assess the pattern of kin associations within and among coherent social units. Unlike findings for other species with similar social structure, we find no consistent correlation between kinship and association apart from close associations between two pairs of first-order relatives. A third pair of first order relatives did not associate, and overall the mean relatedness was the same within as among social groups. However, social behaviour can also be promoted by ecological factors such as resource dispersion. We assessed putative foraging behaviour during travel from the satellite tracking data, which suggested that prey resources were dispersed and unpredictable; a condition that could promote living in groups.
Data from: Sperm whales reduce foraging effort during exposure to 1-2 kHz sonar and killer whale sounds
The time and energetic costs of behavioral responses to incidental and experimental sonar exposures, as well as control stimuli, were quantified using hidden state analysis of time series of acoustic and movement data recorded by tags (DTAG) attached to 12 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) using suction cups. Behavioral state transition modeling showed that tagged whales switched to a non-foraging, non-resting state during both experimental transmissions of low-frequency active sonar from an approaching vessel (LFAS; 1–2 kHz, source level 214 dB re 1 μPa m, four tag records) and playbacks of potential predator (killer whale, Orcinus orca) sounds broadcast at naturally occurring sound levels as a positive control from a drifting boat (five tag records). Time spent in foraging states and the probability of prey capture attempts were reduced during these two types of exposures with little change in overall locomotion activity, suggesting an effect on energy intake with no immediate compensation. Whales switched to the active non-foraging state over received sound pressure levels of 131–165 dB re 1 μPa during LFAS exposure. In contrast, no changes in foraging behavior were detected in response to experimental negative controls (no-sonar ship approach or noise control playback) or to experimental medium-frequency active sonar exposures (MFAS; 6–7 kHz, source level 199 re 1 μPa m, received sound pressure level [SPL] = 73–158 dB re 1 μPa). Similarly, there was no reduction in foraging effort for three whales exposed to incidental, unidentified 4.7–5.1 kHz sonar signals received at lower levels (SPL = 89–133 dB re 1 μPa). These results demonstrate that similar to predation risk, exposure to sonar can affect functional behaviors, and indicate that increased perception of risk with higher source level or lower frequency may modulate how sperm whales respond to anthropogenic sound.
Data from: Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales
While populations may wax and wane, it is rare for an entire population to be replaced by a completely different set of individuals. We document the large-scale relocation of cultural groups of sperm whale off the Galápagos Islands, in which two sympatric vocal clans were entirely replaced by two different ones. Between 1985 and 1999, whales from two clans (called Regular and Plus-One) defined by cultural dialects in coda vocalizations were repeatedly photo-identified off Galápagos. Their occurrence in the area declined through the 1990s; by 2000, none remained. We reassessed Galápagos sperm whales in 2013–2014, identifying 463 new females. However, re-sighting rates were low, with no matches with the Galápagos 1985–1999 population, suggesting an eastward shift to coastal areas. Their vocal repertoires matched those of two other clans (called Short and Four-Plus) found across the Pacific but previously rare or absent around Galápagos. The mechanisms behind this cultural turnover may include large-scale environmental regime shifts favouring clan-specific foraging strategies, and a response to heavy whaling in the region involving redistribution of surviving whales into high-quality habitats. The fall and rise of sperm whale cultures off Galápagos reflect the structuring of the Pacific population into large, enduring clans with dynamic ranges. Long-lasting clan membership illustrates how culture can be bound up in the structure and dynamics of animal populations and so how tracking cultural traits can reveal large-scale population shifts.
Figure S4.2. Dynamic weekly suitability map for sperm whales around central group islands (Pico, Faial, São Jorge and Terceira), Azores.
<p>Dynamic weekly suitability map for sperm whales around central group islands (Pico, Faial, São Jorge and Terceira), Azores.</p>
Changes in sea ice and range expansion of sperm whales in the eclipse sound region of Baffin Bay, Canada
<p>Sperm whales (<em>Physeter macrocephalus</em>) are a cosmopolitan species but are only found in ice-free regions of the ocean. It is unknown how their distribution might change in regions undergoing rapid loss of sea ice and ocean warming like Baffin Bay in the eastern Canadian Arctic. In 2014 and 2018, sperm whales were sighted near Eclipse Sound, Baffin Bay: the first recorded uses of this region by sperm whales. In this study, we investigate the spatiotemporal distribution of sperm whales near Eclipse Sound using visual and acoustic data. We combine several published open-source, data sets to create a map of historical sperm whale presence in the region. We use passive acoustic data from two recording sites between 2015 and 2019 to investigate more recent presence in the region. We also analyze regional trends in sea ice concentration dating back to 1901 and relate acoustic presence of sperm whales to the mean sea ice concentration near the recording sites. We found no records of sperm whale sightings near Eclipse Sound outside of the 2014/2018 observations. Our acoustic data told a different story, with sperm whales recorded yearly from 2015-2019 with presence in the late summer and fall months. Sperm whale acoustic presence increased over the 5-year study duration and was closely related to the minimum sea ice concentration each year. Sperm whales, like other cetaceans, are ecosystem sentinels, or indicators of ecosystem change. Increasing number of days with sperm whale presence in the Eclipse Sound region could indicate range expansion of sperm whales as a result of changes in sea ice. Monitoring climate change-induced range expansion in this region is important to understand how increasing presence of a top-predator might impact the Arctic food web.</p>
Daily and hourly sperm whale presence in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands
<p>Sperm whales exhibit sexual dimorphism and sex-specific latitudinal segregation. Females and their young form social groups and are usually found in temperate and tropical latitudes, while males forage at higher latitudes. Historical whaling data and rare sightings of social groups in high latitude regions of the North Pacific, such as the Gulf of Alaska (GOA) and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands (BSAI), suggest a more nuanced distribution than previously understood. Sperm whales are the most sighted and recorded cetacean in marine mammal surveys in these regions but capturing their demographic composition and habitat use has proven challenging. This study detects sperm whale presence using passive acoustic data from seven sites in the GOA and BSAI from 2010 to 2019. Differences in click characteristics between males and females (i.e., inter-click and inter-pulse interval) was used as a proxy for animal size/sex to derive time series of animal detections. Generalized additive models with generalized estimation equations demonstrate how spatiotemporal patterns differ between the sexes. Social groups were present at all recording sites with the largest relative proportion at two seamount sites in the GOA and an island site in the BSAI. We found that the seasonal patterns of presence varied for the sexes and between the sites. Male presence was highest in the summer and lowest in the winter, conversely, social group peak presence was in the winter for the BSAI and in the spring for the GOA region, with the lowest presence in the summer months. This study demonstrates that social groups are not restricted to lower latitudes and capture their present-day habitat use in the North Pacific. It highlights that sperm whale distribution is more complex than accounted for in management protocol and underscores the need for improved understanding of sperm whale demographic composition to better understand the impacts of increasing anthropogenic threats, particularly climate change.</p>
Figure 6 in Cephalopods in the potential prey field of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) (Cetacea: Physeteridae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Figure 6. SWAPS stations with more than eight cephalopod individuals in potential prey species (based on 1082 individuals).
Figure 5 in Cephalopods in the potential prey field of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) (Cetacea: Physeteridae) in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Figure 5. Potential cephalopod prey of sperm whales by station (of 1082 individuals with verified identifications).
Data from: Sperm whales reduce foraging effort during exposure to 1-2 kHz sonar and killer whale sounds
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Data from: What influences the worldwide genetic structure of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)?
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Data from: Kin selection and allocare in sperm whales
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Daily and hourly sperm whale presence in the Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands
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Data from: Kinship influences sperm whale social organization within, but generally not among, social units
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Data from: Sperm whale population structure in the eastern and central North Pacific inferred by the use of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), microsatellites and mitochondrial DNA
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Data from: Cultural turnover among Galápagos sperm whales
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Data from: Kin relationships in cultural species of the marine realm: case study of a matrilineal social group of sperm whales off Mauritius Island, Indian Ocean
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Data from: Nasal compartmentalization in Kogiidae (Cetacea, Physeteroidea): Insights from a new late Miocene dwarf sperm whale from the Pisco Formation
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Changes in sea ice and range expansion of sperm whales in the eclipse sound region of Baffin Bay, Canada
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Data from: Individual, unit, and vocal clan level identity cues in sperm whale codas
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