Article
Environmental Sciences
Alessandro Gallo, Aglae Thieffry, Martin Boye, Kyra Monmasson, Martine Hausberger, Alban Lemasson
Summary: The study of animal communication has faced challenges in associating signals with specific emitters, especially in cetacean communication. However, researchers have now developed a low-cost device that allows for reliable identification of callers in dolphin vocalizations, which could contribute to a better understanding of dolphin acoustic communication.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Physiology
A. Fahlman, J. C. Mcknight, A. M. Blawas, N. West, A. G. Torrente, K. Aoki
Summary: This study examined the effects of expiration and inspiration on the if H response in bottlenose dolphins. The results showed that inspiration increased if H, while expiration decreased if H.
FRONTIERS IN PHYSIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Daniela Silvia Pace, Greta Panunzi, Antonella Arcangeli, Stefano Moro, Giovanna Jona-Lasinio, Sara Martino
Summary: Assessing the distribution of marine apex-predators is crucial for understanding community interactions and setting management goals. This study investigated the distribution patterns of the common bottlenose dolphin in the Mediterranean Sea using different data sources and statistical models. The results showed that depth, slope, and temperature significantly influenced the encounters with dolphins, while chlorophyll-a concentration had no significant effect. The study also revealed the persistent presence of dolphins in the study area throughout winter and summer, indicating their adaptability to different seasonal conditions.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Aleta A. Hohn, Antoinette M. Gorgone, Barbie L. Byrd, Kyle W. Shertzer, Tomo Eguchi
Summary: The social structure of estuarine-resident bottlenose dolphins in North Carolina is complex and not consistent with current stock designations. A new capture-mark-recapture survey in 2018 identified a higher abundance estimate compared to previous estimates. Social network analysis revealed three primary clusters that were not defined by spatiotemporal distribution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Todd R. Speakman, Lynsey A. Wilcox, Brian C. Balmer, Kevin P. Barry, Corinne Paterson, Brian M. Quigley, Lori H. Schwacke, Carrie Sinclair, Ryan Takeshita, Nicole L. Vollmer, Eric S. Zolman, Patricia E. Rosel
Summary: This study aims to understand the social and genetic structure of common bottlenose dolphins in the Barataria Bay Estuarine System. Through photo-identification data analysis and genetic analyses, four distinct social clusters and three genetic clusters were identified. The dolphins in the Barataria Basin were found to be genetically different from those in adjacent coastal waters.
AQUATIC CONSERVATION-MARINE AND FRESHWATER ECOSYSTEMS
(2022)
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Stefano Bigiani, Cristina Pilenga
Summary: The mechanism behind dolphins' strong social bonds has been unclear, so researchers hypothesized a positive feedback mechanism where social affiliation promotes cooperation and vice versa. By stimulating cooperation with a rope-pulling task, they found that cooperating dolphins had stronger social affiliation before cooperation and increased it further after cooperation, while non-cooperating dolphins did not show similar changes. These findings provide evidence for the hypothesis that previous social affiliation facilitates cooperative behavior among dolphins.
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Marina Salas, Amanda Fernandez-Fontelo, Eva Martinez-Nevado, Jesus Fernandez-Moran, Agustin Lopez-Goya, Xavier Manteca
Summary: The assessment of animals' personalities by caretakers can be a reliable method to help make appropriate management decisions, such as breeding success and creating social groups. This study focused on evaluating the reliability of caretakers' ratings when assessing dolphins' personalities, showing a good degree of agreement within raters and centers, but also detecting systematic score mean differences.
Article
Behavioral Sciences
Mathilde Lalot, Fabienne Delfour, Birgitta Mercera, Dalila Bovet
Summary: Research has found that bottlenose dolphins may exhibit prosocial behaviors and direct reciprocity, with a tendency to modulate these behaviors based on partner-specific information. The subjects showed a preference for being more prosocial towards the opposite sex and more reciprocal towards same-sex recipients. Additionally, an audience effect was observed, with the presence of the subject's offspring increasing the likelihood of a prosocial response.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. Lauderdale, Michael T. Walsh, Jill D. Mellen, Douglas A. Granger, Lance J. Miller
Summary: Animal welfare science has evolved in recent decades to utilize a multidisciplinary approach in assessing the welfare of animals in accredited zoos and aquariums. Science-based welfare assessments have become essential in management programs, where management practices and habitat characteristics play a significant role in impacting animal welfare. The study collected survey data from 86 bottlenose dolphins in 40 habitats at 38 facilities in seven countries, aiming to provide insights into dolphin management practices and habitat characteristics in accredited zoos and aquariums.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Lisa K. Lauderdale, Michael T. Walsh, Jill D. Mellen, Douglas A. Granger, Lance J. Miller
Summary: In recent decades, animal welfare science has evolved to utilize a multidisciplinary approach to assess the welfare of animals in accredited zoos and aquariums. Science-based animal welfare assessments have become an essential component of management programs, although habitat characteristics and management practices are not standardized across locations. Knowledge and subsequent application of these practices and habitat characteristics can enhance our understanding of factors associated with positive welfare.
Article
Biology
Maria del Carmen Fuentes-Albero, Silvia Abril Sanchez, Jose Luis Ros-Santaella, Eliana Pintus, Chiara Luongo, Sara Ruiz Diaz, Carlos Barros Garcia, Maria Jesus Sanchez Calabuig, Daniel Garcia Parraga, Francisco Alberto Garcia Vazquez
Summary: Dolphins are well-adapted aquatic mammals in captivity and are ideal for studying their reproductive features for conservation programs. Sperm shape and dimensions differ between male dolphins and can be classified into subpopulations, which are influenced by testosterone levels and refrigeration. This study provides new insights into sperm competition in dolphins and has implications for other endangered aquatic mammalian species.
Article
Biology
Ashley M. Blawas, Douglas P. Nowacek, Austin S. Allen, Julie Rocho-Levine, Andreas Fahlman
Summary: The study found that dolphins exhibit respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during surface breathing, with a rapid increase and gradual decrease in heart rate (f(H)). The minimum if(H) during submerged breath-holds was lower than during surface breathing, but similar patterns were observed between RSA and extended inter-breath intervals (IBI). Understanding the relationship between RSA and submersion bradycardia is important for comprehending heart rate variability in marine mammals.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Biology
Rebecca Rimbach, Ahmad Amireh, Austin Allen, Brian Hare, Emily Guarino, Chana Kaufman, Hannah Salomons, Herman Pontzer
Summary: Marine mammals are believed to have a high energy expenditure due to their endothermy in marine environments. In this study, total energy expenditure was measured in 10 adult bottlenose dolphins, showing a decline in adjusted energy expenditure and an increase in fat mass with age. Results suggest that marine mammals have higher energy expenditure compared to terrestrial mammals, but bottlenose dolphins expend less energy than other marine mammals of similar body mass.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
John Kucklick, Ashley Boggs, Kevin Huncik, Amanda Moors, Elizabeth Davis, Gina Ylitalo, Mary McConnell, Christina Makris, Randall S. Wells
Summary: Legacy persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in common bottlenose dolphins from Sarasota Bay have been declining from 2000 to 2016, with different rates of decline for different POP classes and classifications. The decline in POPs is highest in adult males and lowest in calves. The POP trends appear to have stabilized since 2009.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Biology
Ding Zhang, Yifan Wang, Joaquin Gabaldon, Lisa K. Lauderdale, Lance J. Miller, Kira Barton, Kenneth Alex Shorter
Summary: This study investigates the benefits of a fluke-and-glide gait for bottlenose dolphins in terms of cost of transport. The results show that the fluke-and-glide gait enhances the horizontal swimming efficiency of these dolphins.
JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BIOLOGY
(2023)