Prevalence of external injuries in small cetaceans in Aruban waters, southern Caribbean.

Aruba, located close to the coasts of Colombia and Venezuela, is one of the most densely populated islands in the Caribbean and supports a wide range of marine-related socio-economic activities. However, little is known about the impacts of human activities on the marine environment. Injuries in marine mammals can be used to examine interactions with human activities and identify potential threats to the survival of populations. The prevalence of external injuries and tooth rake marks were examined in Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) (n = 179), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) (n = 76) and false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens) (n = 71) in Aruban waters using photo identification techniques. Eleven injury categories were defined and linked to either human-related activities or natural causes. All injury categories were observed. In total, 18.7% of all individuals had at least one injury. Almost half (41.7%) of the injuries could be attributed to human interactions, of which fishing gear was the most common cause (53.3%) followed by propeller hits (13.3%). Major disfigurements were observed in all three species and could be attributed to interactions with fishing gear. The results of this study indicate that fishing gear and propeller hits may pose threats to small and medium-sized cetaceans in Aruban waters. Thus, long-term monitoring of population trends is warranted. Shark-inflicted bite wounds were observed in Atlantic spotted dolphin and bottlenose dolphin. Bite wounds of cookie cutter sharks (Isistius sp.) were recorded in all three species, and include the first documented record of a cookie cutter shark bite in Atlantic spotted dolphin. This is one of the few studies which investigates the prevalence of injuries in cetaceans in the Caribbean. Further study is necessary to determine to which extent the injuries observed in Aruba affect the health and survival of local populations.

Osteological alterations in the tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Cetacea, Delphinidae) / Alterações osteológicas no tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Cetacea, Delphinidae)

We present a description of osteological alterations observed in the tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853) from a sample of 43 specimens. Fractures were the most frequent alterations in the sample (16%), occurring in various regions of the skeleton such as the ribs, hyoid apparatus, transverse and neural processes of vertebrae and scapula. We observed three individuals with ankylosis between the cervical vertebrae and two individuals with morphological changes (cranio-caudally elongated hemal arch and flattened cranial margin of the scapula). The only observed pathology was a case of osteomyelitis in the left dentary, which caused the loss of teeth, deformation of the associated alveoli and the formation of a medial fistula (lingual) for drainage of purulent material. This represents the first record of osteomyelitis in S. fluviatilis.

Apresenta-se a descrição das alterações ósseas observadas no tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853) de uma amostra de 43 exemplares. As fraturas foram as alterações mais frequentes na amostra (16%), ocorrendo em diversas regiões do esqueleto como costelas, aparato hioide, processos transversos e neurais das vértebras e escápula. Foram observados três indivíduos com anquilose entre vértebras cervicais e dois com alterações morfológicas (arco hemal alongado no sentido crânio-caudal e escápula com borda cranial plana). A única patologia registrada foi um caso de osteomielite no dentário esquerdo, o que ocasionou a perda de dentes, a deformação dos alvéolos no local e a formação de uma fístula medial (lingual) para drenagem de material purulento. Este é o primeiro registro de osteomielite para a espécie.

Osteological alterations in the tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Cetacea, Delphinidae) / Alterações osteológicas no tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Cetacea, Delphinidae)

We present a description of osteological alterations observed in the tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853) from a sample of 43 specimens. Fractures were the most frequent alterations in the sample (16%), occurring in various regions of the skeleton such as the ribs, hyoid apparatus, transverse and neural processes of vertebrae and scapula. We observed three individuals with ankylosis between the cervical vertebrae and two individuals with morphological changes (cranio-caudally elongated hemal arch and flattened cranial margin of the scapula). The only observed pathology was a case of osteomyelitis in the left dentary, which caused the loss of teeth, deformation of the associated alveoli and the formation of a medial fistula (lingual) for drainage of purulent material. This represents the first record of osteomyelitis in S. fluviatilis.(AU)

Apresenta-se a descrição das alterações ósseas observadas no tucuxi, Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853) de uma amostra de 43 exemplares. As fraturas foram as alterações mais frequentes na amostra (16%), ocorrendo em diversas regiões do esqueleto como costelas, aparato hioide, processos transversos e neurais das vértebras e escápula. Foram observados três indivíduos com anquilose entre vértebras cervicais e dois com alterações morfológicas (arco hemal alongado no sentido crânio-caudal e escápula com borda cranial plana). A única patologia registrada foi um caso de osteomielite no dentário esquerdo, o que ocasionou a perda de dentes, a deformação dos alvéolos no local e a formação de uma fístula medial (lingual) para drenagem de material purulento. Este é o primeiro registro de osteomielite para a espécie.(AU)

First confirmed record of Feresa attenuata (Delphinidae) for the Northern Brazilian Coast / Primeiro registro confirmado de Feresa attenuata (Delphinidae) para o litoral norte do Brasil

In Brazil only one confirmed stranding is known from an emaciated specimen collected along the southeastern coast. The aim of this work is to report a recent record of a pygmy killer whale from the coast of Maranhão State, northern Brazil. On 22 October 2005, through regular surveys conducted by Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão team, a beach-worn skull of a pygmy killer whale was found on the Mangue Seco beach, at Caju Island, Maranhão State. The specimen was identified through peculiar features, such as a short beak, 11 teeth per row in the maxile and the distance between the anterorbital notch and the end of the toothrow. This stranding suggests that pygmy killer whales may use oceanic waters close to Maranhão continental shelf. This is the second confirmed stranding of F. attenuata for the Brazilian Coast and the first along the northern coast. The present record increases our poor knowledge on the cetacean fauna of the northern Brazilian coast.

No Brasil somente um exemplar de Feresa attenuata foi coletado ao longo da costa sudeste. O objetivo deste trabalho é registrar o recente encalhe da orca-pigméia para a costa do Maranhão, litoral norte do Brasil. Em 22 de outubro de 2005, através de monitoramentos regulares conduzidos pelo Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão, um crânio do exemplar de F. attenuata foi encontrado na praia do Mangue Seco, na Ilha do Caju, Estado do Maranhão, Brasil. O espécime foi identificado através de características peculiares, como o rostro curto, 11 pares de dentes na maxila e pela distancia entre o anterorbital e o término dos alvéolos dentares. Este encalhe sugere que a orca-pigméia pode usar águas oceânicas próximas à plataforma continental do Maranhão. Este é o segundo registro de encalhe confirmado para F. attenuata para a costa brasileira e o primeiro para a costa norte. O presente estudo contribui com o pouco conhecimento sobre os cetáceos na costa norte do Brasil.