Dear colleagues, We are pleased to announce the recent publication of the following paper:
Parra, G. J. and Jedensjö, M. (2013), Stomach contents of Australian snubfin (Orcaella heinsohni) and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis). Marine Mammal Science. doi: 10.1111/mms.12088 Abstract Little information exists on the feeding habits of Australian Snubfin (Orcaella heinsohni) and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis). In this study, we provide quantitative analyses of the diet of both dolphin species in Queensland waters, Australia, based on the examination of stomach contents (14 snubfins and 9 humpbacks) collected from stranded and by-caught animals between 1970 and 2008. Our results suggest that snubfin and humpback dolphins are opportunistic-generalist feeders, eating a wide variety of fish and cephalopods associated with coastal-estuarine waters. The most important prey in numerical terms for snubfin dolphins was the cardinal fish (Apogon sp.), followed by the cuttlefish (Sepia sp.), the squid Uroteuthis (Photololigo) sp. and the toothpony fish (Gazza sp.). Grunts (Pomadasys sp.), cardinal fishes (Apogon sp.) and smelt-whitings (Sillago spp.) were the most important fish prey by number for humpback dolphins. Partial dietary overlap in their fish diet reflects the similar coastal-estuarine waters in which both species forage. Interspecific differences in consumption of cephalopods are likely explained by differences in facial morphology. Dolphin's prey items included taxa that are targeted by net and trawling fisheries in Queensland. Interactions with coastal fisheries are expected, particularly in areas where fishing operations overlap with dolphins' high use areas. A PDF copy of the paper in press can be accessed via : http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mms.12088/abstract or via email requests to: guido.pa...@flinders.edu.au<mailto:guido.pa...@flinders.edu.au> Merry Christmas and happy new year! All the best, Guido ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Guido J. Parra, PhD Research Leader, Cetacean Ecology, Behaviour and Evolution Lab (CEBEL) School of Biological Sciences Flinders University Sturt Road, Bedford Park|South Australia|5042 GPO Box 2100|Adelaide| South Australia|5001 Lab website: www.cebel.org.au<http://www.cebel.org.au/> My Flinders Staff Page<http://www.flinders.edu.au/people/guido.parra> Cetacean Ecologist Threatened, Endangered & Protected Species (TEPS) Marine Environment & Ecology Science Program Area South Australian Research & Development Institute (SARDI) - Aquatic Sciences Phone: (+61 8) 8201-3565|Mobile: 0437630843|FAX: (+61 8) 8201-3015 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ CRICOS Registered Provider. The Flinders University of South Australia|CRICOS provider Number: 00114A
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