Dear MARMAM members,
We are pleased to announce a new paper on anomalous colored Pacific white-sided dolphins in the new book "Dolphins" (2014, ed. by J.B. Samuels, NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., NY, 252pp.) Sekiguchi, K., Jefferson, T. A., Iwahara, Y., Yoshioka, M., Mori, K., Ford, J.K.B., Mitani, Y., and Gorter, U. (2014) An infrequently-occurring anomalous color pattern on Pacific white-sided dolphins, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens p.183-189. In: Dolphins. Ed. by J.B. Samuels, NOVA Science Publishers, Inc., NY, 252pp. Abstract: Anomalous body coloration often appears on many mammal species. In the case of cetaceans, coloration patterns may be particularly important and have functional and adaptive value. However, white animals for many cetacean species have been sighted world-wide, and also some anomalous color patterns have been reported. Anomalous, albinistic and leucistic coloration has been reported for the Pacific white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens), distributed in the cold temperate waters of the North Pacific. One pattern first reported by Brownell (1965) has been seen infrequently, but 19 more sighting/capture records are restricted to nearshore regions in the eastern North Pacific (e.g., southern California, Monterey Bay, off San Francisco, Washington, and Alaska). We added seven sightings of these anomalous-colored animals over the wide range of the mid-western and central North Pacific in different years; five in 1987 and two in 2012. Color patterns for these animals were very similar, despite occurrence at different times and in widely separated locations. Although variable animals with this anomalous coloration, animals had darker thoracic patches often completely bordered dorsally and laterally by an extensive, white stripe. However, for some animals this white stripe was distinguished strongly only above the eyes. We compiled 27 records of this anomalous form, over a wide range in the North Pacific. The distribution of these records suggests genetic restriction in the sighting region (i.e. the mid-western to eastern N. Pacific). This type of anomalous color pattern has not been reported around Japanese coasts. Hayano et al. (2004) concluded that there are genetically-distinct populations around Japan. Anomalous animals observed in the mid-western, central and eastern North Pacific, but not off Japan, appear to support their conclusion. Corresponding author: Keiko Sekiguchi, e-mail address: kseki...@hawaii.edu Regards, Keiko Sekiguchi **************************************************************************** ******************* Keiko Sekiguchi, Ph.D. (Cetacean Biology) Research Fellow, the International Christian University, Tokyo, Japan E-mail: <kseki...@hawaii.edu> **************************************************************************** *******************
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