Cranial Morphometrics of a Stranded Common Bottlenose Dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) in Mersin Bay (Northeastern Mediterranean, Turkey)

Hasan Deniz Akbora,Deniz Ayas,Mısra Bakan,Nuray Çiftçi,Deniz Ergüden,Mustafa Dogangün

doi:10.5296/ast.v8i1.16124

Abstract

On 10 November 2017, a young male common bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821), 185 cm in total length (TL), was found dead on the Mersin Marina (36°46'065"N, 34°34'212"E) in Northeastern Mediterranean coast of Turkey. Measurements of the sample performed and documented. The specimen buried to obtain the skeleton of the individual. At the end of this process, the sample was deposited in the Museum of the Systematic, Faculty of Fisheries, Mersin University, (Catalogue no: MEUMC-17- 11-001). The morphometric measurements can contribute to ongoing fisheries biology and taxonomic studies of T. truncatus from Mediterranean Sea waters. During routine fishing activities, common bottlenose dolphins can be caught in fishing nets and drowned. This issue leads to an extra population loss in addition to environmental factors that cause dolphin deaths. At the national level, measures should be implemented to protect dolphins and other marine species caught off -target.

Highlights

Common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) belonging to the Delphinidae family, are widely accepted in the Mediterranean Sea (Pilleri & Gihr, 1969; Cagnolaro et al, 1983; Notarbartolo di Sciara & Demma, 1994; Bearzi & Fortuna, 2006).Tursiops truncatus is gray, and the abdomen is lighter in color
The Mandibular height (MH) value (63.2 mm) of the Mersin specimen of T. truncatus was closely similar to the Chinese sample, which was smaller than the other one (61.0 mm) (Wang et al, 2000)
When the mandibular length (ML) value is examined, it is seen that this value is higher in China (340.8 - 480.8 mm) and South African samples (425.8 - 498.2 mm) in Mersin sample (286.5 mm)

Summary

Introduction

Common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) belonging to the Delphinidae family, are widely accepted in the Mediterranean Sea (Pilleri & Gihr, 1969; Cagnolaro et al, 1983; Notarbartolo di Sciara & Demma, 1994; Bearzi & Fortuna, 2006).Tursiops truncatus is gray, and the abdomen is lighter in color. Common bottlenose dolphins Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) belonging to the Delphinidae family, are widely accepted in the Mediterranean Sea (Pilleri & Gihr, 1969; Cagnolaro et al, 1983; Notarbartolo di Sciara & Demma, 1994; Bearzi & Fortuna, 2006). Notarbartolo di Sciara & Demma (1994) stated that the Mediterranean population of T. truncatus is more related to the coastal ecotype due to the shallow water habits. Tursiops truncatus prefer shallow waters as habitats. This preference may be related to the feeding habits of the species that feeding mostly on benthic and demersal fish (Voliani & Volpi, 1990; Orsi Relini et al, 1994; Silva & Sequeira, 1997; Mioković et al, 1999; Blanco et al, 2001; Santos et al, 2001)

Methods

Findings

Discussion

Conclusion