Harbour porpoises (&lt;i&gt;Phocoena phocoena&lt;/i&gt;) in the North Atlantic: Distribution and genetic population structure

Liselotte Wesley Andersen

doi:10.7557/3.2737

Abstract

The known geographical distribution (based on ship surveys, aerial surveys, incidental sightings, stranding and bycatch data) and the population genetic structure obtained from mitochondria DNA and nuclear DNA (isozymes and microsatellites) data analyses of the harbour porpoise in the North Atlantic have recently been reviewed and revised by the International Whaling Commission. The present review builds on these documents by integrating more recent genetic and distributional studies. Studies of the genetic structure of harbour porpoise populations tend to be concentrated in areas where samples are available which coincide with areas where incidental or directed catches or stranding take place. Nevertheless, recently, several genetic studies on the population structure have been able to reveal a more comprehensive picture of the harbour porpoise population structure in the Northwest and Northeast Atlantic, although not all areas have been subjected to analyses.

Highlights

Information on harbour porpoise distribution in the North Atlantic was reviewed comprehensively by Gaskin in 1984 and revised by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1996
The known geographical distribution and the population genetic structure obtained from mitochondria DNA and nuclear DNA data analyses of the harbour porpoise in the North Atlantic have recently been reviewed and revised by the International Whaling Commission
Studies of the genetic structure of harbour porpoise populations tend to be concentrated in areas where samples are available which coincide with areas where incidental or directed catches or stranding take place

Summary

Introduction

Information on harbour porpoise distribution in the North Atlantic was reviewed comprehensively by Gaskin in 1984 and revised by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) in 1996. Andersen et al (2001) did not detect differences between the 3 locations Maniitsoq, Nuuk and Parmiut in West Greenland, but demonstrated significantly different microsatellite allele frequencies and FST estimates based on 12 loci between West Greenland and porpoise samples from Irish waters, the British and Danish North Sea, Inner Danish Waters and Norway.

Results

Conclusion