Individual and geographical variation in pigmentation patterns of the harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena (L.)
Photographs of 393 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena (L.)) from the waters of Denmark (n = 224), Japan (n = 19), and Canada (Bay of Fundy (n = 95), Gulf of St. Lawrence (n = 40), and coast of British Columbia (n = 15)) were analyzed for variation in pigmentation patterns. Animals were classified...
Published in: | Canadian Journal of Zoology |
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Main Authors: | , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Canadian Science Publishing
1994
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/z94-017 http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/z94-017 |
Summary: | Photographs of 393 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena (L.)) from the waters of Denmark (n = 224), Japan (n = 19), and Canada (Bay of Fundy (n = 95), Gulf of St. Lawrence (n = 40), and coast of British Columbia (n = 15)) were analyzed for variation in pigmentation patterns. Animals were classified according to morphs of each of 12 pigmentation characters. Patterns were not unique to particular areas and cannot be used as a tool for absolute discrimination among geographically isolated groups of porpoises. However, statistical frequencies of certain morphs of seven characters varied significantly among the five geographical groups, matching some of the subpopulations proposed by Gaskin in 1984. Pigmentation patterns of harbour porpoises were unique to each animal and were not gender dependent. Variation in pigmentation patterns may have implications for intra-individual recognition. All porpoises showed bilaterally asymmetrical pigmentation, providing a new record of consistent asymmetry in an odontocete species. |
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