Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic
Abstract North Atlantic harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena (L.) face considerable energetic challenges, as they are relatively small marine mammals with an intense reproductive schedule and a cold‐water habitat. Post‐natal growth of these porpoises was described using ontogenetic allometry and body...
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crwiley:10.1017/s0952836902001061 2024-09-15T18:22:49+00:00 Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic McLellan, W. A. Koopman, H. N. Rommel, S. A. Read, A. J. Potter, C. W. Nicolas, J. R. Westgate, A. J. Pabst, D. A. 2002 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902001061 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1017%2FS0952836902001061 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902001061 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902001061 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor Journal of Zoology volume 257, issue 4, page 457-471 ISSN 0952-8369 1469-7998 journal-article 2002 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902001061 2024-08-13T04:11:57Z Abstract North Atlantic harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena (L.) face considerable energetic challenges, as they are relatively small marine mammals with an intense reproductive schedule and a cold‐water habitat. Post‐natal growth of these porpoises was described using ontogenetic allometry and body composition techniques. The cross‐sectional sample contained robust calves, immature, and mature porpoises ( n = 122) incidentally killed in commercial fishing operations between 1992 and 1998. Total mass and the mass of 26 body components were measured using a standard dissection protocol. Most body components grew similarly in female and male porpoises. Blubber, brain and skull were negatively allometric, while muscle and reproductive tissues exhibited positive allometry. Female heart, liver, intestine and mesenteric lymph node grew at significantly higher rates than in males. Male locomotor muscle and pelvic bones grew significantly faster than in females. High growth rates for visceral and reproductive organs in porpoises, relative to other mammals, may underlie their early maturation and support their intensive, annual reproductive schedule. Relative to other cetaceans, porpoises seem to allocate a larger percentage of their total body mass to blubber. This allocation to blubber, which is greatest in calves (37% of body mass), may provide harbour porpoises with the thermal insulation required to live in cold water. The factors influencing growth rates and differential investments in body composition seem to change at various stages of a porpoise's life. Energy allocation in porpoises seems to shift from an emphasis on developing an insulative blubber layer in young animals to preparing the body for annual reproduction at sexual maturity. Article in Journal/Newspaper North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena Wiley Online Library Journal of Zoology 257 4 457 471 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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crwiley |
language |
English |
description |
Abstract North Atlantic harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena (L.) face considerable energetic challenges, as they are relatively small marine mammals with an intense reproductive schedule and a cold‐water habitat. Post‐natal growth of these porpoises was described using ontogenetic allometry and body composition techniques. The cross‐sectional sample contained robust calves, immature, and mature porpoises ( n = 122) incidentally killed in commercial fishing operations between 1992 and 1998. Total mass and the mass of 26 body components were measured using a standard dissection protocol. Most body components grew similarly in female and male porpoises. Blubber, brain and skull were negatively allometric, while muscle and reproductive tissues exhibited positive allometry. Female heart, liver, intestine and mesenteric lymph node grew at significantly higher rates than in males. Male locomotor muscle and pelvic bones grew significantly faster than in females. High growth rates for visceral and reproductive organs in porpoises, relative to other mammals, may underlie their early maturation and support their intensive, annual reproductive schedule. Relative to other cetaceans, porpoises seem to allocate a larger percentage of their total body mass to blubber. This allocation to blubber, which is greatest in calves (37% of body mass), may provide harbour porpoises with the thermal insulation required to live in cold water. The factors influencing growth rates and differential investments in body composition seem to change at various stages of a porpoise's life. Energy allocation in porpoises seems to shift from an emphasis on developing an insulative blubber layer in young animals to preparing the body for annual reproduction at sexual maturity. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
McLellan, W. A. Koopman, H. N. Rommel, S. A. Read, A. J. Potter, C. W. Nicolas, J. R. Westgate, A. J. Pabst, D. A. |
spellingShingle |
McLellan, W. A. Koopman, H. N. Rommel, S. A. Read, A. J. Potter, C. W. Nicolas, J. R. Westgate, A. J. Pabst, D. A. Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
author_facet |
McLellan, W. A. Koopman, H. N. Rommel, S. A. Read, A. J. Potter, C. W. Nicolas, J. R. Westgate, A. J. Pabst, D. A. |
author_sort |
McLellan, W. A. |
title |
Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
title_short |
Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
title_full |
Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
title_fullStr |
Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
title_full_unstemmed |
Ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena, L.) from the western North Atlantic |
title_sort |
ontogenetic allometry and body composition of harbour porpoises ( phocoena phocoena, l.) from the western north atlantic |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902001061 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1017%2FS0952836902001061 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902001061 https://zslpublications.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1017/S0952836902001061 |
genre |
North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena |
genre_facet |
North Atlantic Phocoena phocoena |
op_source |
Journal of Zoology volume 257, issue 4, page 457-471 ISSN 0952-8369 1469-7998 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s0952836902001061 |
container_title |
Journal of Zoology |
container_volume |
257 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
457 |
op_container_end_page |
471 |
_version_ |
1810462828539150336 |