Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales
Adult male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are long distance runners of the marine realm, feeding in high latitudes and mating in tropical and subtropical waters where stable social groups of females and immatures live. Several areas of uncertainty still limit our understanding of their social...
Published in: | Frontiers in Marine Science |
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Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
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2022
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Online Access: | https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92832.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92833.docx https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/ |
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ftarchimer:oai:archimer.ifremer.fr:87310 2023-05-15T17:59:28+02:00 Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales Girardet, Justine Sarano, Francois Richard, Gaetan Tixier, Paul Guinet, Christophe Alexander, Alana Sarano, Véronique Vitry, Hugues Preud’homme, Axel Heuzey, René Garcia-cegarra, Ana M. Adam, Olivier Madon, Bénédicte Jung, Jean-luc 2022-03 application/pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92832.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92833.docx https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/ eng eng Frontiers Media SA https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92832.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92833.docx doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/ info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use Frontiers In Marine Science (2296-7745) (Frontiers Media SA), 2022-03 , Vol. 9 , P. 815684 (13p.) marine megafauna genetic diversity cultural species sperm whales Indian Ocean male-social fidelity kin relationships text Publication info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftarchimer https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 2022-05-03T22:50:02Z Adult male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are long distance runners of the marine realm, feeding in high latitudes and mating in tropical and subtropical waters where stable social groups of females and immatures live. Several areas of uncertainty still limit our understanding of their social and breeding behavior, in particular concerning the potential existence of geographical and/or social fidelities. In this study, using underwater observation and sloughed-skin sampling, we looked for male social fidelity to a specific matrilineal sperm whale group near Mauritius. In addition, we captured a wider picture of kin relationships and genetic diversity of male sperm whales in the Indian Ocean thanks to biopsies of eight individuals taken in a feeding ground near the Kerguelen and Crozet Archipelagos (Southern Indian Ocean). Twenty-six adult male sperm whales were identified when socializing with adult females and immatures off Mauritius. Sloughed-skin samples were taken from thirteen of them for genetic analysis. Long-term underwater observation recorded several noteworthy social interactions between adult males and adult females and/or immatures. We identified seven possible male recaptures over different years (three by direct observation, and four at the gametic level), which supports a certain level of male social fidelity. Two probable first- and thirty second-degree kin relationships were highlighted between members of the social unit and adult males, confirming that some of the adult males observed in Mauritian waters are reproductive. Male social philopatry to their natal group can be excluded, as none of the males sampled shared the haplotype characteristic of the matrilineal social group. Mitochondrial DNA control region haplotype and nucleotide diversities calculated over the 21 total male sperm whales sampled were similar to values found by others in the Indian Ocean. Our study strongly supports the existence of some levels of male sperm whale social fidelity, not directed to their social group of birth, in the Indian Ocean. Males sampled in breeding and feeding grounds are linked by kin relationships. Our results support a model of male mediated gene flow occurring at the level of the whole Indian Ocean, likely interconnected with large-scale geographical fidelity to ocean basin, and a small-scale social fidelity to matrilineal social groups. Article in Journal/Newspaper Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) Indian Kerguelen Frontiers in Marine Science 9 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Archimer (Archive Institutionnelle de l'Ifremer - Institut français de recherche pour l'exploitation de la mer) |
op_collection_id |
ftarchimer |
language |
English |
topic |
marine megafauna genetic diversity cultural species sperm whales Indian Ocean male-social fidelity kin relationships |
spellingShingle |
marine megafauna genetic diversity cultural species sperm whales Indian Ocean male-social fidelity kin relationships Girardet, Justine Sarano, Francois Richard, Gaetan Tixier, Paul Guinet, Christophe Alexander, Alana Sarano, Véronique Vitry, Hugues Preud’homme, Axel Heuzey, René Garcia-cegarra, Ana M. Adam, Olivier Madon, Bénédicte Jung, Jean-luc Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
topic_facet |
marine megafauna genetic diversity cultural species sperm whales Indian Ocean male-social fidelity kin relationships |
description |
Adult male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) are long distance runners of the marine realm, feeding in high latitudes and mating in tropical and subtropical waters where stable social groups of females and immatures live. Several areas of uncertainty still limit our understanding of their social and breeding behavior, in particular concerning the potential existence of geographical and/or social fidelities. In this study, using underwater observation and sloughed-skin sampling, we looked for male social fidelity to a specific matrilineal sperm whale group near Mauritius. In addition, we captured a wider picture of kin relationships and genetic diversity of male sperm whales in the Indian Ocean thanks to biopsies of eight individuals taken in a feeding ground near the Kerguelen and Crozet Archipelagos (Southern Indian Ocean). Twenty-six adult male sperm whales were identified when socializing with adult females and immatures off Mauritius. Sloughed-skin samples were taken from thirteen of them for genetic analysis. Long-term underwater observation recorded several noteworthy social interactions between adult males and adult females and/or immatures. We identified seven possible male recaptures over different years (three by direct observation, and four at the gametic level), which supports a certain level of male social fidelity. Two probable first- and thirty second-degree kin relationships were highlighted between members of the social unit and adult males, confirming that some of the adult males observed in Mauritian waters are reproductive. Male social philopatry to their natal group can be excluded, as none of the males sampled shared the haplotype characteristic of the matrilineal social group. Mitochondrial DNA control region haplotype and nucleotide diversities calculated over the 21 total male sperm whales sampled were similar to values found by others in the Indian Ocean. Our study strongly supports the existence of some levels of male sperm whale social fidelity, not directed to their social group of birth, in the Indian Ocean. Males sampled in breeding and feeding grounds are linked by kin relationships. Our results support a model of male mediated gene flow occurring at the level of the whole Indian Ocean, likely interconnected with large-scale geographical fidelity to ocean basin, and a small-scale social fidelity to matrilineal social groups. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Girardet, Justine Sarano, Francois Richard, Gaetan Tixier, Paul Guinet, Christophe Alexander, Alana Sarano, Véronique Vitry, Hugues Preud’homme, Axel Heuzey, René Garcia-cegarra, Ana M. Adam, Olivier Madon, Bénédicte Jung, Jean-luc |
author_facet |
Girardet, Justine Sarano, Francois Richard, Gaetan Tixier, Paul Guinet, Christophe Alexander, Alana Sarano, Véronique Vitry, Hugues Preud’homme, Axel Heuzey, René Garcia-cegarra, Ana M. Adam, Olivier Madon, Bénédicte Jung, Jean-luc |
author_sort |
Girardet, Justine |
title |
Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
title_short |
Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
title_full |
Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
title_fullStr |
Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
title_full_unstemmed |
Long Distance Runners in the Marine Realm: New Insights Into Genetic Diversity, Kin Relationships and Social Fidelity of Indian Ocean Male Sperm Whales |
title_sort |
long distance runners in the marine realm: new insights into genetic diversity, kin relationships and social fidelity of indian ocean male sperm whales |
publisher |
Frontiers Media SA |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92832.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92833.docx https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/ |
geographic |
Indian Kerguelen |
geographic_facet |
Indian Kerguelen |
genre |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
genre_facet |
Physeter macrocephalus Sperm whale |
op_source |
Frontiers In Marine Science (2296-7745) (Frontiers Media SA), 2022-03 , Vol. 9 , P. 815684 (13p.) |
op_relation |
https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92832.pdf https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/92833.docx doi:10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 https://archimer.ifremer.fr/doc/00761/87310/ |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess restricted use |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.815684 |
container_title |
Frontiers in Marine Science |
container_volume |
9 |
_version_ |
1766168294598901760 |