Kin relationships in cultural species of the marine realm: case study of a matrilineal social group of sperm whales off Mauritius island, Indian Ocean

• Published in: Royal Society Open Science
• Main Authors: Sarano, Francois, Girardet, Justine, Sarano, Véronique, Vitry, Hugues, Preud'homme, Axel, Heuzey, René, Garcia-Cegarra, Ana, Madon, Bénédicte, Delfour, Fabienne, Glotin, Hervé, Adam, Olivier, Jung, Jean-Luc
• Other Authors: Longitude 181, Institut de Systématique, Evolution, Biodiversité (ISYEB ), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN)-École pratique des hautes études (EPHE), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université des Antilles (UA), Université de Brest (UBO), Marine Megafauna Conservation Organisation, Label Bleu Production, Centro de Investigación de Fauna Marina y Avistamiento de Cetáceos (CIFAMAC), Departamento de Ciencias Básicas, Facultad de Ciencias, Aménagement des Usages des Ressources et des Espaces marins et littoraux - Centre de droit et d'économie de la mer (AMURE), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Institut Français de Recherche pour l'Exploitation de la Mer (IFREMER)-Institut Universitaire Européen de la Mer (IUEM), Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Brest (UBO)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Institut de Recherche pour le Développement (IRD)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Laboratoire d'Ethologie Expérimentale et Comparée (LEEC), Université Sorbonne Paris Nord, Laboratoire d'Informatique et Systèmes (LIS), Université de Toulon (UTLN)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Aix Marseille Université (AMU), Institut Jean Le Rond d'Alembert (DALEMBERT), Sorbonne Université (SU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Institut des Neurosciences Paris-Saclay (NeuroPSI), Université Paris-Saclay-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: HAL CCSD 2021
• Subjects: Ecology; conservation; and global change biology behaviour/ecology/genetics sperm whale; social groups; kin relationships; DNA polymorphisms; [SDV.BID.SPT]Life Sciences [q-bio]/Biodiversity/Systematics; Phylogenetics and taxonomy; [SDV]Life Sciences [q-bio]; Indian; Sperm whale
• Online Access: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03137045; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03137045/document; https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-03137045/file/Sarano%20et%20al%202020.pdf; https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.201794

International audience Understanding the organization and dynamics of social groups of marine mammals through the study of kin relationships is particularly challenging. Here, we studied a stable social group of sperm whales off Mauritius, using underwater observations, individual-specific identification, non-invasive sampling and genetic analyses based on mitochondrial sequencing and microsatellite profiling. Twenty-four sperm whales were sampled between 2017 and 2019. All individuals except one adult female shared the same mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplotype—one that is rare in the western Indian Ocean—thus confirming with near certainty the matrilineality of the group. All probable first- and second-degree kin relationships were depicted in the sperm whale social group: 13 first-degree and 27 second-degree relationships were identified. Notably, we highlight the likely case of an unrelated female having been integrated into a social unit, in that she presented a distinct mtDNA haplotype and no close relationships with any members of the group. Investigating the possible matrilineality of sperm whale cultural units (i.e. vocal clans) is the next step in our research programme to elucidate and better apprehend the complex organization of sperm whale social groups.