Migration of Antarctic Minke Whales to the Arctic

The Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), and the common minke whale found in the North Atlantic (Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata), undertake synchronized seasonal migrations to feeding areas at their respective poles during spring, and to the tropics in the autumn where they ov...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:PLoS ONE
Main Authors: Glover, Kevin A., Kanda, Naohisa, Haug, Tore, Pastene, Luis A., Øien, Nils, Goto, Mutsuo, Seliussen, Bjørghild B., Skaug, Hans J.
Format: Text
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science 2010
Subjects:
Research Article
Antarctic
Arctic
The Antarctic
Antarc*
Antarctic Minke whale
Balaenoptera acutorostrata
Balaenoptera bonaerensis
minke whale
North Atlantic
Northeast Atlantic
Online Access:http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3008685
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/21203557
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0015197
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Summary:The Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis), and the common minke whale found in the North Atlantic (Balaenoptera acutorostrata acutorostrata), undertake synchronized seasonal migrations to feeding areas at their respective poles during spring, and to the tropics in the autumn where they overwinter. Differences in the timing of seasons between hemispheres prevent these species from mixing. Here, based upon analysis of mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA profiles, we report the observation of a single B. bonaerensis in 1996, and a hybrid with maternal contribution from B. bonaerensis in 2007, in the Arctic Northeast Atlantic. Paternal contribution was not conclusively resolved. This is the first documentation of B. bonaerensis north of the tropics, and, the first documentation of hybridization between minke whale species.

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