Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae)
The fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is a large rorqual species occurring worldwide, mainly in temperate and subpolar zones. In contrast to many baleen whales, not all the fin whale populations show the same model of migration. In fact, migratory behaviours of this latter species range from long seas...
Published in: | The European Zoological Journal |
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Language: | English |
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Taylor and Francis Ltd.
2022
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Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3449795 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 |
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ftunivpadovairis:oai:www.research.unipd.it:11577/3449795 2024-02-27T08:39:00+00:00 Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) Fioravanti T. Maio N. Latini L. Splendiani A. Guarino F. M. Mezzasalma M. Petraccioli A. Cozzi B. Mazzariol S. Centelleghe C. Sciancalepore G. Pietroluongo G. Podesta M. Caputo Barucchi V. Fioravanti, T. Maio, N. Latini, L. Splendiani, A. Guarino, F. M. Mezzasalma, M. Petraccioli, A. Cozzi, B. Mazzariol, S. Centelleghe, C. Sciancalepore, G. Pietroluongo, G. Podesta, M. Caputo Barucchi, V. 2022 http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3449795 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 eng eng Taylor and Francis Ltd. info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000789294000001 volume:89 issue:1 firstpage:590 lastpage:600 numberofpages:11 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3449795 doi:10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85129208842 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Balaenopteridae Fin whale genetic hybrid Tyrrhenian Sea info:eu-repo/semantics/article 2022 ftunivpadovairis https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 2024-01-31T18:05:12Z The fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is a large rorqual species occurring worldwide, mainly in temperate and subpolar zones. In contrast to many baleen whales, not all the fin whale populations show the same model of migration. In fact, migratory behaviours of this latter species range from long seasonal migration between high and low latitudes to a complete non-migratory behaviour. A resident fin whale population was described in the Mediterranean Sea, which is also frequented by North Atlantic individuals entering through the Strait of Gibraltar in winter to feed. Between 2020 and 2021 three individuals initially identified as fin whales died along the Tyrrhenian coasts (Mediterranean Sea, Italy). Their mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR) was analysed and compared to fin whale haplotypes previously described in North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to identify their geographical origin. Our results show that two individuals most likely belong to the Mediterranean fin whale population, while an individual was recognised as a putative fin-blue whale hybrid (Balaenoptera physalus x Balaenoptera musculus) with a North Atlantic origin. The discovery of the first fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea was confirmed by the analysis of a biparentally inherited marker, the α-lactalbumin (α-lac) nuclear gene, demonstrating that the morphological analysis alone does not allow to correctly identify hybrids, especially if intermediate characters of both parental species are not clearly distinguishable. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera musculus Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Blue whale Fin whale North Atlantic Padua Research Archive (IRIS - Università degli Studi di Padova) Rorqual ENVELOPE(-62.311,-62.311,-65.648,-65.648) The European Zoological Journal 89 1 590 600 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Padua Research Archive (IRIS - Università degli Studi di Padova) |
op_collection_id |
ftunivpadovairis |
language |
English |
topic |
Balaenopteridae Fin whale genetic hybrid Tyrrhenian Sea |
spellingShingle |
Balaenopteridae Fin whale genetic hybrid Tyrrhenian Sea Fioravanti T. Maio N. Latini L. Splendiani A. Guarino F. M. Mezzasalma M. Petraccioli A. Cozzi B. Mazzariol S. Centelleghe C. Sciancalepore G. Pietroluongo G. Podesta M. Caputo Barucchi V. Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
topic_facet |
Balaenopteridae Fin whale genetic hybrid Tyrrhenian Sea |
description |
The fin whale Balaenoptera physalus is a large rorqual species occurring worldwide, mainly in temperate and subpolar zones. In contrast to many baleen whales, not all the fin whale populations show the same model of migration. In fact, migratory behaviours of this latter species range from long seasonal migration between high and low latitudes to a complete non-migratory behaviour. A resident fin whale population was described in the Mediterranean Sea, which is also frequented by North Atlantic individuals entering through the Strait of Gibraltar in winter to feed. Between 2020 and 2021 three individuals initially identified as fin whales died along the Tyrrhenian coasts (Mediterranean Sea, Italy). Their mitochondrial DNA control region (mtDNA CR) was analysed and compared to fin whale haplotypes previously described in North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea to identify their geographical origin. Our results show that two individuals most likely belong to the Mediterranean fin whale population, while an individual was recognised as a putative fin-blue whale hybrid (Balaenoptera physalus x Balaenoptera musculus) with a North Atlantic origin. The discovery of the first fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea was confirmed by the analysis of a biparentally inherited marker, the α-lactalbumin (α-lac) nuclear gene, demonstrating that the morphological analysis alone does not allow to correctly identify hybrids, especially if intermediate characters of both parental species are not clearly distinguishable. |
author2 |
Fioravanti, T. Maio, N. Latini, L. Splendiani, A. Guarino, F. M. Mezzasalma, M. Petraccioli, A. Cozzi, B. Mazzariol, S. Centelleghe, C. Sciancalepore, G. Pietroluongo, G. Podesta, M. Caputo Barucchi, V. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Fioravanti T. Maio N. Latini L. Splendiani A. Guarino F. M. Mezzasalma M. Petraccioli A. Cozzi B. Mazzariol S. Centelleghe C. Sciancalepore G. Pietroluongo G. Podesta M. Caputo Barucchi V. |
author_facet |
Fioravanti T. Maio N. Latini L. Splendiani A. Guarino F. M. Mezzasalma M. Petraccioli A. Cozzi B. Mazzariol S. Centelleghe C. Sciancalepore G. Pietroluongo G. Podesta M. Caputo Barucchi V. |
author_sort |
Fioravanti T. |
title |
Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
title_short |
Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
title_full |
Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
title_fullStr |
Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the Mediterranean Sea (Balaenopteridae) |
title_sort |
nothing is as it seems: genetic analyses on stranded fin whales unveil the presence of a fin-blue whale hybrid in the mediterranean sea (balaenopteridae) |
publisher |
Taylor and Francis Ltd. |
publishDate |
2022 |
url |
http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3449795 https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-62.311,-62.311,-65.648,-65.648) |
geographic |
Rorqual |
geographic_facet |
Rorqual |
genre |
Balaenoptera musculus Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Blue whale Fin whale North Atlantic |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera musculus Balaenoptera physalus baleen whales Blue whale Fin whale North Atlantic |
op_relation |
info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/wos/WOS:000789294000001 volume:89 issue:1 firstpage:590 lastpage:600 numberofpages:11 journal:THE EUROPEAN ZOOLOGICAL JOURNAL http://hdl.handle.net/11577/3449795 doi:10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 info:eu-repo/semantics/altIdentifier/scopus/2-s2.0-85129208842 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1080/24750263.2022.2063426 |
container_title |
The European Zoological Journal |
container_volume |
89 |
container_issue |
1 |
container_start_page |
590 |
op_container_end_page |
600 |
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1792045984229883904 |