First record of a fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) in coastal waters of Ecuador in a century

Contenu principal de l'article

Fernando Felix
Ben Haase
Claudia Teran
Miguel Pozo
Santiago Burneo

Résumé

A male 16.9m fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus) was stranded on 3 April 2019 at Chanduy southwestern Ecuador (2°23’29.4” S, 80°44’17.96” W). Its coloration pattern, including the white-colored right side of the mouth and around 200 cream-colored baleens, are characteristics of the species. This is the first confirmed record of the species in almost a century in mainland Ecuador. A skin sample was taken for molecular studies. Fragments of the D-loop and CytB mitochondrial genes were amplified and compared with global databases. The D-loop fragment matched with a haplotype found in a fin whale from the Central-south of Chile and the CytB with several populations in both hemispheres. Our findings confirm that the Ecuadorian coast is part of the distribution area of southeastern Pacific fin whales.

Details de l'article

Rubrique
Articles

Articles les plus lus par le même auteur ou la même autrice