Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Odontocetes (eBook)

Introduction to the Series 8
Preface 10
Contents 14
Part I: Patterns of Odontocete Ethology and Behavioral Ecology 17
Chapter 1: Grouping Behaviors of Dolphins and Other Toothed Whales 18
1.1 Why Live in Groups? 19
1.2 Evolution of Social Structure in Odontocetes 22
1.3 Evidence for Plasticity in Social Structure in Odontocetes 23
1.3.1 Variability Between Communities: Tursiops spp. 24
1.3.2 Variability Within Communities: Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins in Shark Bay 25
1.3.3 Variability Over Time by Individual 26
1.4 Social Plasticity and Speciation 27
1.5 Advances in Understanding Odontocete Social Behavior 29
1.5.1 Photo-Identification 29
1.5.2 Genetic and Other Tissue Sampling 29
1.5.3 Data-Logging Tags 30
1.5.4 Analytical Advances 31
1.6 Current Constraints to Understanding Odontocete Social Structure 31
1.7 Future Outlook 33
1.8 Conclusion 34
References 34
Chapter 2: Communication by Sound and by Visual, Tactile, and Chemical Sensing 40
2.1 Introduction 41
2.2 Communication by Touch 41
2.3 Communication by Visual Sensing 42
2.4 Integration of Information Across Senses 42
2.5 Communication by Chemical Sensing 43
2.6 Communication by Acoustic Sensing 43
2.6.1 Echolocation 44
2.6.2 Acoustic Communication 44
2.6.2.1 Contact Calls 45
2.6.2.2 Signature Whistles in Bottlenose Dolphins 45
2.6.2.3 Group-Specific Dialects of Killer Whales 49
2.6.2.4 How Sperm Whales Use Clicks for Communication 55
2.7 Conclusion 59
References 60
Chapter 3: Social Ecology of Feeding in an Open Ocean 66
3.1 Introduction 66
3.2 Where Should We Look for Prey? 68
3.3 How Will We Find Prey? 70
3.4 Should We Try to Contain Prey? If So, How? 74
3.5 Capturing Prey: Work Together, Or Go It Alone? 76
3.6 What Is My Role? 79
3.7 How Do Odontocetes Learn to Forage? 79
3.8 Conclusions 80
References 81
Chapter 4: Sexual Strategies: Male and Female Mating Tactics 89
4.1 Male Mating Tactics 90
4.2 Female Mating Tactics 97
4.3 Summary 101
References 102
Chapter 5: Maternal Care and Offspring Development in Odontocetes 108
5.1 Introduction 109
5.2 Birth and the Newborn Period 109
5.3 Infant Position and Nursing 111
5.4 Communication and Coordination 112
5.5 The Babysitting Debate 113
5.6 Protection from Predators 114
5.7 Protection from Conspecifics 115
5.8 Calf Mortality 116
5.9 Weaning 119
5.10 Post-Weaning 120
5.11 Maternal and Calf Hunting, Food-Sharing and Cultural Transmission 121
References 123
Chapter 6: Movement Patterns of Odontocetes Through Space and Time 130
6.1 Introduction 130
6.2 Ethology of Movements 131
6.3 Methods of Spatiotemporal Scales 132
6.4 Movement Patterns, from Site Fidelity to Range Expansion 132
6.4.1 Sperm Whale (Physeter macrocephalus) 132
6.4.2 Deep Divers (Ziphiidae and Globicephalinae) 142
6.4.3 Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) 142
6.4.4 High-Arctic Odontocetes (Monodontidae) 143
6.4.5 Oceanic Dolphins (Stenella, Grampus, Delphinus) 143
6.4.6 Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops spp.) 145
6.4.7 Small Coastal Dolphins (Sousa, Sotalia, Cephalorhynchus) 146
6.4.8 Porpoises (Phocoena, Neophocaena, Phocoenoides) 148
6.4.9 River Dolphins (Inia and Platanista) 148
6.5 General Movements of Odontocetes 149
6.6 Factors Impacting Movement Patterns Directly or Indirectly 150
References 151
Chapter 7: Predator/Prey Decisions and the Ecology of Fear 158
7.1 Introduction 158
7.2 Toothed Whales as Prey and Sharks as Predators 161
7.2.1 Tiger Sharks: Bottlenose Dolphins, Shark Bay, Western Australia 161
7.2.2 Bull Sharks: Bottlenose Dolphins, Sarasota Bay, Florida, USA 161
7.2.3 Shark Prey Summary 162
7.3 Toothed Whales as Prey and Killer Whales as Predators 163
7.3.1 Killer Whales: Dusky Dolphins, Kaikoura, New Zealand 163
7.3.2 Killer Whales: Narwhals and Belugas, Eastern Canadian Arctic 165
7.3.3 Notes on Killer Whale-Eastern North Pacific Gray Whale Interactions 167
7.3.4 Killer Whale Prey Summary 168
7.4 Conclusion 170
References 171
Chapter 8: Odontocete Social Strategies and Tactics Along and Inshore 177
8.1 Introduction 177
8.2 Costs and Benefits of Grouping 179
8.3 Social Complexity 180
8.4 Behavioral Flexibility and Cultural Diversity 183
8.5 Vulnerability 188
8.6 Conclusion 190
References 190
Chapter 9: Oceanic Dolphin Societies: Diversity, Complexity, and Conservation 195
9.1 Introduction 196
9.1.1 ETP Delphinids: Diversity and a Brief Overview of Factors Related to Sociality 198
9.1.2 The Eastern Tropical Pacific Is a Unique Habitat for Oceanic Dolphins 199
9.2 Schooling 201
9.3 Social Behavior and Structure of ETP Pantropical Spotted Dolphins 205
9.4 Mating Systems of ETP Dolphins 209
9.5 ETP Dolphins and Interactions with the Tuna Purse Seine Fishery 210
9.6 Synthesis and Future Directions 213
Appendices 215
Appendix 1 215
Appendix 2: Basic Oceanography of the Eastern Tropical Pacific 216
References 216
Chapter 10: Odontocete Adaptations to Human Impact and Vice Versa 222
10.1 Introduction 223
10.2 The Ways and Challenges of Adaptation 224
10.3 The Most Adaptable Odontocetes 232
10.4 From Conflict to Coexistence 234
10.5 Can We Adapt to the Odontocetes that Have Adapted to Us? 236
References 237
Part II: Examples of Odontocete Ethology and Behavioral Ecology: Present Knowledge and Ways Forward 247
Chapter 11: Killer Whales: Behavior, Social Organization, and Ecology of the Oceans´ Apex Predators 248
11.1 Introduction 249
11.2 Distribution and Population Structure 249
11.3 Sympatric Ecotypes: Foraging Specializations as Cultural Traditions 250
11.4 Social Organization 252
11.5 Acoustic Behavior and Dialects 255
11.6 Foraging Specializations and Tactics 257
11.6.1 Predation on Fish 257
11.6.2 Predation on Marine Mammals 260
11.7 Conclusions 261
References 264
Chapter 12: Sperm Whale: The Largest Toothed Creature on Earth 269
12.1 Introduction 270
12.2 Foraging 272
12.3 Traveling 275
12.4 The Social Sperm Whale 276
12.5 Communication 278
12.6 Social Learning 281
12.7 Outstanding Questions 283
12.8 Closing Remarks 285
References 285
Chapter 13: Pilot Whales: Delphinid Matriarchies in Deep Seas 289
13.1 Introduction 290
13.2 Short-Finned Pilot Whales 292
13.2.1 Canary Islands 293
13.2.2 Madeira 297
13.2.3 Macaronesia 299
13.3 Comparative Social Structures: Are Globicephala Matrilineal? 301
13.3.1 Matrilineal Associations with Female Relatives 302
13.3.2 Male Natal Philopatry 302
13.3.3 Extra-Group Mating 304
13.3.4 Post-reproductive Lifespan 304
13.4 Multilevel Societies 305
References 307
Chapter 14: Behavior and Ecology of Not-So-Social Odontocetes: Cuvier´s and Blainville´s Beaked Whales 313
14.1 Evidence for Small Resident Populations 317
14.2 Evidence for Niche Partitioning and Residency from Satellite Tag Data 321
14.3 Diving and Surfacing Behavior: Foraging at Depth and Predator Avoidance Near the Surface 323
14.4 Social Organization: Insights from Group Composition, Association Patterns, and Social Behavior 327
14.4.1 Cuvier´s Beaked Whales 327
14.4.2 Blainville´s Beaked Whales 331
14.5 Conclusions 333
References 334
Chapter 15: Common Bottlenose Dolphin Foraging: Behavioral Solutions that Incorporate Habitat Features and Social Associates 338
References 349
Chapter 16: The Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) 352
16.1 Australia 354
16.1.1 Shark Bay, Western Australia 354
16.1.1.1 Social Structure and Mating System 354
16.1.1.2 Social Interactions 356
16.1.1.3 Ecology 357
16.1.1.4 Cognition 360
16.1.2 Other Australian Study Sites 361
16.2 Japan 363
16.2.1 Mikura Island 363
16.2.1.1 Ecology and Social Structure 364
16.2.1.2 Social Interactions 364
16.2.2 Amakusa-Shimoshima Island 367
16.3 Discussion 368
References 369
Chapter 17: Spinner Dolphins of Islands and Atolls 376
17.1 Introduction 376
17.2 The Daily Cycle 377
17.3 Social Structure 379
17.4 Reproduction 380
17.5 Foraging 381
17.6 Predation 382
17.7 Communication 383
17.8 Aerial Acrobatics 386
17.9 Anthropogenic Impacts 388
References 389
Chapter 18: Dusky Dolphins of Continental Shelves and Deep Canyons 393
18.1 Introducing the Dusky Dolphin 394
18.2 Three Dusky Dolphin Study Sites 395
18.2.1 Península Valdés, Argentina 396
18.2.2 Kaikoura, New Zealand 400
18.2.3 Admiralty Bay, New Zealand 402
18.3 Inside the Dusky Dolphin Mind 404
18.4 Comparison with Other Delphinids 406
18.5 Conservation 409
18.6 Future Research Directions 411
References 412
Chapter 19: Cetacean Sociality in Rivers, Lagoons, and Estuaries 418
19.1 Introduction 419
19.1.1 Platanista 419
19.1.2 Pontoporia blainvillei 421
19.1.3 Inia geoffrensis 422
19.1.4 Lipotes vexillifer 425
19.1.5 Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis 426
19.1.6 Orcaella brevirostris 427
19.1.7 Sotalia spp. 430
19.2 Summary and Discussion 431
References 433
Chapter 20: Hector´s and M?ui Dolphins: Small Shore-Living Delphinids with Disparate Social Structures 440
20.1 Introduction 441
20.2 Habitat Preference and Home Range 441
20.3 Group Living 445
20.4 Foraging 447
20.5 Interactions 448
20.6 Concluding Thoughts 449
References 449
Chapter 21: Porpoises the World Over: Diversity in Behavior and Ecology 453
21.1 Introduction 454
21.2 Distribution and Ecological Adaptations 454
21.3 Movements and Diving Behavior 457
21.4 Characteristics Related to Social Behavior 459
21.5 Social Behavior 459
21.5.1 Sexual Behavior 462
21.5.2 Acoustic Behavior 462
21.5.3 Disturbance Behavior 464
21.6 Conclusion 465
References 466
Chapter 22: Endangered Odontocetes and the Social Connection: Selected Examples of Species at Risk 469
22.1 Introduction 469
22.2 The Most Endangered: What Puts Them at Risk? 471
22.3 Selected Species at Risk 472
22.3.1 Vaquita (Phocoena sinus): Critically Endangered 472
22.3.2 Atlantic Humpback Dolphin (Sousa teuszii): Critically Endangered 475
22.3.3 Indus River Dolphin (Platanista minor): Endangered (Under P. gangetica) 477
22.3.4 Chilean Dolphin (Cephalorhynchus eutropia): Near Threatened 479
22.4 The Behavioral and Social Connections 480
22.5 Conclusions and Some Lessons Learned 481
References 482
Chapter 23: Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Odontocetes: Concluding Remarks 486
References 495
Correction to: Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Odontocetes 498
Correction to: B. Würsig (ed.), Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Odontocetes, Ethology and Behavioral Ecology of Marine Mamm... 498
Index 499