Dear Marmam, My co-authors and I are pleased to announce the following
publication in Marine Mammal Science:
Taylor, JS, Hart, LB, Adams, J. Skin lesion prevalence of estuarine common
bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) in North Carolina, with comparisons to
other east coast study sites. Marine Mammal Science 2020; 1-15.
https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.12731
Abstract:Common bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) are sentinels of
environmental health. Skin lesions may indicate disease and can be used to
infer population health. We estimated the prevalence of skin lesions and
identified major lesion types on coastal bottlenose dolphins in Roanoke Sound,
North Carolina, over a 3-year period using photo-identification. Boat-based
surveys were conducted from April 2012 through October 2014. High quality
images of distinctive fins were examined for overall prevalence (P) of any skin
lesion (n = 169, P = 0.49, 95% CI = 0.42–0.57). Lesion prevalence estimates
varied little between years (2012 P = 0.45, 2013 P = 0.56, 2014 P = 0.52) and
most lesions were observed in the spring (P = 0.79, 95% CI: 0.57–0.92). Of six
lesion types examined, pale lesions were most common (P = 0.41, 95% CI:
0.30–0.52). Annual lesion prevalence estimates for dolphins in Roanoke Sound
were comparable to published estimates for T. truncatus in Charleston, South
Carolina, Brunswick, Georgia, and Sarasota, Florida (p ≥ .05), although,
seasonal differences in lesion occurrence and typewere observed (p < .05).
Future studies should examine relationships between lesions and environmental
variables and use stranded dolphins to investigate skin lesion etiology.
PDF reprints available upon request. Please send requests to:
[email protected]
Cheers,Jess Taylor
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