The Gulf of Corinth, in Greece, hosts mixed-species groups of striped, common and admixed (striped x common) dolphins, plus a single Risso's dolphin (1, 2, 3). The case for admixture is based on genetics (4). In the Gulf, striped dolphins are Vulnerable (5) and common dolphins are Critically Endangered (6, 7).
We just posted footage of these mixed-species groups, that may help appreciate the degree of intermingling and the nuances of intermediate pigmentation patterns: STRIPED DOLPHINS UNDERWATER (15 min) -- https://vimeo.com/526021725 THE RISSO'S DOLPHIN OF THE GULF OF CORINTH (4 min) -- https://vimeo.com/522462079 The Gulf of Corinth has recently become a EU Site of Community Importance (GR2530007), but such a status may not trigger action to protect odontocetes exposed to significant threats. We hope that the videos above will add one drop to conservation efforts encompassing two decades. 1) Frantzis A, Herzing D (2002) Mixed-species associations of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba), short beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and Risso’s dolphins (Grampus griseus) in the Gulf of Corinth (Greece, Mediterranean Sea). Aquatic Mammals 28, 188-197 2) Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Santostasi NL, Furey NB., Eddy L, Valavanis VD, Gimenez O (2016) Dolphins in a scaled-down Mediterranean: The Gulf of Corinth’s odontocetes. In G Notarbartolo di Sciara, M Podestà, BE Curry (Eds), Advances in Marine Biology 75, 297-331 3) Bonizzoni S, Furey NB, Santostasi NL, Eddy L, Valavanis VD, Bearzi G (2019) Modelling dolphin distribution within an Important Marine Mammal Area in Greece to support spatial management planning. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems 29, 1665-1680 4) Antoniou A, Frantzis A, Alexiadou P, Paschou N, Poulakakis N (2018) Evidence of introgressive hybridization between Stenella coeruleoalba and Delphinus delphis in the Greek Seas. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 129, 325-337 5) Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Santostasi NL (in press) Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Gulf of Corinth subpopulation). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 6) Bearzi G, Bonizzoni S, Santostasi NL (2020) Common dolphin Delphinus delphis (Gulf of Corinth subpopulation). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species e.T156206333A170381113 7) Santostasi NL, Bonizzoni S, Gimenez O, Eddy L, Bearzi G (2018) Common dolphins in the Gulf of Corinth are Critically Endangered. Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems doi.org/10.1002/aqc.2963 - - - - - - - Giovanni Bearzi <http://www.dolphinbiology.org/people/giovanni_bearzi.htm> _______________________________________________ MARMAM mailing list [email protected] https://lists.uvic.ca/mailman/listinfo/marmam
