Dear MARMAM community,
My co-authors and I are pleased to inform you about a new publication titled “Aerial photogrammetry techniques using drones to estimate morphometric measurements and body condition in South American small cetaceans” recently published in Marine Mammal Science. *de Oliveira, L. L., Andriolo, A., Cremer, M. J., & Zerbini, A. N. (2023). Aerial photogrammetry techniques using drones to estimate morphometric measurements and body condition in South American small cetaceans. Marine Mammal Science, 1– 19. https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13011 <https://doi.org/10.1111/mms.13011>* Abstract Aerial photogrammetry protocols using drones have proved efficient in monitoring free-living cetaceans. In this work an aerial photogrammetry protocol using a drone was applied to estimate morphometric measurements and body condition variation in two endangered cetacean species, franciscanas (Pontoporia blainvillei, n = 122) and Guiana dolphin (Sotalia guianensis, n = 41). Sampling occurred in winter and summer in Babitonga Bay, southern Brazil. A 115 cm length object was used to calibrate the scale of measurements at different altitudes. A scale calibration model based on eGSD regression by flight altitude was developed (RMSE = 0.039, r 2 = 0.9902, ΔAICc = 0.00) and used to convert measurements from pixels to centimeters. Five morphometric measurements (body length - BL, widths at anterior pectoral fin - AP, axilla - AX, anterior dorsal fin - AD, and posterior dorsal fin - PD) were taken from each animal to infer body condition, in which, the widths in the anterior portions of the body as % BL, can be an auxiliary tool in the evaluation of variation in the body condition of the small cetaceans studied. The aerial photogrammetry protocol allowed for estimating morphometric measurements and monitoring seasonal changes in the body condition of the small cetaceans. KEYWORDS aerial photogrammetry, body condition, drone, morphometric measurements, Pontoporia blainvillei, Sotalia guianensis, UAV The paper can be accessed via the publisher website: https://doi.org/ 10.1111/mms.13011 Or via Shareable link (read-only): https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/author/DJ4BIE6MQZ98GT9B7VFF?target=10.1111/mms.13011 Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions. Best regards, Lucas Lima de Oliveira -- *Lucas Lima de Oliveira* Bacharel em Oceanografia pela Universidade Federal do Ceará - UFC. Mestre em Biodiversidade e Conservação da Natureza pela Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora - UFJF. Pesquisador no Instituto Aqualie - IA.
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