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Behavioural strategies in humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, in a coastal region of Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 June 2010

Diana G. Lunardi ,
Márcia H. Engel ,
João L.P. Marciano  and
Regina H. Macedo
Diana G. Lunardi*
Affiliation:
PPG em Psicobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal-RN, Brazil, 59078–970
Márcia H. Engel
Affiliation:
Instituto Baleia Jubarte, Rua Barão do Rio Branco 26, Caravelas-BA, Brazil, 45900–000
João L.P. Marciano
Affiliation:
Departamento de Ciência da Informação, Universidade de Brasília-DF, Brazil, 70910–900
Regina H. Macedo
Affiliation:
Departamento de Zoologia, Universidade de Brasília, Brasília-DF, Brazil, 70910–900
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: D.G. Lunardi, PPG em Psicobiologia, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal-RN, Brazil, 59078–970 email: lunardi.diana@gmail.com
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Abstract

The behavioural patterns of humpback whales are known to vary according to the social function of individuals in a group. To identify behavioural patterns related to specific group compositions, we observed events and behavioural states of humpback whales during research cruises in the Abrolhos Bank, Brazil, in the reproductive seasons from 1992 to 2003. We monitored 3022 groups and found a predominance of competitive groups without calves, when compared to competitive groups with calves. A Bayesian network analysis supplied occurrence probabilities for the behaviours analysed, indicating higher probabilities of occurrence for the behavioural patterns designated travelling and socializing. The model, generated from a binomial logistic regression, was able to predict competitive groups in association with the occurrence of the following aggressive behaviours: head-lunging, trumpet and bubblestreams. This study suggests the existence of behavioural patterns associated with specific group compositions and reinforces the concept that there is a clear-cut relation between competitive groups and the occurrence of aggressive behaviours. The preferential association of males to females with high reproductive potential for the following year (i.e. females without a calf) was also identified.

Keywords

Abrolhos Bankbehaviourhumpback whalesMegaptera novaeangliaereproductive season
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom , Volume 90 , Special Issue 8: Marine Mammals , December 2010 , pp. 1693 - 1699
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2010

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