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Record of a dwarf minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in northern Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 February 2009

F.A. Magalhães ,
M.M. Severo ,
C.H. Tosi ,
R.G. Garri ,
A.N. Zerbini ,
S. Chellappa  and
F.J.L. Silva
F.A. Magalhães*
Affiliation:
Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão/Instituto Ilha do Caju, Av. Presidente Vargas, 235 – Centro 64200-200, Parnaíba/PI, Brazil Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte/UFRN, 1524 – Campus universitário Lagoa Nova 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil
M.M. Severo
Affiliation:
Instituto Brasileiro do Meio Ambiente e dos Recursos Naturais Renováveis, IBAMA/PI
C.H. Tosi
Affiliation:
Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão/Instituto Ilha do Caju, Av. Presidente Vargas, 235 – Centro 64200-200, Parnaíba/PI, Brazil
R.G. Garri
Affiliation:
Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão/Instituto Ilha do Caju, Av. Presidente Vargas, 235 – Centro 64200-200, Parnaíba/PI, Brazil
A.N. Zerbini
Affiliation:
School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of Washington, Box 355020, Seattle,WA, 98195-5020, USA
S. Chellappa
Affiliation:
Programa de Pós-graduação em Ciências Biológicas, Centro de Biociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte/UFRN, 1524 – Campus universitário Lagoa Nova 59072-970, Natal, RN, Brazil
F.J.L. Silva
Affiliation:
Centro Golfinho Rotador, caixa postal 49, 53990-000, Fernando de Noronha, PE, Brazil Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual do Rio Grande do Norte, 59600-970, Mossoró, RN, Brazil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: F.A. Magalhães, Projeto Cetáceos do Maranhão/Instituto Ilha do Caju, Av. Presidente Vargas, 235 – Centro 64200-200, Parnaíba/PI, Brazil email: procemaicep@yahoo.com.br
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Abstract

This work reports a stranding of a dwarf minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) in 2004 in Caju Bay at Delta of Parnaiba River, Maranhão State (MA), Brazil. The specimen and the maturity characteristics were identified through skull measurements and morphology. Osteological analyses were carried out and abnormal growth of occipital bones was observed. It is premature at this point to suggest that the dwarf minke whale occurs regularly off the north coast of Brazil; however, more information needs to be collected to assess whether the occurrence of the dwarf minke whale is common in this area.

Keywords

first reportdwarf minke whalestrandingMaranhão statenorthern Brazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 1 , January 2008 , e56
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2007

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References

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