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The Cuvier's beaked whale (CBW; Ziphius cavirostris) is a cosmopolitan marine mammal found in deep tropical and temperate waters of all oceans. CBW strandings have been recorded sporadically in Brazil; however, there is lack of information available regarding their causes of stranding and/or death. Herein, we report the epidemiologic, pathologic, morphologic parasitologic features and molecular identification of arterial and renal crassicaudiasis by Crassicauda sp. in three geographically and chronologically distant CBW stranded off Brazil. CBW-1 was an adult male stranded dead in Rio Grande do Sul State. CBW-2 was an adult female that stranded alive in Sergipe State and died shortly after. CBW-3 was and adult male that stranded dead in Santa Catarina State. The most relevant pathologic findings in these three CBW were severe, chronic proliferative mesenteric and caudal aortic endarteritis and chronic granulomatous and fibrosing interstitial nephritis with renicular atrophy and loss, and numerous intralesional Crassicauda sp. nematodes. Furthermore, CBW-1 had concomitant gram-negative bacterial pneumonia and pulmonary and hepatic thromboembolism. Morphologic analysis of renal adult nematodes identified Crassicauda sp. in the three CBW. Molecular analyses targeting the 18S and ITS-2 ribosomal loci of renal nematodes in CBW-2 and CBW-3 identified C. anthonyi. It is believed that severe arterial and renal crassicaudiasis likely resulted or contributed significantly to morbidity and death of these animals. These results expand the known geographical range of occurrence of crassicaudiasis in CBW. Specifically, the present study provides the first accounts of arterial and renal crassicaudiasis in CBW off the southern hemisphere, specifically in CBW off Brazil, and to the authors' knowledge, it is the first record of C. anthonyi in the southern Atlantic Ocean., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • First record of Crassicauda anthonyi in cetaceans off the southern Atlantic Ocean. • Arterial and renal crassicaudiasis may be fatal in Ziphius cavirostris. • ITS-2 gene sequence analysis enables Crassicauda species identification.

Marine pollution, overrepresented by plastic, is a growing concern worldwide. However, there is little knowledge on occurrence and detrimental impacts of marine debris in cetaceans. To partially fill in this gap of knowledge, we aimed to investigate the occurrence and pathologies associated with foreign bodies (FBs) in a large cohort of cetaceans (n = 465) stranded in the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands shelter the greatest cetacean biodiversity in Europe, with up to 30 different species, of which nine are regularly present year around. We found at least one ingested FB in 36 out of 465 (7.74%) studied cetaceans, involving 15 different species, including eight out of the nine (80%) cetacean species present year-round in the Canary Islands. Risso's dolphin was the species most affected, followed by sperm whale, beaked whale and mysticetes. Plastic FB were the most common item found (80.56%). FB was directly associated with death in 13/36 (36.11%) animals. Poor body condition and deep diving behavior were found to be risk factors for FB ingestion, whereas the adult age was a protective factor. To the authors knowledge this is the first study that use statistical analysis to investigate risk and protective factors for FB ingestion. This study also provides insights of the potential impact caused by ingested FBs on the animal's health and mortality. This knowledge is critical to better understand and assess the impact of FB in cetaceans setting the scientific basis for prospective impact monitoring and future conservation policies.

We are grateful to the ACCOBAMS Secretariat for their support in this work, including a small grant for the analysis. The Mediterranean population of Cuvieŕs beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), a deep-diving cetacean, is genetically distinct from the Atlantic, and subject to a number of conservation threats, in particular underwater noise. It is also cryptic at the surface and relatively rare, so obtain robust knowledge on distribution and abundance presents unique challenges. Here we use multiplatform and multiyear survey data to analyse the distribution and abundance of this species across the Mediterranean Sea. We use a novel approach combining heterogeneous data gathered with different methods to obtain a single density index for the region. A total of 594,996 km of survey effort and 507 sightings of Cuvier’s beaked whales, from 1990 to 2016, were pooled together from 24 different sources. Data were divided into twelve major groups according to platform height, speed and sea state. Both availability bias and effective strip width were calculated from the sightings with available perpendicular distance data. This was extrapolated to the rest of the sightings for each of the twelve groups. Habitat preference models were fitted into a GAM framework using counts of groups as a response variable with the effective searched area as an offset. Depth, coefficient of variation of depth, longitude and marine regions (as defined by the International Hydrographic Organization) were identified as important predictors. Predicted abundance of groups per grid cell were multiplied by mean group size to obtain a prediction of the abundance of animals. A total abundance of 5799 (CV = 24.0%) animals was estimated for the whole Mediterranean basin. The Alborán Sea, Ligurian Sea, Hellenic Trench, southern Adriatic Sea and eastern Ionian Sea were identified as being the main hot spots in the region. It is important to urge that the relevant stakeholders incorporate this information in the planning and execution of high risk activities in these high-risk areas. Postprint

Studies dedicated to palaeoenvironments and taphonomy have made wide use of rare earth elements (REE) contents of fossil bones as proxies. However, the complex diagenetic history of individual specimens combined with intra-bone REE fractionation and the uncertain timing of REE uptake generally prevents the robust interpretation of REE patterns. In this case study we show that combining REE analysis with, on the one hand, histology and microstructural observations and, on the other hand, additional analyses of other trace elements, allows deciphering at least three distinct trace element uptake stages, as well as one leaching event. More than 35 trace elements (including the REE) are analysed using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (LA-ICPMS) within compact rostrum bones of the Miocene-Pliocene beaked whale Globicetus hiberus from deep-sea deposits and a comparable extant specimen (Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris). Comparison of the extinct and the extant bones allows a better quantification of the diagenetic trace element content. This study highlights the crucial role played by diagenetic minerals such as the Fe-Mn oxyhydroxides in the uptake and release of trace elements (Co, Ni, Ti, V, Zr, Hf and Nb) and REE by bones, in response to changes of the diagenetic fluid redox conditions over time. Such changes of the geochemical environment help constraining the post-mortem history of the bone and its interaction with diagenetic fluids. We conclude that the unique interpretation of geochemical proxies within individual fossil bones requires a thorough investigation of each individual specimen.

Cetacean strandings constitute one of the most important sources of information for studying cetacean diversity and obtaining basic biological data. The Guatemalan Pacific Ocean supports a high diversity of cetaceans, with at least 19 confirmed species records. However, little is known about cetacean strandings in Guatemala and their association with anthropogenic activities. We reviewed the occurrence of cetacean strandings on the Pacific coastline of Guatemala between 2007 and 2021. Stranding records were obtained from publications and citizen science such as sporadic reports from third parties, local and social media. In total, 39 stranding events from 12 species were recorded over the 15-year period examined. Stranded species belong to five families: Delphinidae, Kogiidae, Ziphiidae, Balaenopteridae and Eschrichtiidae. The striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba, n = 6), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus, n = 6), spinner dolphin (S. longirostris, n = 5), spotted dolphin (S. attenuata, n = 4), and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae, n = 4) were the most frequently stranded species. For three of the stranded species, the melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra), Blainville's beaked whale (Mesoplodon densirostris), and gray whale (Eschrichtius robustus), these stranding records represent the first confirmed report of the species in Guatemalan waters. Although we could not determine the cause of stranding in most cases, at least 15% of stranded individuals presented marks or injuries that could be associated with anthropogenic activities, such as fisheries or vessel strikes. This study highlights the importance of stranding data and the need to create a national network to allow timely response to stranding events and to enable improved data collection protocols. A well-curated cetacean stranding database is crucial for scientific research as well as to implement management and conservation measures to protect these species in the region.

A fossil skull of a beaked whale was newly collected by a manned submersible from the Sao Paulo Ridge of the Atlantic floor about 2900 m deep off the coast of Brazil. It was found in the middle of the manganese nodules on the seafloor. The whale fossil can be dated sometime between the middle Miocene and the early Pliocene based on the timing of the onset of the tectonic movements of the Sao Paulo Ridge whence the specimen came and the precipitation of the manganese layers, which entirely encrusted the specimen. This is the first instance of a fossil beaked whale skull retrieved from such great depths. This skull belongs to a new species of Africanacetus, which may be a genus with a broad distribution in southern oceans in Neogene times, expands the geographic distribution of the genus as the northernmost record, and adds the taxonomic and morphological diversity within the genus.

Encased in a streamlined, flooded housing, a SoundTrap ST300HF hydrophone recording system was towed on voyages to South Georgia Island and the South Sandwich Islands and to the Antarctic Peninsula in December 2019–February 2020. Recordings were analyzed to identify acoustic detections of cetacean species. Acoustically identified species included sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus), southern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon planifrons), Arnoux's beaked whales (Berardius arnuxii), killer whales (Orcinus orca), and long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas). Acoustic detections also included several recognized types of beaked whale echolocation pulses (BW37/39 and BW58) as well as two likely beaked whale echolocation pulse types that do not match any previous descriptions. Narrow-band high-frequency echolocation signals (NBHF) (typical of porpoises and some dolphin species) were detected in many locations, and one of these coincided with a sighting of hourglass dolphins (Lagenorhynchus cruciger). This study shows the utility of an autonomous towed hydrophone system on a vessel of opportunity to study the distribution of cetaceans in rough seas that are difficult to study by visual survey methods.

We performed the first known study of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) concentrations and patterns in the blubber and liver of a Hubbs' beaked whale. Samples were pretreated with Supeldean (TM) sulfoxide and Discovery (R) Ag-ION solid phase extraction cartridges to remove whale oil. PCB concentrations in the blubber and liver were 13,000 and 7300 ng/g lipid, respectively. Highly poisonous congeners such as dioxin-like (DL) PCBs tended to accumulate in the liver. The toxic equivalents (TEQ) of DL-PCBs in the liver (740 pg-TEQ/g lipid) were higher than those in the blubber (74 pg-TEQ/g lipid). The blubber and liver samples showed that hexachlorinated biphenyls were dominant among homologues, and PCB-153 was dominant among congeners. Several congeners accumulated disproportionately in the blubber and the liver (PCB-28, 52, 74, 99, and 118), while others did not persist (PCB-31, 70, and 110). This indicates that PCBs are metabolized differently according to their specific composition. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Understanding the distribution of animals is of paramount importance for management and conservation, especially for species that are impacted by anthropogenic threats. In the case of marine mammals there has been a growing concern about the impact of human-made noise, in particular for beaked whales and other deep diving odontocetes. Foraging (measured via echolocation clicks at depth) was studied for Cuvier’s beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris ), sperm whale ( Physeter macrocephalus ), long-finned pilot whales ( Globicephala melas ) and Risso’s dolphin ( Grampus griseus ) using three passive acoustics recorders moored to the bottom of the ocean in a canyon area in the Ligurian Sea between July and December 2011. A Generalized Linear Model was used to test whether foraging was influenced by location and day of the year, including the possibility of interactions between predictors. Contrary to previous studies conducted by visual surveys in this area, all species were detected at all locations, suggesting habitat overlapping. However, significant differences were found in the occurrence of each species at different locations. Beaked and sperm whales foraged significantly more in the northern and western locations, while long-finned pilot whales and Risso’s dolphins hunted more in the northern and eastern location.

Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM), particularly autonomous platforms, offers many advantages in monitoring phonating deep-diving marine mammals in oceanic environment. Relevant data can be obtained day and night continuously over long durations and in any weather conditions. It provides a cost-efficient solution with greater detection ranges when compared to traditional large research vessel and aerial visual surveys requiring keeping expert observers on station for long periods of time and relying on good visibility and calm seas. Therefore, PAM is becoming a preferred tool to assess population dynamics trends and health of deep-water marine mammal stocks. However the large volumes of collected data require robust automatic detection and classification algorithms to identify marine mammals in recordings. As for beaked whales, one of the challenging automatic processing goals is the identification of different species to advance our understanding of their role in the marine ecosystem. At present, traditional detection and classification methods employ searches for acoustic events above a user-defined signal-to-noise ratio threshold in the frequency band of interest and further rely on an experienced operator's manual inspection for species classification and removal of false positives. Current passive monitoring data collection systems yield large volumes of acoustic data, therefore a manual classification approach becomes very time-consuming and impractical. This paper focuses on developing a multi-stage automatic classifier for beaked whale species. The proposed method utilizes unsupervised machine clustering of signal attributes extracted from potential detection events flagged by an energy-band detector. The proposed algorithm was benchmarked against a manually annotated workshop dataset and applied to acoustic data collected in the northern Gulf of Mexico. The algorithm classifies beaked whale species in automatic mode with minimal operator involvement only at the validation stage. When compared with the manually annotated classification dataset, the proposed method achieved a recall rate of 82.8% for Cuvier's and 77.9% for Gervais' species in automatic mode. New insights on habitat use by different species of beaked whales in the Gulf of Mexico were gained when using the species-specific classifier. The high spatial resolution acoustic monitoring results showed that the habitat preferences of two dominating beaked whale species in the Gulf of Mexico support the habitat division (ecological niche) hypothesis.

Several species of deep-diving odontocetes, including beaked whales, sperm whales and pilot whales, are associated with steep continental slope habitat in the northeast Atlantic, where they feed on cephalopods and meso-bathypelagic fish. Some species such as sperm whales are listed as vulnerable by the IUCN red list, whilst many beaked whale species are listed as data deficient, therefore, understanding their habitat is key for their successful conservation. A six-day survey was carried out in November 2017 to characterise the habitat of deep-diving odontocete species in this region by sampling multiple aspects of the ecosystem, from oceanographic features through to prey and predator distributions. Sampling of odontocete occurrence was carried out using both visual and acoustic surveys, supported by ten stations that sampled conductivity, temperature, fluorescence and zooplankton; at five of these stations, fish and cephalopod communities were also sampled during dusk and dawn to a maximum depth of 356 m. Results showed that temperature, salinity, and fluorescence were stable throughout the study area. Zooplankton were dominated by copepods, fish were dominated by myctophids, whilst cephalopods were dominated by Todarodes sagittatus and two Histioteuthis spp. Pilot whales, sperm whales and Sowerby's beaked whales were detected both acoustically and visually, along with other delphinids in large numbers, providing evidence that the study covered rich foraging habitat for these species, especially along the 1000 m–2000 m deep continental slope.

When mammals strand, they present a unique opportunity to obtain insights into their ecology. In May 2013, three True's beaked whales (two adult females and a female calf) stranded on the north and west coasts of Ireland and the contents of their stomachs and intestines were analysed for anthropogenic debris. A method for identifying microplastics ingested by larger marine organisms was developed. Microplastics were identified throughout the digestive tract of the single whale that was examined for the presence of microplastics. The two adult females had macroplastic items in their stomachs. Food remains recovered from the adult whales consisted of mesopelagic fish (Benthosema glaciale, Nansenia spp., Chauliodius sloani) and cephalopods, although trophic transfer has been discussed, it was not possible to ascertain whether prey were the source of microplastics. This is the first study to directly identify microplastics

In this paper we present the concentrations of Hg, Cd, Se, Pb, Cu, Mn, Zn and Fe in organs of 6 non-common specimens of cetaceans that were stranded along the Israeli Mediterranean coast (IMC), during 2002–2010: two fin whales, one minke whale, one Cuvier’s beaked whale, one rough-toothed dolphin, and one Risso’s dolphin. Most of the specimens were calves stranded by accident. Concentrations of Hg and Cd were low in tissues of the baleen whales and higher in the toothed whales, with maximum concentrations of 1067 mg kg−1 Hg in the liver of the Risso’s dolphin and 29 mg kg−1 Cd in the kidney of the Cuvier’s beaked whale. As far as we are aware, this is the first report of trace elements in baleen whales in the Eastern Mediterranean, and the first report of trace elements in minke whale and rough-toothed dolphin in the Mediterranean.

The potential impacts of naval sonar on cetaceans has led to a series of court cases and statements of concern by international organizations. However, there has been no research conducted on attitudes of the general public with respect to this issue. To investigate this, a preliminary public survey was conducted in Fairfax, Virginia (the Washington, DC Metro region). The majority of the public sampled believed that naval sonar impacted marine mammals (51.3%), that the US Navy should not be exempt from environmental regulations in time of peace (75.2%), and that sonar use should be moderated if it impacts cetaceans (75.8%). Individuals who were conservative, Republican, and have served in the military were more likely to believe the Navy should be exempt from marine mammal protection regulations. In addition, expert interviews were conducted to gain opinions on the potential ramifications of the recent US Supreme Court case on naval sonar mitigation.

Recent observations of cetacean mass strandings, coincident with anthropogenic sounds emissions, have raised concerns on the potential environmental impact of underwater noise. Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris) was reported in all the cited stranding events. Within the NATO Marine Mammal Risk Mitigation project (MMRM), multiple interdisciplinary sea trials have been conducted in the Mediterranean Sea with the objective of developing tools and procedures to mitigate the impact of underwater sound emissions. During these cruises, visual observations, passive acoustic detections and environmental data were collected. The aim of this study was to evaluate ‘‘a priori’’ predictions of Cuvier’s beaked whale presence in the Alboran Sea, using models developed in the Ligurian Sea that employ bathymetric and chlorophyll features as predictors. The accuracy of these predictions was found adequate and elements are given to account for the uncertainties associated to the use of models developed in areas different from their calibration site.

Beaked whales (Ziphiidae) often show highly specialized features, involving bone morphology or structure, in the rostral region of their skulls. Previous studies revealed an extremely derived and peculiar histological structure in the rostrum of the extant Mesoplodon densirostris. In order to assess if this structure is a general feature of ziphiids, the swollen premaxillae of Aporotus recurvirostris, a Miocene species from the North Sea, were studied histologically. These bones are pachyostotic and strongly osteosclerotic. However, their structural organization is entirely different from that of M. densirostris rostrum: they are basically made of a non-remodeled, laminar tissue that was cyclically deposited by the periosteum. As compared to the generalized structure of the premaxillae of toothed whales exemplified by the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, the pachyostotic condition of Aporotus premaxillae was obviously due to a particularly high and sustained growth-rate, occurring in a dorso-lateral direction. The osteosclerotic structure of these bones resulted from a complete lack of inner resorption activity. The histological features of Aporotus premaxillae indicate that these bones are not likely to have been hypermineralized, and thus, their physical properties must have differed from those of the M. densirostris rostrum. The possible functional involvements of rostral peculiarities in beaked whales are discussed with reference to the whole set of available comparative data.

Due to recent advances in passive acoustic monitoring techniques, beaked whales are now more effectively detected acoustically than visually during vessel-based (e.g. line-transect) surveys. Beaked whales signals can be discriminated from those of other cetaceans by the unique characteristics of their echolocation clicks (e.g. duration >175 μs, center frequencies between 30 and 40 kHz, inter-click intervals between 0.2 and 0.4 s and frequency upsweeps). Furthermore, these same characteristics make these signals ideal candidates for testing automated detection and classification algorithms. There are several different beaked whale automated detectors currently available for use. However, no comparative analysis of detectors exists. Therefore, comparison between studies and datasets is difficult. The purpose of this study was to test, validate, and compare algorithms for detection of beaked whales in acoustic line-transect survey data. Six different detection algorithms (XBAT, Ishmael, PAMGUARD, ERMA, GMM and FMCD) were evaluated and compared. Detection trials were run on three sample days of towed-hydrophone array recordings collected by NOAA Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) during which were confirmed visual sightings of beaked whales ( Ziphius cavirostris and Mesoplodon peruvianus ). Detections also were compared to human verified acoustic detections for a subset of these data. In order to measure the probabilities of false detection, each detector was also run on three sample recordings containing clicks from another species: Risso’s dolphin ( Grampus griseus ). Qualitative and quantitative comparisons and the detection performance of the different algorithms are discussed.

Remote sensing of beaked whale vocalizations poses significant problems due to limited communications bandwidths. Many beaked whales vocalize (click) at frequencies up to 50 kHz Hence high bandwidth sampling (typically 100+ kHz) and processing is required in order to detect the clicks, but transmitting the data from a remote sensor using a low-bandwidth (4800 baud) satellite link results in a real-time bottleneck. Even if auto-detection algorithms were used on the remote sensor, some data would need to be relayed to a human operator to verify the classification. Hence, the ability to compress the data in a manner that does not impede the ability to detect and classify the transient signal is required. Typical audio compression techniques have a maximum sampling rate of 48 kHz which is too low to collect beaked whale clicks and still obey the Nyquist criterion. In addition, audio compression algorithms also have a psycho-acoustic model that aids in the compression of the signal but distorts the audio signal. This paper presents a compression algorithm that uses a non-linear modelling technique called fast orthogonal search (FOS) to create a functional expansion of the acoustic data. The candidate functions used in the functional expansion are transient signals that model Cuvier’s beaked whale ( Ziphius cavirostris ) clicks as well as sinusoidal functions for modelling whale songs. A compression ratio of 93 is achieved by transmitting candidate identification numbers and weights for only the candidate functions that are chosen by the FOS algorithm. The acoustic signal is recreated using the weights and candidate numbers transmitted. The reconstructed time series is used as an input to a band-limited energy detector for whale vocalizations. The raw data and the reconstructed data have comparable probability of detection and missed detections, with fewer false alarms for the reconstructed signal.

The physical habitat of cetaceans occurring along the continental slope in the western Ligurian Sea was investigated. Data were collected from two different sighting platforms, one of the two being a whale-watching boat. Surveys, conducted from May to October and from 1996 to 2000, covered an area of approximately 3000 km 2 with a mean effort of about 10,000 km year −1 . A total of 814 sightings was reported, including all the species occurring in the area: Stenella coeruleoalba, Balaenoptera physalus, Physeter macrocephalus, Globicephala melas, Grampus griseus, Ziphius cavirostris, Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis. A Geographic Information System was used to integrate sighting data to a set of environmental characteristics, which included bottom gradient, area between different isobaths, and length and linearity of the isobaths within a cell unit. Habitat use was analysed by means of a multi-dimensional scaling, MDS, analysis. Significant differences were found in the habitat preference of most of the species regularly occurring in the area. Bottlenose dolphin, Risso's dolphin, sperm whale and Cuvier's beaked whale were found strongly associated to well-defined depth and slope gradient characteristics of the shelf-edge and the upper and lower slope. The hypothesis of habitat segregation was considered for Risso's dolphin, sperm whale and Cuvier's beaked whale. Canonical discriminant functions using depth and slope as predictors outlined clear and not overlapping habitat preferences for Risso's dolphin and Cuvier's beaked whale, whereas a partial overlapping of the habitat of the other two species was observed for sperm whale. Such a partitioning of the upper and lower slope area may be the result of the common feeding habits and suggests a possible competition of these three species. A temporal segregation in the use of the slope area was also observed for sperm whales and Risso's dolphins. Fin whales, and the occasionally encountered common dolphin and long-finned pilot whales showed a generic preference for the pelagic area. In contrast, striped dolphins were generically found in any type of physical habitat, in agreement with their known opportunistic feeding habits. Interannual and seasonal movements were observed in fin whales and in all the other regularly occurring species, indicating that changes in the environmental and climatological conditions have a remarkable influence on habitat use. Finally, a relationship between group size and habitat use was observed for the species known to forage in groups. This relationship suggests that these species respond to environmental variability either by moving within the study area or by behavioural changes that may reflect changes in the preference for prey items.

After a synthesis on some recent data on the biology of bone tissues senso lato, this paper focuses on the limits of known variability of bone regarding its amount of mineralisation (maximal and minimal) and on the underlying control mechanisms. Two models of hypermineralised bones are reviewed among cetaceans: the rostrum of the ‘beaked whale’ Mesoplodon and the tympanic bulla of the dolphin Delphinus . In the first case, hypermineralisation is reached lately through an ultrastructural specialization of the secondary osteons. In the second case, hypermineralisation starts at once, during foetal life, through a specialization of the primary osteons. In both cases, ultrastructural peculiarities of collagen fibrillogenesis are demonstrated. Diameter and spacing of the fibrils leave an exceptional empty space available for mineral deposition. Conversely, hypomineralisation is observed on the model of the Teleost scale. The basal plate of the scale is made of a regular ‘biological plywood’ of densely packed collageneous fibres. The mineral is laid down mostly in the interfibrillary spaces. All such tissue modulations seem to be rigorously controlled by details of the osteoblast biosynthetic activities. In a given situation, osteoblasts may express only a subset of molecules from their potential complete biosynthetic repertoire. The debate now centres on how osteoblasts acquire positional information to express this subset. To cite this article: L. Zylberberg, C. R. Palevol 3 (2004) .

The northeastern section of the Alboran Sea is currently under consideration as a Special Area for Conservation under the European Union's Habitat Directive. Within this framework, the present study focuses on the distribution of cetaceans in this area and is part of the Spanish Ministry of the Environment's “Program for the Identification of Areas of Special Interest for the Conservation of Cetaceans in the Spanish Mediterranean”. Shipboard visual surveys were conducted in 1992 and from 1995 to 2001 in the north-eastern Alboran Sea, covering 14,409 km. A total of 1,134 sightings of cetaceans were made. From the data collected, the distribution of seven species of odontocete was examined with respect to two physiographic variables, water depth and slope. Analyses of χ 2 and fitting of GLMs demonstrated significant differences in distribution for all species, mainly with respect to depth. Kruskal–Wallis tests, factor analysis and discriminant function analysis showed that the species could be classified in two major groups, shallow-waters (short-beaked common dolphin and bottlenose dolphin) and deep-waters (striped dolphin, Risso's dolphin, long-finned pilot whale, sperm whale and beaked whale), respectively. Preferred habitats in terms of water depth were areas deeper than 600 m for the deep-water group, and the shallower ranges from shore to 400 m for the other. The distribution of cetaceans was further matched with that of their most common prey in order to establish which habitats could be considered important for their feeding. The resulting analysis highlighted two areas in the region as important habitats for the conservation of the most vulnerable species in the Mediterranean, the bottlenose and the common dolphin.

Two contrasting results emerge from comparisons of the social systems of several odontocetes with terrestrial mammals. Researchers have identified remarkable convergence in prominent features of the social systems of odontocetes such as the sperm whale and bottlenose dolphin with a few well-known terrestrial mammals such as the elephant and chimpanzee. In contrast, studies on killer whales and Baird's beaked whale reveal novel social solutions to aquatic living. The combination of convergent and novel features in odontocete social systems promise a more general understanding of the ecological determinants of social systems in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats, as well as the relationship between relative brain size and social evolution.

1. 1. Blood samples were obtained from an adult female Hubbs' beaked whale and her fetus. 2. 2. Two major hemoglobins were demonstrated by cellulose acetate electrophoresis and were purified by ion exchange chromatography from each specimen. 3. 3. The relative amounts of these components were different in the adult and fetus. 4. 4. Both of these hemoglobins have a higher affinity for oxygen than normal human hemoglobin. 5. 5. Maternal and fetal hemoglobins were separated and the N-terminal amino acid of each of these hemoglobins was found to be valine. 6. 6. Tryptic peptide separation and amino acid analyses of the purified polypeptide chains indicated that the hemoglobins of the fetal sample were identical to those of the maternal.

Two hundred ml of milk were obtained from a lactating Stejneger's beaked whale stranded at Ninilchik, Alaska on 21 Oct, 1980. Total solids (41%) were similar to values reported for sperm and belukha whales, while fat (17%) was half as great and crude protein (17%) was 2-4 times greater than in milk of these species. Lactose was not detected. Calcium (0.22%) was greater than reported for pigmy sperm whales but less than for blue whales. Phosphorus (0.07%) was less than for any of the above species. Sodium and potassium concentrations were 0.13% and 0.11%, respectively. Values (microgram/g) for other elements analyzed (magnesium, 42; iron, 35; copper, 2.6; zinc, 1.5; manganese, 0.3; selenium, 0.36) have not been reported for whale milk. Based on SDS-gel electropherograms, this whale milk did not contain a whey protein corresponding to cattle milk alpha-lactalbumin. A blue-green pigment in the milk was identified as biliverdin.