scholarly journals A Preliminary Comparison on Faecal Microbiomes of Free-Ranging Large Baleen (Balaenoptera musculus, B. physalus, B. borealis) and Toothed (Physeter macrocephalus) Whales

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanie P. Glaeser ◽  
Liliana M. R. Silva ◽  
Rui Prieto ◽  
Mónica A. Silva ◽  
Angel Franco ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Large Mammals ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
The Family ◽  
High Contribution ◽  
Phylogenetic Composition ◽  
Free Ranging

AbstractLarge baleen and toothed whales play crucial ecological roles in oceans; nonetheless, very little is known about their intestinal microbiomes. Based on striking differences in natural history and thus in feeding behaviours, it can be expected that intestinal microbiomes of large baleen whales and toothed whales are different. To test this hypothesis, the phylogenetic composition of faecal microbiomes was investigated by a 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequence–based approach for Bacteria and Archaea. Faecal samples from free-ranging large whales collected off the Azores Archipelago (Portugal) were used, comprising 13 individual baleen whales (one sei, two blue and ten fin whales) and four sperm whales. The phylogenetic composition of the Bacteria faecal microbiomes of baleen and toothed whales showed no significant differences at the phylum level. However, significant differences were detected at the family and genus levels. Most abundant phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Tenericutes and Spirochaeta. Few highly abundant bacterial genera were identified as key taxa with a high contribution to differences among baleen and toothed whales microbiomes. Only few archaeal sequences were detected, primarily Methanomassiliicoccales representing potential methanogenic Archaea. This is the first study that directly compares the faecal bacterial and archaeal microbiomes of free-ranging baleen and toothed whales which represent the two parvorders of Cetacea which members are fully aquatic large mammals which were evolutionary split millions of years ago.

scholarly journals Wild whale faecal samples as a proxy of anthropogenic impact

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Marianna Marangi ◽  
Sabina Airoldi ◽  
Luciano Beneduce ◽  
Claudio Zaccone
Keyword(s):  
Heavy Metals ◽  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Limit Of Detection ◽  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Anthropogenic Activity ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
Fin Whales ◽  
Free Ranging

AbstractThe occurrence of protozoan parasite, bacterial communities, organic pollutants and heavy metals was investigated in free-ranging species of fin (Balaenoptera physalus, n. 2) and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus, n. 2) whales from the Pelagos Sanctuary, Corsican-Ligurian Provencal Basin (Northern-Western Mediterranean Sea). Out of four faecal samples investigated, two from fin whales and one from sperm whale were found positive to Blastocystis sp. A higher number of sequences related to Synergistetes and Spirochaetae were found in sperm whales if compared with fin whales. Moreover, As, Co and Hg were found exclusively in sperm whale faecal samples, while Pb was found only in fin whale faecal samples. The concentration of both PAH and PCB was always below the limit of detection. This is the first report in which the presence of these opportunistic pathogens, bacteria and chemical pollutants have been investigated in faecal samples of free-ranging whale species and the first record of Blastocystis in fin and sperm whales. Thus, this study may provide baseline data on new anthropozoonotic parasite, bacterial records and heavy metals in free-ranging fin and sperm whales, probably as a result of an increasing anthropogenic activity. This survey calls for more integrated research to perform regular monitoring programs supported by national and/or international authorities responsible for preservation of these still vulnerable and threatened whale species in the Mediterranean Sea.

scholarly journals Severity Scoring of Behavioral Responses of Sperm Whales (Physeter macrocephalus) to Novel Continuous versus Conventional Pulsed Active Sonar

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 444
Author(s):  
Charlotte Curé ◽  
Saana Isojunno ◽  
Marije L. Siemensma ◽  
Paul J. Wensveen ◽  
Célia Buisson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Behavioral Responses ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Vital Rates ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Experimental Conditions ◽  
Active Sonar ◽  
Lower Amplitude ◽  
Pilot Whales ◽  
New Generation ◽  
Free Ranging

Controlled exposure experiments (CEEs) have demonstrated that naval pulsed active sonar (PAS) can induce costly behavioral responses in cetaceans similar to antipredator responses. New generation continuous active sonars (CAS) emit lower amplitude levels but more continuous signals. We conducted CEEs with PAS, CAS and no-sonar control on free-ranging sperm whales in Norway. Two panels blind to experimental conditions concurrently inspected acoustic-and-movement-tag data and visual observations of tagged whales and used an established severity scale (0–9) to assign scores to putative responses. Only half of the exposures elicited a response, indicating overall low responsiveness in sperm whales. Responding whales (10 of 12) showed more, and more severe responses to sonar compared to no-sonar. Moreover, the probability of response increased when whales were previously exposed to presence of predatory and/or competing killer or long-finned pilot whales. Various behavioral change types occurred over a broad range of severities (1–6) during CAS and PAS. When combining all behavioral types, the proportion of responses to CAS was significantly higher than no-sonar but not different from PAS. Responses potentially impacting vital rates i.e., with severity ≥4, were initiated at received cumulative sound exposure levels (dB re 1 μPa2 s) of 137–177 during CAS and 143–181 during PAS.

Occurrence of anthropozoonotic parasitic infections and faecal microbes in free-ranging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) from the Mediterranean Sea

2018 ◽  
Vol 117 (8) ◽  
pp. 2531-2541 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Hermosilla ◽  
J. Hirzmann ◽  
L. M. R. Silva ◽  
J. M. Brotons ◽  
M. Cerdà ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Sea ◽  
Parasitic Infections ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
The Mediterranean ◽  
Free Ranging

Global mercury and selenium concentrations in skin from free-ranging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)

2013 ◽  
Vol 450-451 ◽  
pp. 59-71 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura C. Savery ◽  
David C. Evers ◽  
Sandra S. Wise ◽  
Carolyne Falank ◽  
James Wise ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Free Ranging

scholarly journals Comparison of human gut microbial profiles of matched faecal and biopsy samples from healthy individuals using culture dependent and independent methods

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (7A) ◽  
Author(s):  
Indrani Mukhopadhya ◽  
Jenny Martin ◽  
Sophie Shaw ◽  
Irini Lazou Ahrén ◽  
Niklas Larsson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gut Microbiota ◽  
Healthy Volunteers ◽  
Distance Matrix ◽  
Gastrointestinal Diseases ◽  
Rrna Gene ◽  
Sequence Variant ◽  
Principal Coordinates Analysis ◽  
Principal Coordinates ◽  
Faecal Samples ◽  
The Family

Faecal samples have often been used to characterise the gut microbiota in health and disease. There is significant debate whether faecal bacterial communities accurately reflect the mucosa associated bacterial populations, which are considered critical in the aetiopathogenesis of several gastrointestinal diseases. We simultaneously assessed faecal and mucosal microbiota from healthy volunteers to unravel the degree of concordance between the two profiles. Paired fresh rectal biopsies and faecal samples were obtained from ten healthy volunteers and processed under stringent anaerobic conditions. Composition and diversity of the microbiota were studied using next generation sequencing targeting the 16S ribosomal nucleic acid (rRNA) gene and culturomics. Bacterial richness and diversity were comparable between mucosal and faecal samples with no significant statistical differences. The relative abundance of Oxalobacteraceae, Propionibacteriaceae, Campylobacteraceae and Corynebacteriaceae were significantly increased (Corncob analysis; FDR=0.00027, 0.000046, 0.011 and 0.025 respectively) in biopsy compared to faecal samples at the family level. Conversely, there was increased abundance from the family Ruminococcaceae and Clostridiaceae (Corncob analysis; FDR=0.025 and 0.025 respectively) in faecal samples. Principal Coordinates Analysis of a Bray Curtis distance matrix generated from sequence variant tables did not show distinct clustering of biopsy and faecal samples (PERMANOVA; p=0.991). A total of 528 bacteria were isolated from a subset of 6 volunteer samples (biopsy and faeces) out of which there were 97 unique and 39 novel species identified. Our study showed good concordance between faecal and gut mucosal microbial profile, corroborating that faecal samples can act as a convenient surrogate to study gut microbiota.

Global assessment of cadmium concentrations in the skin of free-ranging sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus)

2015 ◽  
Vol 178 ◽  
pp. 136-144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura C. Savery ◽  
Tânia Li Chen ◽  
James T.F. Wise ◽  
Sandra S. Wise ◽  
Christy Gianios ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Global Assessment ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Free Ranging

scholarly journals The diet of sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) in southern Australian waters

2004 ◽  
Vol 61 (8) ◽  
pp. 1313-1329 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen Evans ◽  
Mark A. Hindell
Keyword(s):  
Species Composition ◽  
Diet Composition ◽  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Individual Variability ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Foraging Success ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Cephalopod Species ◽  
The Social ◽  
The Family

Abstract Stomach contents were collected from 36 sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) involved in two mass stranding events during February 1998 along the west coastline of Tasmania, Australia. Contents were dominated by oceanic cephalopods, with a total of 101 883 cephalopod beaks representing 48 species from 14 families of Teuthids, two species from two families of Octopods, and a single Vampyromorph species identified. Species diversity was higher in these animals than other sperm whales studied in the southern hemisphere, with samples containing an average of (±s.d.) 28.4 ± 11.1 species per sample. Diet samples were dominated by subtropical and muscular cephalopod species. Members of the family Histioteuthidae were the most important numerically, and were also important in terms of estimated reconstituted mass, although members of the Onychoteuthidae were the most dominant species in samples in terms of estimated reconstituted mass. Other families numerically important to species composition included the cranchiid, lepidoteuthid, onychoteuthid, and pholidoteuthid families, while the architeuthid, pholidoteuthid, and ommastrephid families were also important in terms of reconstituted mass. Cephalopod species composition varied with stranding site and with sex, but not with age. However, differences did not represent systemic variation with groups marked by high individual variability. Lower rostral lengths of all cephalopod species ranged from 1.3 to 40.7 mm. Calculated dorsal mantle lengths from all species ranged from 10.7 to 2640.7 mm (mean ± s.d. = 233.7 ± 215.7 mm) and estimated wet weights of cephalopod prey ranged from 2.7 to 110 233.1 g (mean ± s.d. = 828.3 ± 3073.6 g). While there were differences in the size of some cephalopod species between stranding sites and with age, this was marked by high individual variability. Differences in diet composition and prey size between sperm whales reflect individual variability in foraging success and perhaps also foraging groups related to the social structure of this species.

Size and growth of heart, liver, and kidneys in North Atlantic fin (Balaenoptera physalus), sei (B. borealis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales

1985 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 1402-1409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Donald F. McAlpine
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Previous Analysis ◽  
Sperm Whale ◽  
Distinct Pattern ◽  
Physeter Macrocephalus ◽  
Sperm Whales ◽  
Balaenoptera Physalus ◽  
Baleen Whales ◽  
Terrestrial Mammals ◽  
Heart Size

Size and growth of heart, liver, and kidneys in fin (Balaenoptera physalus), sei (B. borealis), and sperm (Physeter macrocephalus) whales taken commercially off Iceland during the 1980 season are compared and examined relative to organ weights for terrestrial mammals. In agreement with the work of previous investigators, the sperm whale is shown to have a relatively smaller heart. However, contrary to previous analysis, fin and sei whales are shown to have relative heart sizes not radically different from those of terrestrial mammals. It is suggested that the differences in relative heart size between the baleen and toothed whales are a reflection of the greater swimming speeds that the baleen whales are capable of attaining. This analysis confirms that marine cetaceans have relatively much larger livers than terrestrial mammals and that they also appear to have relatively larger kidneys. The results presented here, however, show fin, sei, and sperm whales to have relative kidney sizes less than half as great as those given in previous analyses. Growth gradients in the three organs show a distinct pattern of divergence between sperm (Odontocete) and fin and sei (Mysticete) whales.

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