scholarly journals Arbovirus of Marine Mammals: a New Alphavirus Isolated from the Elephant Seal Louse, Lepidophthirus macrorhini

2001 ◽  
Vol 75 (9) ◽  
pp. 4103-4109 ◽  
Author(s):  
May La Linn ◽  
Joy Gardner ◽  
David Warrilow ◽  
Grant A. Darnell ◽  
Clive R. McMahon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Neutralizing Antibodies ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Serological Evidence ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Virus Sequence

ABSTRACT A novel alphavirus was isolated from the louse Lepidophthirus macrorhini, collected from southern elephant seals,Mirounga leonina, on Macquarie Island, Australia. The virus displayed classic alphavirus ultrastructure and appeared to be serologically different from known Australasian alphaviruses. Nearly all Macquarie Island elephant seals tested had neutralizing antibodies against the virus, but no virus-associated pathology has been identified. Antarctic Division personnel who have worked extensively with elephant seals showed no serological evidence of exposure to the virus. Sequence analysis illustrated that the southern elephant seal (SES) virus segregates with the Semliki Forest group of Australasian alphaviruses. Phylogenetic analysis of known alphaviruses suggests that alphaviruses might be grouped according to their enzootic vertebrate host class. The SES virus represents the first arbovirus of marine mammals and illustrates that alphaviruses can inhabit Antarctica and that alphaviruses can be transmitted by lice.

Age in relation to Breeding to Status of the Male Southern Elephant Seal, Mirounga leonina (L.), at Macquarie Island

1981 ◽  
Vol 8 (2) ◽  
pp. 327 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Jones
Keyword(s):  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Progressive Increase ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Breeding Seasons ◽  
Breeding Status

Records of the breeding status of known-age male southern elephant seals at Macquarie I. were kept during five breeding seasons between 1969 and 1976. The seven status categories used were: beachmaster, secure assistant, medium harem owner, insecure assistant, small harem owner, attending bachelor, avoiding bachelor. There was a progressive increase in breeding status with age; none younger than 10-y-old bred: 16% of 10-y-olds, 30% of 11-y-olds and 55% of 12-y-olds did so; none younger than 12-y-old attained secure assistant status. At the earliest, beachmaster status may be attained at 14 y old, but no beachmasters of known age were recorded. Due to mortality and competition, most males do not breed and few breed for more than two seasons. Problems associated with the precise definition of status categories are discussed.

scholarly journals Dispersal of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) from Davis Base, Antarctica: Combining population genetics and tracking data

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michelle Chua ◽  
Simon Ho ◽  
Clive McMahon ◽  
Ian Jonsen ◽  
Mark de Bruyn
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Diversity ◽  
Marine Environment ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Tracking Data ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Long Distance ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

Marine animals such as the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) rely on a productive marine environment and are vulnerable to oceanic changes that can affect their reproduction and survival rates. Davis Base, Antarctica, acts as a moulting site for southern elephant seals that forage in Prydz Bay, but the genetic diversity and natal source populations of these seals has not been characterized. Determining the genetic diversity of moulting populations like this one provides essential information on seal dispersal, inter-population mixing, and foraging behaviours. In this study, we combined genetic and animal tracking data on these moulting seals to identify levels of genetic diversity, natal source population, and movement behaviours during foraging and haul-out periods. Using mitochondrial sequence data, we identified two major breeding lineages of seals at Davis Base. We found that the majority of the seals originated from breeding stocks within the South Atlantic Ocean and South Indian Ocean. One seal was grouped with the Macquarie Island breeding stock (South Pacific Ocean). The Macquarie Island population, unlike the other two stocks, is decreasing in size. Tracking data revealed long-distance foraging activity of the Macquarie Island seal around Crozet Islands. We speculate that changes to the Antarctic marine environment have resulted in a shift in foraging and dispersal strategies, which subsequently affects seal population growth rates. These findings have implications for conservation management plans aimed at improving the population status of the southern elephant seal.

Physiological implications of continuous, prolonged, and deep dives of the southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina)

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (2) ◽  
pp. 370-379 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark A. Hindell ◽  
David J. Slip ◽  
Harry R. Burton ◽  
Michael M. Bryden
Keyword(s):  
Resting Metabolic Rate ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Adult Males ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Physiological Mechanisms ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Aerobic Dive Limit ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Extended Surface

The diving behaviour of 14 adult southern elephant seals was investigated using time depth recorders. Each of the seals performed some dives that were longer than its theoretical aerobic dive limit. Forty-four percent of all dives made by post-moult females exceeded the calculated limit compared with 7% of those made by postbreeding females and less than 1% of those made by adult males. The extended dives displayed characteristics that suggested that they were predominantly foraging dives, although some were apparently rest dives. Dives longer than the calculated aerobic limits often occurred in bouts; the longest consisted of 63 consecutive dives and lasted 2 days. Postmoult females performed longer bouts of extended dives than postbreeding females. Extended surface periods (longer than 30 min) were not related to the occurrence of extended dives or bouts of extended dives. The possible physiological mechanisms that permit such prolonged continuous dives are discussed. Southern elephant seals may increase the aerobic capacity of dives by lowering their metabolism to approximately 40% of the resting metabolic rate on long dives. There is substantial interseal variability in the methods used to cope with long dives. Some animals appear to use physiological strategies that allow them to prolong the time available to them at the bottom of a dive, while others use alternative strategies that may limit the time available at the bottom of their dives.

Branding Elephant Seals for life-history studies

Polar Record ◽  
1967 ◽  
Vol 13 (85) ◽  
pp. 447-449 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan E. Ingham
Keyword(s):  
Ecological Study ◽  
Individual Recognition ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Heard Island ◽  
Antarctic Research

In 1949 the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions (ANARE) began a long-term ecological study of the Southern Elephant Seal (Mirounga leonina) at HeardIsland. The biologists devised a method of branding seals for individual recognition (Chittleborough and Ealey, 1953) which has been modified only in detail since then (Carrick and Ingham, 1962a). At Heard Island, pups were branded every year until 1953, but the study here came to an end with the closing of the ANARE station in 1955. At Macquarie Island, pups have been branded every year from 1951 to 1965, giving a sample of individuals of known age and known history.

Indications of contagious behaviours in the southern elephant seal: an observational study

Behaviour ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 156 (1) ◽  
pp. 59-77 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Wojczulanis-Jakubas ◽  
J. Plenzler ◽  
D. Jakubas
Keyword(s):  
Observational Study ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Marine Mammals ◽  
Social Groups ◽  
Group Living ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
The Social ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

Abstract Behavioural contagion is a curious phenomenon of human social life which is believed to facilitate group living. It has also been demonstrated in animals that some behaviours may be contagious: how widespread this phenomenon is remains unclear, as only a few species have been tested. In this context, we examined whether three behaviours commonly exhibited by moulting southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): “sneezing”, scratching and yawning could be contagious. Using the randomization approach, we found this to be the case in general for all the behaviours, although the pattern was not that obvious or present at all for all the social groups. This indicates there is a potential for social contagion but the issue is complex. Despite limitations associated with observational study on small-size social groups, this is the first report of contagious behaviours in marine mammals and is to encourage further investigation.

scholarly journals Movement responses to environment: fast inference of variation among southern elephant seals with a mixed effects model

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. D. Jonsen ◽  
C. R. McMahon ◽  
T. A. Patterson ◽  
M. Auger-Méthé ◽  
R. Harcourt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sea Ice ◽  
Movement Patterns ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Mixed Effects ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Movement Model ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

AbstractLike many species, movement patterns of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) are being influenced by long-term environmental change. These seals migrate up to 4000 km from their breeding colonies, foraging for months in a variety of Southern Ocean habitats. Understanding how movement patterns vary with environmental features and how these relationships differ among individuals employing different foraging strategies can provide insight into foraging performance at a population level. We apply new fast-estimation tools to fit mixed effects within a random walk movement model, rapidly inferring among-individual variability in southern elephant seal environment-movement relationships. We found that seals making foraging trips to the sea-ice on or near the Antarctic continental shelf consistently reduced speed and directionality (move persistence) with increasing sea ice coverage and had variable responses to chlorophyll a concentration, whereas seals that foraged pelagically reduced move persistence in regions where circumpolar deep water shoaled. Given future climate scenarios, pelagic foragers may encounter more productive habitat but sea-ice foragers may see reduced habitat availability. Our approach is scalable to large telemetry data sets and allows flexible combinations of mixed effects to be evaluated via model selection, thereby illuminating the ecological context of animal movements that underlie habitat use.

Cephalopod diet of the southern elephant seal, Mirounga leonina, at King George Island, South Shetland Islands

2000 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
G.A. Daneri ◽  
A.R. Carlini ◽  
P.G.K. Rodhouse
Keyword(s):  
Stomach Contents ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
South Shetland Islands ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
King George Island ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Shetland Islands ◽  
Important Prey ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

In the summer of 1995/96, 25 southern elephant seals, Mirounga leonina, were stomach lavaged at Stranger Point, King George Island, South Shetland Islands. Cephalopod remains were present in 72% of the individuals sampled (n = 18). Seven species of squid and three of octopus were identified. The squid Psychroteuthis glacialis was the most important prey in terms of numbers (77%), biomass (80.8%) and frequency of occurrence (94.4%). Next in importance in terms of mass was the squid Alluroteuthis antarcticus (7.8%) in the diet of females and the octopodid Pareledone ?charcoti in the diet of males (13.2%). Females preyed on a wider variety of squid taxa than males (7 vs 3) but octopodids occurred only in stomach contents from males. The predominance of P. glacialis in the prey of the South Shetland Islands elephant seals can be explained by the southerly location of the foraging areas of this population compared to South Georgia, Heard and Macquarie islands, where the diet of southern elephant seals has previously been analysed. Psychroteuthis glacialis is the predominant squid in waters close to the Antarctic continent.

Ultrasonic Measurement of Blubber Thickness of the Southern Elephant Seal, Mirounga-Leonina (Linn)

1987 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 207 ◽  
Author(s):  
NJ Gales ◽  
HR Burton
Keyword(s):  
Subcutaneous Fat ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Ultrasonic Measurement ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Non Invasive ◽  
Fat Reserves ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

Ultrasound measurements of subcutaneous fat at 18 body sites on each of 23 southern elephant seals Mirounga leonina (Linn.), together with circumference and length measurements, were used to estimate the total subcutaneous blubber weight on each animal. Twelve cows (including animals that were pregnant and others at early, mid-, late and post-lactation), 10 males and one male pup were anaesthetised for these measurements, made at Heard I. (53�01'S.,73�23'E.) on various dates in October and November 1985. Comparison of the estimates of blubber weight from cows at various stages of lactation allowed a mean blubber loss of 62.8 kg per cow per lactation to be calculated. It is suggested that measuring variations in the subcutaneous fat reserves of cows coming ashore to pup at Heard I. may be one relevant approach in any future research that attempts to explain the 60% drop in pup production at that island between 1949 and 1985. The use of ultrasound to estimate the subcutaneous fat reserves of seals was shown to be a safe, non-invasive and logistically practical technique.

Human disturbance, nursing behaviour, and lactational pup growth in a declining southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina) population

2002 ◽  
Vol 80 (11) ◽  
pp. 1876-1886 ◽  
Author(s):  
Georg H Engelhard ◽  
Antonie N.J Baarspul ◽  
Martijn Broekman ◽  
Jeroen C.S Creuwels ◽  
Peter J.H Reijnders
Keyword(s):  
Human Disturbance ◽  
Population Decline ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Maternal Aggression ◽  
Human Presence ◽  
Macquarie Island ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals ◽  
Pup Growth

We studied lactation behaviour in relation to pup growth in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) at Macquarie Island, and compared harems in areas of high and low human presence to determine if there is an effect attributable to human activities, including scientific research. Pup weaning mass, a known correlate of first–year survival, was positively influenced by suckle bout durations during early and middle lactation and by maternal aggression during late lactation; no other behavioural variables were associated with weaning mass. In the area of high human presence, we observed from a distance the behaviour of mother–pup pairs directly before, during, and after visits to harems by other researchers. Alertness was raised threefold in the presence of people but quickly returned to predisturbance levels after their departure; there were no significant short-term effects on other behavioural variables. In the areas of high and low human presence, we observed the undisturbed behaviour of the seals in the absence of other people. No significant differences in any behavioural variables examined were found, indicating no long-term changes in behaviour resulting from human presence. Human disturbance therefore appears not to have significantly contributed to the population decline observed at Macquarie Island, but the conclusion requires caution given the fairly low power of our analyses.

scholarly journals Sex-specific foraging strategies and resource partitioning in the southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina )

2006 ◽  
Vol 273 (1603) ◽  
pp. 2901-2907 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rebecca Lewis ◽  
Tamsin C O'Connell ◽  
Mirtha Lewis ◽  
Claudio Campagna ◽  
A. Rus Hoelzel
Keyword(s):  
Sampling Strategy ◽  
Elephant Seal ◽  
Foraging Strategies ◽  
Southern Elephant Seal ◽  
South American ◽  
Prey Choice ◽  
Mirounga Leonina ◽  
Elephant Seals ◽  
Sea Lions ◽  
Southern Elephant Seals

The evolution of resource specializations is poorly understood, especially in marine systems. The southern elephant seal ( Mirounga leonina ) is the largest of the phocid seals, sexually dimorphic, and thought to prey predominantly on fish and squid. We collected vibrissae from male and female southern elephant seals, and assessed stable C and N isotope ratios along the length of the vibrissae. Given that whiskers grow slowly, this sampling strategy reflects any variation in feeding behaviour over a period of time. We found that isotopic variation among females was relatively small, and that the apparent prey choice and trophic level of females was different from that for males. Further, males showed a very broad range of trophic/prey choice positions, grouped into several clusters, and this included isotopic values too low to match a broad range of potential fish and cephalopod prey tested. One of these clusters overlapped with data for South American sea lions ( Otaria flavescens ), which were measured for comparison. Both male southern elephant seals and southern sea lions forage over the continental shelf, providing the potential for competition. We discuss the possibility that individual southern elephant seals are pursuing specialist foraging strategies to avoid competition, both with one another, and with the South American sea lions that breed nearby.

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