Anomalous Coloration of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins off Southern China

Wenzhi Lin; Shenglan Chen; Ruiqiang Zheng; Agathe Serres; Binshuai Liu; Mingli Lin; Mingming Liu; Songhai Li

doi:10.3390/jmse11020348

Journal of Marine Science and Engineering (Feb 2023)

Anomalous Coloration of Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins off Southern China

Wenzhi Lin,
Shenglan Chen,
Ruiqiang Zheng,
Agathe Serres,
Binshuai Liu,
Mingli Lin,
Mingming Liu,
Songhai Li

Affiliations

Wenzhi Lin: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Shenglan Chen: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Ruiqiang Zheng: China Blue Sustainability Institute, Haikou 570208, China
Agathe Serres: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Binshuai Liu: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Mingli Lin: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Mingming Liu: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China
Songhai Li: Marine Mammal and Marine Bioacoustics Laboratory, Institute of Deep-Sea Science and Engineering, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Sanya 572000, China

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/jmse11020348
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 2
p. 348

Abstract

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The Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin is characterized by a particular ontogenic change in body color from dark gray at birth to pure white (or with a few dark-gray spots) after reaching adulthood. Here, we report a spectrum of anomalous body color patterns observed on Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins off southern China. The occurrence of hypopigmentation and hyperpigmentation was described and compared among six putative dolphin populations. Low rates of anomalies in body color patterns were observed (<1%), except for hypopigmentation, which was prevalent in dolphins residing in the mid-Pearl-River-Delta region (3.3%).

Published in Journal of Marine Science and Engineering

ISSN: 2077-1312 (Online)
Publisher: MDPI AG
Country of publisher: Switzerland
LCC subjects: Naval Science: Naval architecture. Shipbuilding. Marine engineering; Geography. Anthropology. Recreation: Oceanography
Website: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/jmse

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