Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-ndw9j Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T01:04:13.171Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Etho-ecological study of the Amazon River dolphin, Inia geoffrensis (Cetacea: Iniidae), and the dolphins of the genus Sotalia (Cetacea: Delphinidae) in Guamá River, Amazonia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2012

Gabriel M.A. Dos Santos ,
Adriano C. Quaresma ,
Rafael R. Barata ,
Bruna M.L. Martins ,
Salvatore Siciliano ,
José de Sousa e Silva Jr  and
Renata Emin-Lima
Gabriel M.A. Dos Santos*
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia Programa de Pós-graduação em Zoologia, MPEG/UFPA Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas
Adriano C. Quaresma
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas
Rafael R. Barata
Affiliation:
Universidade Federal do Pará (UFPA), Instituto de Ciências Biológicas
Bruna M.L. Martins
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia
Salvatore Siciliano
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia Escola Nacional de Saúde Pública (ENSP/FIOCRUZ), Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Marinhos da Região dos Lagos (GEMM-LAGOS)
José de Sousa e Silva Jr
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia
Renata Emin-Lima
Affiliation:
Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia Pós-graduação em Saúde Pública e Meio Ambiente, ENSP/FIOCRUZ
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: G.M.A. Dos Santos, Grupo de Estudos de Mamíferos Aquáticos da Amazônia/Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi (GEMAM/MPEG), Coordenação de Zoologia, Setor de Mastozoologia email: [email protected]
Get access

Abstract

The occurrence of dolphins in the Belém area, northern Brazil, has been poorly surveyed. In addition, there has been much speculation on the identity of cetaceans inhabiting these brackish waters. Vantage point observations conducted from September 2008 to October 2010 resulted in the observation of 44 groups of dolphins and 79 individuals. Among these, 56 were Inia geoffrensis (71%) and 23 Sotalia. In addition, 21 boat transects were conducted and recorded 50 individuals in 19 sightings. Among sighted during transects 36 were Sotalia (72%) and 14 were Inia. In both observation methods, Tasco Offshore binoculars were used and size and group composition and behaviour (feeding, resting, socializing, travelling and not identified) were recorded. All the categories of behaviour were recorded for Inia and Sotalia, except resting. The Inia group size ranged from one to four individuals, the solitary ones prevailing (57% in vantage point and 67% in boat surveys). Groups ranging from one to seven Sotalia dolphins were registered, in both observation methods. Boto calves were observed in September 2008 and 2009, and February 2010. In April 2010 two botos were sighted in courtship behaviour. Sotalia calves were found in March, May and December 2009. Botos frequently came closer to the right river margin, often entering the Igarapé do Tucunduba, usually in feeding behaviour. On the other hand, Sotalia was sighted in the main channel, or closer to the left margin, opposite to the observation point. Sotalia were observed in the rainy season, except for three sightings in the dry season.

Keywords

cetaceansecologybehaviournorthern coastBrazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 5 , August 2012 , e23
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Altman, J. (1974) Observational study of behavior: sampling methods. Behaviour 49, 227–267.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Best, R. and Da Silva, V.M.F. (1989) Amazon River dolphin, boto Inia geoffrensis (de Blainville, 1817). In Ridgway, S.H. and Harrison, R.J. (eds) Handbook of marine mammals. London: Academic Press, pp. 1–23.Google Scholar
Best, R. and Da Silva, V.M.F. (1993) Inia geoffrensis. Mammalian Species 426, 1–8.Google Scholar
Caballero, S., Trujillo, F., Vianna, J.A., Barrios-Garrido, H., Montiel, M.G., Beltran-Pedreros, S., Marmontel, M., Santos, M.C.O., Rossi-Santos, M., Santos, F.R. and Baker, C.S. (2007) Taxonomic status of the genus Sotalia: species level ranking for ‘tucuxi’ (Sotalia fluviatilis) and ‘costero’ (Sotalia guianensis) dolphins. Marine Mammal Science 23, 358–386.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cunha, H.A., Da Silva, V.M.F., Lailson-Brito, J. Jr, Santos, M.C.O., Flores, P.A.C., Martin, A.R., Azevedo, A.F., Fragoso, A.B.L., Zanelatto, R.C. and Solé-Cava, A.M. (2005) Riverine and marine ecotypes of Sotalia dolphins are different species. Marine Biology 148, 449–457.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Da Silva, V.M.F. (1983) Ecologia alimentar dos golfinhos da Amazônia. Master's thesis. INPA/UA, Manaus, Amazonas.Google Scholar
Da Silva, V.M.F. and Best, R.C. (1994) Tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853). In Ridgway, S.H. and Harrison, R.J. (eds) Handbook of marine mammals. London: Academic Press, pp. 1–23.Google Scholar
Da Silva, V.M.F. and Best, R.C. (1996) Sotalia fluviatilis. Mammalian Species 527, 1–7.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Domit, C. (2006) Comportamento de pesca do Boto-cinza Sotalia guianensis. Master's thesis. Universidade Federal do Paraná, Curitiba.Google Scholar
Edwards, H.H. and Schnell, G.D. (2001) Status and ecology of Sotalia fluviatilis in the Cayos Miskito Reserve, Nicaragua. Marine Mammal Sience 17, 445–472.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Emin-Lima, N.R., Rodrigues, A.L.F., Costa, A.F., Sousa, M.E.M. and Siciliano, S. (2007) O Boto-vermelho Inia geoffrensis (Blainville, 1817) ocorre na Baía do Marajó, Pará, Brasil. In Abstracts, 10869: XII Congresso Latino-Americano de Ciências do Mar. Florianópolis, SC.Google Scholar
Faustino, C. and Da Silva, V.M.F. (2006) Seasonal use of Amazon floodplains by the tucuxi Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais, 1853), in the Central Amazon, Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 5, 95–104.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flores, P.A.C. and Da Silva, V.M.F. (2009) Tucuxi and Guiana dolphins Sotalia fluviatilis and S. guianensis. In Perrin, W.F., Würsig, B. and Thewissen, J.G.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of marine mammals. 2nd edition. London: Academic Press, pp. 1188–1192.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lodi, L. and Hetzel, B. (1998) Grandes agregações do boto-cinza (Sotalia fluviatilis) na Baía da Ilha Grande, Rio de Janeiro. Oikos 12, 26–30.Google Scholar
Martin, A.R., Da Silva, V.M.F. and Salmon, D.L. (2004) Riverine habitat preferences of botos (Inia geoffrensis) and tucuxis (Sotalia fluviatilis) in the central Amazon. Marine Mammal Science 20, 189–200.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martin, A.R., Da Silva, V.M.F. and Rothery, P. (2008) Object carrying as social–sexual display in an aquatic mammal. Biology Letters, Animal Behavior 4, 1243–2145.Google Scholar
Monteiro, M.D.R., Melo, N.F.A.C., Alves Da Silva, M.A.M. and Paiva, R.S. (2009) Composição e distribuição do microfitoplâncton do rio Guamá no trecho entre Belém e São Miguel do Guamá, Pará, Brasil. Boletim do Museu Paraense Emílio Goeldi. Série Ciências Naturais 4, 341–351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Nechet, D. (1993) Análise da precipitação em Belém-Pará, de 1986 a 1991. Boletim de Geografia Teorítica 23, 100–156.Google Scholar
Podos, J., Da Silva, V.M.F. and Rossi-Santos, M.R. (2002) Vocalizations of Amazon River dolphins, Inia geoffrensis: insights into the evolutionary origins of delphinid whistles. Ethology 108, 601–612.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ramos, J. (2004) Poluição e contaminação da orla de Belém-PA. In Uhly, L. and Souza, E.L. (eds) A questão da água na Grande Belém. Belém, Brazil: Casa de Estudos Germânicos, pp. 121–148Google Scholar
Santos, M.C.O. and Rosso, S. (2007) Ecological aspects of marine tucuxi dolphins (Sotalia guianensis) based on group size in the Cananéia estuary, southeastern Brazil. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals 6, 71–82.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shane, S.H. (1990) Comparison of bottlenose dolphin behavior in Texas and Florida, with a critique of methods of studying dolphin behavior. In Leatherwood, S. and Reeves, R.R. (eds) The bottlenose dolphin. San Diego, CA: Academic Press, pp. 541–558.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Simões-Lopes, P.C. (1988) Ocorrência de uma população de Sotalia fluviatilis (Gervais 1853) (Cetacea, Delphinidae), no limite sul de sua distribuição, Santa Catarina, Brasil. Biotemas 1 57–62.Google Scholar