@article{,

title = {Description and classification of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) whistles recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India},

author = {Bopardikar, Isha,Sutaria, Dipani,Sule, Mihir,Jog, Ketki,Patankar, Vardhan,Klinck, Holger},

url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/mms.12479},

issn = {1748-7692},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Marine Mammal Science},

volume = {34},

number = {3},

pages = {755-776},

abstract = {The Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea), a common cetacean species in India, has a diverse vocal repertoire, which to date has not been described in detail. This study focused on analyzing their whistle vocalizations. Humpback dolphins were recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India, and 2,260 whistles were analyzed for their acoustic characteristics. Whistles spanned a wide frequency range between 2.3 kHz and 33.0 kHz, with durations ranging from 0.01 s to 1.60 s. Whistles were categorized into seven contour classes based on their qualitative properties. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to quantify variability between the seven contour classes using the measured acoustic features. Based on the CART analysis, frequency gradient, minimum slope, maximum slope, beginning and ending slope accounted for most variability between whistle types. CART resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 89.5%. This study provides a detailed description of acoustic features and qualitative properties of humpback dolphin whistles from the northwestern coast of India. Further comparisons of acoustic data from Sousa populations along the Indian coast are necessary to determine possible geographic variations in whistle characteristics and whether the variations are driven by environmental or genetic factors or a combination of both.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, humpback dolphin, India, passive acoustic monitoring, sousa, Sousa plumbea, vocalization, Whistle, whistles},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {The distribution, abundance and group dynamics of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (},

author = {Díaz López, Bruno,Grandcourt, Edwin,Methion, Séverine,Das, Himansu,Bugla, Ibrahim,Al Hameli, Maitha,Al Ameri, Hind,Abdulla, Mohamed,Al Blooshi, Ayesha,Al Dhaheri, Shaikha},

url = {https://www.cambridge.org/core/article/distribution-abundance-and-group-dynamics-of-indian-ocean-humpback-dolphins-sousa-plumbea-in-the-emirate-of-abu-dhabi-uae/9FB6BE811A329C1A0BA57F0BDFC65AB3},

issn = {0025-3154},

year  = {2017},

date = {2017-01-01},

journal = {Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom},

number = {88},

pages = {1-9},

publisher = {Cambridge University Press},

abstract = {The Arabian Gulf is one of the most heavily impacted water bodies raising serious concerns about the conservation status of many marine species. A limited coastal range and near-shore distribution make Indian Ocean humpback dolphins particularly vulnerable to mortality and traumatic injuries from heavy maritime traffic and gill-netting practices. Prior to the present study, no research had focused on the ecology of this species in the Arabian Gulf, despite the potential for human impacts. The mark–recapture method of photo-identification, undertaken during 55 boat-based surveys conducted between 2014 and 2015, was used to assess the occurrence, abundance and use of habitat of this endangered species along the coast of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi (UAE). In all, 368 h and 6703 km of observation were carried out over a period of 5 months, and 54 encounters were made with humpback dolphins. The group size ranged from 1 to 24 individuals and group composition showed that 79% of the observed dolphins were adults. Abundance estimates were calculated and fitted with open population models. A review of all available data indicates that the studied population is the largest reported in the world with 701 (95% CI = 473–845) individuals. While their occurrence within Abu Dhabi near-shore waters is frequent, the survey area appears to be only a part of a much larger home range for this humpback dolphin population. The observation of multiple threats derived from anthropogenic activities increases our concerns regarding the conservation of this important dolphin population.},

keywords = {abundance, Arabian Gulf, coastal environment, conservation, Indian Ocean humpback dolphins, Persian Gulf, photo-identification, sousa},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Can the Indian Ocean Humpback Dolphin (},

author = {Nanayakkara, Ranil P,Kusuminda, Tharaka,Jefferson, Thomas A},

issn = {0167-5427},

year  = {2014},

date = {2014-01-01},

journal = {Aquatic Mammals},

volume = {40},

number = {182},

pages = {398},

abstract = { Until the last few years, the only records of Indian Ocean humpback dolphins (Sousa plumbea) in Sri Lanka were a small number of older stranding records and one unconfirmed sighting, but repeated verified sightings have been made since the early 2000s in the Puttalam Lagoon area of northwestern Sri Lanka. To determine dolphin status and distribution patterns, we conducted monthly surveys of the lagoon from July 2010 to June 2011 and sighted humpback dolphins in the lagoon in every month of the year. Repeated sightings of the same six individuals were made; and in March 2011, one of these humpback dolphins was killed by dynamite fishing. It appears that the population is very small, possibly now consisting only of these five individuals, and is resident in the lagoon. Although it is likely the species was more widespread and abundant in the past, it appears that Puttalam Lagoon may be the only location where this species persists in Sri Lanka at present. Additional research is needed to investigate possible mixing with populations in India, and urgent conservation measures are recommended to ensure the long-term survival of this enigmatic species in Sri Lanka.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, humpback dolphin, Indian Ocean, photo identification, population status, sousa, Sousa plumbea, Sri Lanka, Threat assessment},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Molecular ecology meets remote sensing: environmental drivers to population structure of humpback dolphins in the Western Indian Ocean},

author = {Mendez, M.,Subramaniam, A.,Collins, T.,Minton, G.,Baldwin, R.,Berggren, P.,Sa¨rnblad, A.,Amir, O. A.,Peddemors, V.,Karczmarski, L.,Guissamulo, A.,Rosenbaum, H.C.},

year  = {2011},

date = {2011-01-01},

journal = {Heredity},

number = {404},

pages = {1-13},

abstract = {Genetic analyses of population structure can be placed in

explicit environmental contexts if appropriate environmental

data are available. Here, we use high-coverage and highresolution

oceanographic and genetic sequence data to

assess population structure patterns and their potential

environmental influences for humpback dolphins in the

Western Indian Ocean. We analyzed mitochondrial DNA

data from 94 dolphins from the coasts of South Africa,

Mozambique, Tanzania and Oman, employing frequencybased

and maximum-likelihood algorithms to assess population

structure and migration patterns. The genetic data were

combined with 13 years of remote sensing oceanographic

data of variables known to influence cetacean dispersal and

population structure. Our analyses show strong and highly

significant genetic structure between all putative populations,

except for those in South Africa and Mozambique. Interestingly,

the oceanographic data display marked environmental

heterogeneity between all sampling areas and a degree of

overlap between South Africa and Mozambique. Our

combined analyses therefore suggest the occurrence of

genetically isolated populations of humpback dolphins in

areas that are environmentally distinct. This study highlights

the utility of molecular tools in combination with highresolution

and high-coverage environmental data to address

questions not only pertaining to genetic population structure,

but also to relevant ecological processes in marine species},

keywords = {Genetic differentiation, indopacific humpback dolphin, migration, population structure, remote sensing, sousa, Sousa chinensis},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Molecular identification of delphinids and finless porpoise (Cetacea) from the Arabian Sea and Bay of Bengal},

author = {Jayasankar, P.,Anoop, B.,Vivekanandan, E.,Rajagopalan, M.,Yousuf, K.M.M.,Reynolds, P.,Krishnakumar, P.K.,Kumaran, PL.,Afsal, V.V.,Krishnan, A.A.},

year  = {2008},

date = {2008-01-01},

journal = {Zootaxa},

volume = {1853},

number = {125},

pages = {57-67},

abstract = {The exact number of extant delphinid species from seas around India is still debated and the lack of adequate field keys

and reliable inventory has resulted in misidentification of several species. As a part of a project to develop a molecular

taxonomy of cetaceans from this region, partial sequences of mtDNA cytochrome b were generated from accidentally

caught/stranded delphinids and finless porpoise. Species were identified by phylogenetic reconstruction of sample

sequences with the reference sequences available in portals GenBank (NCBI) and the web-based program DNA Surveillance.

A comparison was made with the homologous sequences of corresponding species from other seas of the world.

Our molecular investigations allowed us to identify five species of cetaceans from Indian coasts, including Delphinus

capensis, previously reported as D. delphis. We detected unique haplotypes in Indo pacific humpbacked dolphin (Sousa

chinensis; n = 2) and finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides; n = 12) from Indian coast. On the other hand, some

haplotypes were shared with other regional populations in spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris; n = 16) and bottlenose

dolphin (Tursiops aduncus; n = 3). Common dolphins (Delphinus capensis; n = 2) had both unique and shared haplotypes

including one highly divergent sequence.},

keywords = {bottlenose dolphin, Common dolphin, D.capensis, DNA, Finless Porpoise, India, Neophocaena phocaenoides, sousa, species identification, Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris, taxonomy, tursiops aduncus},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}