@article{,

title = {New Determination of Prey and Parasite Species for Northern Indian Ocean Blue Whales},

author = {de Vos,Asha,Faux,Cassandra E.,Marthick,James,Dickinson,Joanne,Jarman,Simon N.},

url = {https://www.frontiersin.org/article/10.3389/fmars.2018.00104},

issn = {2296-7745},

year  = {2018},

date = {2018-01-01},

journal = {Frontiers in Marine Science},

volume = {5},

number = {84},

abstract = {Blue whales are little studied, face significant anthropogenic threats and within the Northern Indian Ocean, have a restricted range, making them an archetype for conservation needs of megafauna around the world. We studied feeding behaviour of blue whales using dietary DNA metabarcoding of faecal samples. While globally blue whale populations feed predominantly on Euphausiidae, 87 % of prey DNA amplicons extracted from faecal samples from this population were sergestid shrimp, demonstrating that blue whales can locate and feed on dense swarms of other types of prey when they occur. Within the Indian Ocean sergestids are present within the top 300 m, which correlates with the deep scattering layer observed by hydroacoustics. Studies suggest that this requirement to dive deeper in search of prey likely explains the prevalence of fluke up diving within this population of blue whales relative to other parts of the globe. Furthermore, this study revealed the presence of acanthocephalan endoparasites within the stomach and intestines of the Northern Indian Ocean blue whales. This represents the first record of Acanthocephala in blue whales in the Northern Indian Ocean and highlights the need for further studies on both the ecto- and endoparasitic flora and monitoring of health of these cetaceans for their management and conservation.},

keywords = {Acanthocephala, Arabian Sea, balaenoptera musculus, behaviour, blue whales, DNA metabarcoding,Sri Lanka,Blue whales,feeding,Northern Indian Ocean,faeces,Sergestid,Euphausiidae,Acanthocephala,shrimp,krill,behaviour, euphasids, Faeces, fecal analysis, feeding, Krill, Northern Indian Ocean, parasites, prey, Sergestid shrimp, shrimp, Sri Lanka},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Coastal upwellings and Mesoscale Eddies of the Western Arabian Sea: Some Biological Implications},

author = {Piontkovski, S. A.,Al Jufaili, S.},

year  = {2013},

date = {2013-01-01},

journal = {International Journal of Oceans and Oceanography},

volume = {7},

number = {430},

pages = {93-115},

abstract = {Satellite derived (SeaWIFS, MODIS, TOPEX/Poseidon, and Jason)

chlorophyll-a concentration, sea surface heights, sea surface temperature, data

on vertical profiles of temperature and salinity from the ARGO drifting floats,

wind speed, the Dipole Mode Index, and historical data on sardine landings

were employed, to analyze physical-biological coupling in the western

Arabian Sea which is known for its vigorous eddy field affecting

characteristics of biological productivity. Summer and winter monsoons

impose different modes of mesoscale variability. In summer, the East Arabian

Current along with the currents of the Arabian Sea interior generates a dense

field of eddies, where as in winter, eddies become less developed and less

numerous. Therefore, the chlorophyll distribution is more heterogeneous

spatially and more variable temporally during summer monsoon. Interannual

changes of eddy field bear footprints of the impact of basin-scale atmospheric

anomaly (the Indian Ocean Dipole). Spatial-temporal characteristics of the

eddy field are valuable tools in understanding seasonal and interannual

fluctuations of sardine landings contributing ~ 50% to the fishery in the

region},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, Fisheries, Mesopelagic boundary community, oceanography, Oman, prey},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Stomach contents of small cetaceans stranded along the Sea of Oman and Arabian Sea coasts of the Sultanate of Oman},

author = {Ponnampalam,Louisa S.,Collins,Tim J.Q.,Minton,Gianna,Schulz,Isabelle,Gray,Howard,Ormond,Rupert F. G.,Baldwin,Robert M.},

url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0025315411002104},

issn = {0025-3154},

year  = {2012},

date = {2012-01-01},

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

volume = {92},

number = {436},

pages = {1699-1710},

abstract = {This study examined the stomach contents of 11 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.), five Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and two spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) that were found stranded along the Omani coastline. Across the three species examined, a total of 4796 fish otoliths and 214 cephalopod beaks were found, representing at least 33 species in 22 families. Prey item importance was calculated using the percentage by number and percentage by frequency of occurrence methods, and a modified index of relative importance. The fish families Apogonidae, Carangidae and Scombridae were the most numerically important prey of the bottlenose dolphins. Sciaenidae was the most numerically important fish family for the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. The myctophid Benthosema pterotum formed the majority of the prey items of spinner dolphins. Cephalopod remains found in the stomach samples were represented by the families Sepiidae, Loliginidae and Onychoteuthidae. The known depth distribution of prey items of bottlenose dolphins indicated that the animals fed in a wide variety of habitats. Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin prey items indicated feeding in shallow coastal areas. Spinner dolphins appear to have exploited the upper 200 m of the water column for food, where their vertically migrating mesopelagic prey are found at night. Most prey species found in the stomach contents do not appear to be of current commercial importance in Oman. However, the findings here indicated that all three species of dolphins were feeding in areas where artisanal and/or commercial fishing occurs and has conservation implications.},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, diet, Fisheries, Gulf of Oman, habitat partitioning, Oman, prey, stomach contents},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Feeding ecology of small cetaceans in the Sultanate of Oman},

author = {Ponnampalam,L.,Collins,T.J.Q.,Minton,G.,Baldwin,R},

year  = {2007},

date = {2007-01-01},

journal = {Poster presented at the 17th meeting of the Society for Marine Mammals in Cape Town},

number = {433},

abstract = {Beach surveys were conducted along the coast of Oman between 2000 and 2006 to locate and examine cetacean remains. This study examines the stomach contents of 11 bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops sp.), 5 Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and 2 spinner dolphins (Stenella longirostris) that were found beach-cast along the Omani coastline. Across the three species examined, a total of 4796 fish otoliths and 214 cephalopod beaks were found, representing 36 species in 23 families. No crustacean remains were found. Prey item importance was calculated using the percentage by number (%N), and percentage by frequency of occurrence (%FO) methods, and a modified index of relative importance (IRI). Percentage similarity was also calculated to examine interspecific and intraspecific dietary overlap. All three species of dolphins examined here ate mainly fish. The fish families Apogonidae and Carangidae were the most numerically important prey in the diet of bottlenose dolphins. Sciaenidae was the most numerically important fish family for humpback dolphins. Mesopelagic fishes comprised the diet of spinner dolphins, with the myctophid Benthosema pterotum forming the bulk of the prey items. The cephalopod preys found in the stomach samples were represented by the families Sepiidae, Loliginidae and Onychoteuthidae. The frequency distribution of prey items indicate that the bottlenose dolphins fed in a wide variety of habitats, and may reflect the occurrence of at least two species or ecotypes of Tursiops in Oman. The humpback dolphin prey items indicate feeding in coastal, nearshore areas with soft substrate. Spinner dolphins appeared to feed in the upper 200m of the water column on nocturnal vertically migrating prey. Although most of the prey species do not appear to be of commercial importance, the findings of this study indicated that all three species of dolphins were feeding in areas where fishing occurs and this is likely to have conservation implications. },

keywords = {bottlenose dolphin, bottlenose dolphins, cephalopod, cetacean, cetaceans, conservation, diet, Distribution, dolphin, dolphins, ecology, feeding, feeding ecology, fish, habitat, humpback dolphins, occurrence, Oman, prey, Spinner dolphin, Stenella longirostris, stomach contents, survey, tursiops},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

@article{,

title = {Microbial community dynamics and taxon-specific phytoplankton production in the Arabian Sea during the 1995 monsoon seasons},

author = {Brown,S.L.,Landry,M.R.,Christensen,S.,Garrison,D.,Gowing,M.M.,Bidigare,R.R.,Campbell,L.},

year  = {2002},

date = {2002-01-01},

journal = {Deep-Sea Research Part II},

volume = {49},

number = {57},

pages = {2345-2376},

abstract = {As part of the US JGOFS Arabian Sea Process Study in 1995, we investigated temporal and spatial patterns in microbial dynamics and production during the late Southwest (SW) Monsoon (August-September 1995) and the early Northeast (NE) Monsoon (November-December 1995) seasons using the seawater-dilution technique. Experiments were coupled with population assessments from high-performance liquid chromatography, flow cytometry, and microscopy to estimate further taxon-specific phytoplankton growth, grazing and production. Dilution estimates of total primary production varied substantially, from 7 to 423 mg Cl-1 d-1, and were generally in good agreement with rate estimates from 14C-uptake incubations. Both primary production and secondary bacterial production were, on average, 2.5xhigher during the SW Monsoon than the NE Monsoon. Relative to the total community, photosynthetic prokaryotes contributed 23% and 53% of production during the SW and NE Monsoons, respectively. Prochlorococcus spp. production was well balanced by grazing losses, while >50% of Synechococcus spp. production during the SW Monsoon appeared to escape grazing by protists. Diatoms comprised >30% of primary production at a high biomass station during the SW Monsoon but <30% at all stations during the NE Monsoon. Growth rates of Synechococcus spp. and diatoms appeared to be limited by inorganic nitrogen concentrations, while Prochlorococcus spp., dinoflagellates and Phaeocystis spp. were not. Losses to protistan grazing were strongly correlated with phytoplankton biomass and production. Despite sufficient prey levels, protistan biomass was modest and constant across the region during both seasons. Of the larger taxa, diatoms were grazed the least effectively with only 50% of daily production accounted for by protistan grazing. Combined estimates of protistan and mesozooplankton grazing at upwelling stations during the SW Monsoon leave ~10% of primary production unaccounted for and available for sinking and/or lateral advection. Similarly high rates of net production at northern coastal stations during the NE Monsoon suggest that this area also may contribute to regional export flux},

keywords = {Arabian Sea, assessment, growth, population, prey, Upwelling},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}