Lobomycosis in Man and Lobomycosis-like Disease in Bottlenose Dolphin, Venezuela

We report 1 case of lobomycosis caused by Lacazia loboi in a fisherman and 1 case of lobomycosis-like disease in a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) along the coast of Venezuela. These findings suggest that the marine environment is a likely habitat for L. loboi and a reservoir for infection

Notes on the confirmation of the Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima Owen, 1866 (Cetacea: Kogiidae) on Venezuelan coasts

The dwarf sperm whale, Kogia sima check for this species in other resources (Owen 1866), (Cetacea: Kogiidae) is distributed in tropical pelagic and temperate waters around the world, nevertheless, it is extremely hard to observe on field due to its habits of swimming deep waters, furthermore it can get easily confused with pygmy sperm whale species. K. breviceps (De Blainville 1828). Most data obtained from both species comes from stranded animals or incidentally caught ones. In the Caribbean and South America the information on these data is poor and scattered and little is known about the basic aspects of the species biology, life history, behaviour and distribution. K. sima had not been considered in the list of cetacean of Venezuelan waters until year 2001. To definitively establish the presence of the species K. sima in the country, four records are described here, based on the study of morphometric and/or craniometrical comparison of specimens or collected samples, a definite presence of dwarf sperm whale for territorial waters is proposed and therefore an extension in the distribution range for the southern Caribbean.La especie cachalote enano Kogia sima check for this species in other resources (Owen, 1866) (Cetacea: Kogiidae), se distribuye en aguas pelágicas tropicales y templadas alrededor del mundo, sin embargo, es sumamente difícil de observar en campo debido a sus hábitos de aguas profundas, además puede ser fácilmente confundible con la especie cachalote pigmeo, K. breviceps (De Blainville, 1828). La mayoría de la data obtenida de ambas especies proviene de animales varados, capturados incidentalmente o de restos de ellos. En Suramérica y el Caribe la información acerca de las mismas es muy pobre y dispersa, conociéndose muy poco acerca de aspectos básicos de su biología, historia de vida, comportamiento y distribución. K. sima no había sido considerada en la lista de cetáceos de las aguas venezolanas hasta el año 2001. Con el objeto de ser establecida definitivamente la especie en el país, se describen cuatro registros, en base al estudio específico de comparación morfométrica y/o craneométrica de los ejemplares o muestras colectados, por lo que se propone la presencia definitiva del cachalote enano en aguas territoriales y por ende una ampliación del rango de distribución para el Caribe Sur

Notes on the presence of Risso's Dolphin, Grampus griseus Cuvier 1812 (Cetacea: Delphinidae), in Venezuelan waters

Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus check for this species in other resources (Cuvier, 1812), is distributed in tropical to temperate waters around the world. Nevertheless, there are few records of it for the Caribbean and it is not considered very common. For Venezuela, southern Caribbean, there were only three previous records for the species. To establish initial patterns of distribution for the species in the country and to contribute to the knowledge of it, several works on cetaceans from the Caribbean region and Venezuela were analyzed in detail, as well as field efforts and strandings developed by Cetaceans Research Center on the eastern basin of the country. Results of data collected and analysis restrict the distribution of the species to Venezuela's northeastern waters, where 20 species of cetaceans have been reported. Records of G. griseus represent only 0.35% of data. The species is distributed in an area covering from the south of La Blanquilla Island to the north of Margarita Island, where their presence might be related with the distribution of its primary prey, cephalopods. Classification is proposed as "Very Low Frequency" for Venezuela and although data are not abundant, they contribute greatly to the knowledge of Risso's dolphin in the region.La especie Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus check for this species in other resources (Cuvier, 1812), se distribuye en aguas tropicales y templadas alrededor del mundo. No obstante, en el Caribe existen pocos registros de la misma considerándose como poco común. Particularmente, en Venezuela, Caribe sur, antes de este trabajo solo tres registros se admitían para la especie. Con la intención de establecer algunas pautas sobre la distribución de la especie en el país y aportes en torno al conocimiento de la misma, se analizaron detalladamente numerosos trabajos sobre cetáceos para la región caribeña y Venezuela, así como los esfuerzos de campo y atención de varamientos desarrollados por el CIC, en la toda la cuenca oriental del país. La data recopilada y analizada restringe la distribución de la especie a las aguas del noreste de Venezuela, donde han sido reportadas 20 especies de cetáceos, representando los registros de G. griseus solo del 0.35 % de la data. La especie se distribuye en una zona que abarca desde el sur de la isla de La Blanquilla hasta el norte de la isla de Margarita, donde la presencia pudiera estar relacionada con sus hábitos de consumo de cefalópodos. Se propone su clasificación como Muy Poco Frecuente para Venezuela, y aún siendo poca la data, se considera de gran aporte para los registros en el Caribe

Notas sobre la presencia del delfín de Risso, Grampus griseus Cuvier 1812 (Cetacea: Delphinidae) en aguas de Venezuela

Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812), is distributed in tropical to temperate waters around the world. Nevertheless, there are few records of it for the Caribbean and it is not considered very common. For Venezuela, southern Caribbean, there were only three previous records for the species. To establish initial patterns of distribution for the species in the country and to contribute to the knowledge of it, several works on cetaceans from the Caribbean region and Venezuela were analyzed in detail, as well as field efforts and strandings developed by Cetaceans Research Center on the eastern basin of the country. Results of data collected and analysis restrict the distribution of the species to Venezuela's northeastern waters, where 20 species of cetaceans have been reported. Records of G. griseus represent only 0.35% of data. The species is distributed in an area covering from the south of La Blanquilla Island to the north of Margarita Island, where their presence might be related with the distribution of its primary prey, cephalopods. Classification is proposed as "Very Low Frequency" for Venezuela and although data are not abundant, they contribute greatly to the knowledge of Risso's dolphin in the region..La especie Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812), se distribuye en aguas tropicales y templadas alrededor del mundo. No obstante, en el Caribe existen pocos registros de la misma considerándose como poco común. Particularmente, en Venezuela, Caribe sur, antes de este trabajo solo tres registros se admitían para la especie. Con la intención de establecer algunas pautas sobre la distribución de la especie en el país y aportes en torno al conocimiento de la misma, se analizaron detalladamente numerosos trabajos sobre cetáceos para la región caribeña y Venezuela, así como los esfuerzos de campo y atención de varamientos desarrollados por el CIC, en la toda la cuenca oriental del país. La data recopilada y analizada restringe la distribución de la especie a las aguas del noreste de Venezuela, donde han sido reportadas 20 especies de cetáceos, representando los registros de G. griseus solo del 0.35 % de la data. La especie se distribuye en una zona que abarca desde el sur de la isla de La Blanquilla hasta el norte de la isla de Margarita, donde la presencia pudiera estar relacionada con sus hábitos de consumo de cefalópodos. Se propone su clasificación como Muy Poco Frecuente para Venezuela, y aún siendo poca la data, se considera de gran aporte para los registros en el Caribe

Avistamientos y detecciones acústicas de detáceos durante un sondeo sísmico en aguas fuera de las costas de Nicaragua y Costa Rica, en Noviembre y Diciembre 2004.

Although the wider Eastern Tropical Pacific has been systematically surveyed during summer/fall, relatively little effort has focused on shelf and slope waters of Nicaragua and Costa Rica. Such data are useful for establishing baseline information and assessing potential changes in cetacean occurrence and distribution relative to natural (e.g., El Niño-Southern Oscillation, climate change) and anthropogenic factors. A visual-acoustic survey for cetaceans occurred as part of a monitoring and mitigation program during an academic geophysical seismic study off Nicaragua and Costa Rica, during November-December 2004. Approximately 2 067 cetaceans representing at least seven species were seen in 75 groups during 373 h (3 416 km) of daytime observations from the seismic research vessel (R/V) Maurice Ewing. The humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) and the pantropical spotted dolphin (Stenella attenuata) were the most frequently sighted species (30 % of all groups sighted); both were seen in shelf waters 100 m deep. In addition, sightings were made of spinner dolphins (S. longirostris), short-beaked common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), Risso's dolphins (Grampus griseus), short-finned pilot whales (Globicephala macrorhynchus), and unidentified dolphins and whales. Unconfirmed sightings of a minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata) and a pod of false killer whales (Pseudorca crassidens) were also recorded. An additional six groups of dolphins (50 % confirmed to species, all pantropical spotted dolphins) were made during 187 h (1 549 km) of observation effort during darkness, two of which were detected within 30 m of the vessel bow using a night vision device. A total of 217 cetacean detections occurred during 633 h of passive acoustic monitoring. A small concentration of 12 humpback whales was seen in eight groups, and two humpbacks were recorded singing in the Gulf of Fonseca on 9 December 2004. To our knowledge, such concentrations of humpback whales, particularly singing humpbacks, have not been previously reported in this specific area. In addition, a humpback mother-calf pair, likely from the Northern Hemisphere population, was seen off Northern Costa Rica on 25 November 2004. Although cetacean sighting rates were significantly different during seismic and non-seismic periods even when corrected for differential detection probability related to sea conditions, our survey results do provide information to address previous data gaps on cetacean occurrence in shelf and slope waters off the Pacific coast of Central America during late fall