Cetacean and sea turtle sightings in Gabon

Marijke de Boer

doi:10.1017/s0025315410001165

Cetacean and sea turtle sightings in Gabon

Citation

de Boer, M.N. 2010. Cetacean distribution and relative abundance in offshore Gabonese waters. Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom. 90(8): 1613-1621. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0025315410001165 accessed via GBIF.org on 2023-06-07.

Description

Original provider: Marijke de Boer Dataset credits: Marijke N. de Boer Abstract: Information on cetaceans and marine turtles off Gabon in tropical West Africa was collected during boat-based surveys carried out between 7 March and 7 August 2009. Thirteen cetacean species were positively identified comprising two baleen whale species, one sperm whale species and ten species of delphinid. Bryde’s whale (Balaenoptera brydei) and humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) were the most frequently encountered species. Cetaceans were found throughout a range of sea surface temperature between 20.5˚C and 27.5˚C and a wide range of depths with the majority of effort and sightings occurring seaward of the shelf break. Of particular interest from the study were the following: (1) Gabonese waters have a broad cetacean diversity, especially with a large and diversified delphinid community in the northern part of the study area; (2) the variations in oceanographic conditions within Gabonese waters are likely to result in a temporal variation in species composition; (3) the sightings of Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis) are the first at-sea sightings confirmed for these waters, although not unexpected given their distribution and abundant presence in surrounding waters; and (4) the poorly known Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) was sighted on four occasions in deep oceanic waters and was the most abundant cetacean. These are the first confirmed records of Clymene dolphins in Gabonese waters. Purpose: The main purpose of this study was to contribute information on the distribution and relative abundance of cetaceans sighted during a geophysical survey in Gabonese waters and where possible relating the occurrence of different species with oceanographic parameters such as sea surface temperature (SST) and depth.

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to contribute information on the distribution and relative abundance of cetaceans sighted during a geophysical survey in Gabonese waters and where possible relating the occurrence of different species with oceanographic parameters such as sea surface temperature (SST) and depth.

Sampling Description

Study Extent

NA

Sampling

NA

Method steps

NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).

Stenella frontalis
common name: Atlantic Spotted Dolphin rank: species
Balaenoptera
common name: baleen whales rank: genus
Tursiops truncatus
common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
Balaenoptera brydei
common name: Bryde's whale rank: species
Stenella clymene
common name: Clymene Dolphin rank: species
Delphinus
common name: common dolphins rank: genus
Delphinidae
common name: dolphins rank: family
Megaptera novaeangliae
common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
Peponocephala electra
common name: Melon-headed Whale rank: species
Mesoplodon
common name: beaked whales rank: genus
Lepidochelys olivacea
common name: Olive Ridley rank: species
Orcinus orca
common name: Killer Whale rank: species
Stenella attenuata
common name: Pantropical Spotted Dolphin rank: species
Grampus griseus
common name: Risso's Dolphin rank: species
Steno bredanensis
common name: Rough-toothed Dolphin rank: species
Globicephala macrorhynchus
common name: Short-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
Physeter macrocephalus
common name: Sperm Whale rank: species
Cheloniidae
common name: Sea Turtles rank: family
Delphinidae
common name: dolphins rank: family
Cetacea
common name: cetaceans rank: order

Geographic Coverages

Gabon

Bibliographic Citations

Contacts

Marijke de Boer
originator
position: Primary contact
Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen
email: marijkedeboer@hotmail.com

OBIS-SEAMAP
metadata author
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

OBIS-SEAMAP
distributor
Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Duke University
A328 LSRC building
Durham
27708
NC
US
email: seamap-contact@duke.edu
homepage: http://seamap.env.duke.edu

Marijke de Boer
owner
position: Primary contact
Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen
email: marijkedeboer@hotmail.com

Marijke de Boer
administrative point of contact
position: Primary contact
Wageningen Marine Research, University of Wageningen
email: marijkedeboer@hotmail.com