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Cetacean and sea turtle sightings in Gabon

Dataset homepage

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 2022-05-20.

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

  1. NA

Additional info

marine, harvested by iOBIS

Taxonomic Coverages

Scientific names are based on the Integrated Taxonomic Information System (ITIS).
  1. Stenella frontalis
    common name: Atlantic Spotted Dolphin rank: species
  2. Balaenoptera
    common name: baleen whales rank: genus
  3. Tursiops truncatus
    common name: Common Bottlenose Dolphin rank: species
  4. Balaenoptera brydei
    common name: Bryde's whale rank: species
  5. Stenella clymene
    common name: Clymene Dolphin rank: species
  6. Delphinus
    common name: common dolphins rank: genus
  7. Delphinidae
    common name: dolphins rank: family
  8. Megaptera novaeangliae
    common name: Humpback Whale rank: species
  9. Peponocephala electra
    common name: Melon-headed Whale rank: species
  10. Mesoplodon
    common name: beaked whales rank: genus
  11. Lepidochelys olivacea
    common name: Olive Ridley rank: species
  12. Orcinus orca
    common name: Killer Whale rank: species
  13. Stenella attenuata
    common name: Pantropical Spotted Dolphin rank: species
  14. Grampus griseus
    common name: Risso's Dolphin rank: species
  15. Steno bredanensis
    common name: Rough-toothed Dolphin rank: species
  16. Globicephala macrorhynchus
    common name: Short-finned Pilot Whale rank: species
  17. Physeter macrocephalus
    common name: Sperm Whale rank: species
  18. Cheloniidae
    common name: Sea Turtles rank: family
  19. Delphinidae
    common name: dolphins rank: family
  20. 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
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