A live-stranding of a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene, Gray, 1850) in the Gulf of Venezuela: first record for the southern Caribbean

Authors

  • Yurasi Alejandra Briceño Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research
  • Sonsireé Ramírez Instituto para la Conservación de la Cuenca del Lago de Maracaibo (ICLAM)
  • Jaime Bolaños-Jimenez Asociación Civil Sea Vida
  • Leonardo Sánchez Instituto Venezolano de Investigaciones Científicas
  • Luis Bermúdez-Villapol Dirección Estadal del Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Ecosocialismo (MINEC)
  • Manuel González Ofcina Nacional de Diversidad Biológica (ONDB), Ministerio del Poder Popular para el Ecosocialismo (MINEC)
  • Enrique Narvaez Instituto para la Conservación de la Cuenca del Lago de Maracaibo (ICLAM)
  • Jim Hernández Laboratorio de Piscicultura, Universidad del Zulia
  • Daría Pirela Instituto para la Conservación de la Cuenca del Lago de Maracaibo (ICLAM)

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5597.00260

Keywords:

Strandings, Distribution, Stenella clymene, Morphological identification

Abstract

Clymene dolphin, Stenella clymene, is currently classified as “Least concern” on the UICN Red List. It is distributed in tropical and temperate waters of the Atlantic Ocean, including the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, but its occurrence is majority documented in the Gulf of Mexico, Atlantic coast of the United States and the Brazilian coast. This is the first record of the presence of Clymene dolphin in Venezuela and in Southern Caribbean Sea, an individual live-stranded in the mouth of Lake Maracaibo, in the western Gulf of Venezuela, that died few hours later of event at stranding site. The macroscopic external examination and a necropsy were conducted, revealed no wounds or lacerations produced by anthropogenic interaction. Respiratory failure due to stranding was determined as the cause of death of the animal, but the causes of the stranding could not be determined. The individual was identify as a female adult of Clymene dolphin considering the body coloration pattern, morphological measurements and tooth counts. This event confirms the importance and scientific value of stranding records by providing relevant biological and ecological data contributing to the characterization of the species.

 

Author Biography

Yurasi Alejandra Briceño, Venezuelan Institute for Scientific Research

PhD candidate in Ecology

References

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Published

2020-08-04

How to Cite

Briceño, Y. A., Ramírez, S., Bolaños-Jimenez, J., Sánchez, L., Bermúdez-Villapol, L., González, M., Narvaez, E., Hernández, J., & Pirela, D. (2020). A live-stranding of a Clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene, Gray, 1850) in the Gulf of Venezuela: first record for the southern Caribbean. Latin American Journal of Aquatic Mammals, 15(1), 33-36. https://doi.org/10.5597.00260

Issue

Vol. 15 No. 1 (2020)

Section

Short Communications

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