Dolphins and porpoises of West Africa: a review of records (Cetacea: Delphinidae, Phocoenidae)

Abstract

A review indicates that nineteen species of dolphins and porpoises (cetacean families Delphinidae and Phocoenidae) occur in West African waters (from the Strait of Gibraltar to the Congo River). In addition, two other cold temperate species reach their southern limit at the northern border of the area. For each species, distribution records in West African waters are reviewed. A key to dolphins and porpoises of West Africa, based on external appearance, is presented to aid in identification.Resume. -Une recherche bibliographique a permis de denombrer dix-neuf especes de dauphins et marsouins (Cetaces : Delphinidae et Phocoenidae) dans les eaux de l'Afrique de lOuest (dcpuis le Detroit de Gibraltar jusqu'au fleuve Congo). De plus, deux especes vivant dans des eaux froides et temperees atteignent leur limite sud de repartition ä la frontiere nord de cette zone. La distribution de chaque espece en Afrique de 1'Ouest est passee en revue. Une cle d'identification des dauphins et marsouins de l'Afrique de 1'Ouest, basee sur la morphologic externe, est proposee en vue de faciliter la determination.

Species occurrence of cetaceans in Guinea, including humpback whales with southern hemisphere seasonality

“…As inshore T. truncatus are a target of a live-capture fishery in Guinea-Bissau managers are reminded that offshore form T. truncatus may also occur, and in much larger groups, which could result in abundance over-estimates if populations are not clearly distinguished during surveys. Little is known on the status of S. frontalis off western Africa, except that it is widely distributed in the region and validated records exist for the Canary Islands, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, Benin and Equatorial Guinea (Jefferson et al, 1997;Van Waerebeek et al, 2000;.…”

“…have been reported from most coastal countries in Western Africa (e.g. Cadenat, 1959;Jefferson et al, 1997;Van Waerebeek, 1997;Van Waerebeek et al, 2000;Weir, 2010). Cadenat (1959, Hammond & Lockyer (1988) reported an offshore O. orca sighting (their record 81) off Guinea at 108N 198W.…”

“…The context 2 strongly suggests that Cadenat (1957) himself did not lend much credibility to the Guinea report. Jefferson et al (1997) also called it a questionable record.…”

“…A few cetacean sightings in Tormosov et al (1980), although possibly relevant for Guinean waters, lack coordinates and, plotted as large symbols on a small-scale map of Africa, do not allow reliable interpretation. Jefferson et al (1997) cited and considered Guinea as a possible range state for five small cetaceans based on the literature, as reviewed below.…”

Population structure and historical demography of eastern North Atlantic harbour porpoises inferred through mtDNA sequences

“…There are only a few records from North Africa (Jefferson et al 1997), so it is unknown whether there is an Table 1 actual gap in the distribution between Portugal and Africa. However, some studies suggest that porpoises occur continuously from the Gambia/Senegal across the Straits of Gibraltar (see Gaskin 1984, Donovan & Bjørge 1995, Jefferson et al 1997.…”