World‐wide genetic differentiation of <i>Eubalaena</i>: questioning the number of right whale species

Rosenbaum, Howard C.; Brownell, Robert L.; Brown, Moira W.; Schaeff, Catherine M.; Portway, V A; White, Bradley N.; Malik, Sobia; Pastene, Luis A.; Patenaude, Nathalie J.; Baker, C. Scott; Goto, Mutsuo; Best, Peter B.; Clapham, Phillip J.; Hamilton, P. K.; Moore, Michael J.; Payne, Roger; Rowntree, Vicky; Tynan, Cynthia T.; Bannister, John; DeSalle, Rob

doi:10.1046/j.1365-294x.2000.01066.x

Cited by 114 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 40 publications

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“…For example, Rosenbaum et al (2000) examined 292 bp of the control region among the 3 right whale species and found 6 to 7 fixed differences between them. Archer et al (2013) Estimated from data in publication Table 4.…”

Section: Phylogenetic Distinctiveness Of Bryde's Whales In the Gomxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic evidence reveals a unique lineage of Bryde’s whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Rosel¹,

Wilcox²

2014

Endang. Species. Res.

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Bryde's whales Balaenoptera edeni are the only year-round resident baleen whale species in the northern Gulf of Mexico (GOMx). The current population abundance estimate is 33 (CV 1.07) and the population is severely restricted in range. We characterized genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships of these whales to other members of the Bryde's whale complex. We analyzed DNA sequence data from 3 mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and 9 nuclear genes, and examined 42 nuclear microsatellite loci for 21 Bryde's whale samples collected in the GOMx and 2 from the western North Atlantic. mtDNA diversity was extremely low; only 2 haplotypes were found in the first 375 bp of the control region and no variability in cytb or cox1 genes was seen. Twenty-five microsatellite loci were monomorphic, 16 had 2 or 3 alleles, and 1 had 4 alleles. Most nuclear genes exhibited shared alleles across balaenopterid species. Phylogenetic reconstruction using the control region and all published Bryde's whale sequences revealed that GOMx Bryde's whale haplotypes are evolutionarily distinct from other members of the Bryde's whale complex examined to date. Within the first 375 bp of the control region, we found 25−26 fixed differences between GOMx haplotypes and those from sei whales and the 2 recognized Bryde's whale subspecies. The GOMx whales are as divergent as these subspecies and species are from each other. The level of divergence suggests a unique evolutionary trajectory worthy of its own taxonomic standing. The small population size and markedly low genetic diversity raise conservation concern for this unique group of whales. KEY WORDS: Bryde's whale complex · Balaenoptera edeni · Mitochondrial DNA · Control region · CetaceanResale or republication not permitted without written consent of the publisher

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Section: Phylogenetic Distinctiveness Of Bryde's Whales In the Gomxmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic evidence reveals a unique lineage of Bryde’s whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Rosel¹,

Wilcox²

2014

Endang. Species. Res.

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“…Analysis of genetic markers from both mitochondrial (Rosenbaum et al 2000) and nuclear DNA (Gaines et al 2005) indicate that right whales of the North Atlantic and of the Southern Hemisphere are 2 distinct species, Eubalaena glacialis and E. australis respectively. Genetic factors controlling fat storage and/or utilization may affect the observed difference in blubber thickness between the 2 species.…”

Section: North Atlantic Vs South African Right Whale Blubber Thicknessmentioning

confidence: 99%

Blubber thickness in right whales Eubalaena glacialis and Eubalaena australis related with reproduction, life history status and prey abundance

Miller¹,

Reeb²,

Best³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

116

190

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The high variability in reproductive performance of North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis compared to southern right whales Eubalaena australis may reflect differences in lipid reserves. Amplitude-mode ultrasound was used to measure the thickness of right whale integument (epidermis and blubber, herein referred to as blubber thickness) in E. glacialis in the Bay of Fundy, Canada for 5 summer seasons and in E. australis off the South African coast for 2 austral winter seasons. E. glacialis had significantly thinner blubber layers (mean ±1 SD = 12.23 ± 2.16 cm, n = 172) than E. australis (16.13 ± 3.88 cm, n = 117), suggesting differing levels of nutrition between the 2 species. Blubber was thickest in females measured 3 to 6 mo prior to the start of pregnancy (E. glacialis), thinner during lactation (E. glacialis, E. australis) and then thicker with time after weaning (E. glacialis). These results suggest that lipids in blubber are used as energetic support for reproduction in female right whales. Blubber thickness increased in calves during suckling (E. glacialis, E. australis) but subsequently decreased after weaning (E. glacialis). Juvenile and adult male E. glacialis blubber thicknesses were compared between years of differing prey Calanus finmarchicus abundances (data from Pershing et al. 2005; ICES J Mar Sci 62:1511-1523; during a year of low prey abundance whales had significantly thinner blubber than during years of greater prey abundance. Taken together, these results suggest that blubber thickness is indicative of right whale energy balance and that the marked fluctuations in North Atlantic right whale reproduction have a nutritional component.

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“…Eubalaena australis. Diversity of mtDNA control region of southern right whale calving grounds and one migratory corridor from New Zealand (NZ) and Australia compared with other southern right whale populations (Patenaude et al 2007) and the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis (Malik et al 2000, Rosenbaum et al 2000 and bowhead whale Balaena mysticetus (Rooney et al 2001), including the sample size (N), number of mitochondrial control region haplotypes (N h ) and nucleotide (π) and haplotype (h) diversity. NZ subantarctic (NZSA) and mainland NZ (MNZ) were pooled for NZ, New South Wales (NSW) and Victoria (VIC) were pooled for southeast Australia (SEA), and South Australia (SA, migratory corridor) and Western Australia (WA) were pooled for southwest Australia (SWA) ) and G' ST (bottom right quadrant) calculated from microsatellite allele frequencies based on an average sample size of 2 N per locus.…”

Section: Bakhapa C T T C G T T G G T C T T T a G A C C T G C A C T A mentioning

confidence: 99%

Population structure and individual movement of southern right whales around New Zealand and Australia

Carroll¹,

Patenaude²,

Alexander³

et al. 2011

Mar. Ecol. Prog. Ser.

115

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During the last 2 centuries, southern right whales Eubalaena australis were hunted to near extinction, and an estimated 150 000 were killed by pre-industrial whaling in the 19th century and illegal Soviet whaling in the 20th century. Here we focus on the coastal calving grounds of Australia and New Zealand (NZ), where previous work suggests 2 genetically distinct stocks of southern right whales are recovering. Historical migration patterns and spatially variable patterns of recovery suggest each of these stocks are subdivided into 2 stocks: (1) NZ, comprising NZ subantarctic (NZSA) and mainland NZ (MNZ) stocks; and (2) Australia, comprising southwest and southeast stocks. We expand upon previous work to investigate population subdivision by analysing over 1000 samples collected at 6 locations across NZ and Australia, although sample sizes were small from some locations. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region haplotypes (500 bp) and microsatellite genotypes (13 loci) were used to identify 707 individual whales and to test for genetic differentiation. For the first time, we documented the movement of 7 individual whales between the NZSA and MNZ based on the matching of multilocus genotypes. Given the current and historical evidence, we hypothesise that individuals from the NZ subantarctic are slowly recolonising MNZ, where a former calving ground was extirpated. We also suggest that southeast Australian right whales represent a remnant stock, distinct from the southwest Australian stock, based on significant differentiation in mtDNA haplotype frequencies (F ST = 0.15, p < 0.01; Φ ST = 0.12, p = 0.02) and contrasting patterns of recovery. In comparison with significant differences in mtDNA haplotype frequencies found between the 3 proposed stocks (overall F ST = 0.07, Φ ST = 0.12, p < 0.001), we found no significant differentiation in microsatellite loci (overall

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World‐wide genetic differentiation of Eubalaena: questioning the number of right whale species

Cited by 114 publications

References 40 publications

Genetic evidence reveals a unique lineage of Bryde’s whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Genetic evidence reveals a unique lineage of Bryde’s whales in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Blubber thickness in right whales Eubalaena glacialis and Eubalaena australis related with reproduction, life history status and prey abundance

Population structure and individual movement of southern right whales around New Zealand and Australia

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