Guyana dolphin
| Guyana dolphin | ||||||||||||
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Jumping Sotalia in the Orinoco, probably a Guyana dolphin. |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Sotalia guianensis | ||||||||||||
| ( Van Beneden , 1864) |
The Guyana dolphin or coastal sotalia ( Sotalia guianensis , Syn . : Sotalia brasiliensis (Van Beneden, 1875)) lives on the Caribbean and Atlantic coasts of Central and South America between Nicaragua , possibly also Honduras in the north (13 ° N) and the Brazilian Florianópolis and the Abrolhos Archipelago in the south (27 ° S), as well as in Lake Maracaibo . Dolphins from the genus Sotalia , which have been sighted in the lower Orinoco about 300 km upstream from Ciudad Bolívar , could also belong to this species, but this has not yet been confirmed.
features
The Guyana dolphin reaches an average body length of 1.70 meters, the largest scientifically investigated male was 1.87 meters, the largest female 2.06 meters long. The population living in Lake Maracaibo remains smaller. The forehead is clearly rounded by the melon , the beak well set off. Flipper and Fluke are gray on the bottom. The flippers are a maximum of 29 cm long, the fluke 42 cm wide. 30 to 36 teeth are counted per half of the upper jaw. The color of the Guyana Dolphin is gray on the back and a pinkish light gray on the belly. Some specimens show a light gray stripe that extends from the caudal fin base about 10 to 15 cm forwards and downwards.
From its closest relative, the Amazon basin occurring tucuxi ( Sotalia fluviatilis ) the Guiana dolphin with respect to its greater maximum length and four parametric characteristics of the cranial anatomy differs genetically. It is not yet known whether both species are in contact with one another. The only possible place for both species to occur would be the mouth of the Amazon.
Danger
The endangerment of the Guyana dolphin can not currently be stated by the IUCN due to a lack of data (category: data deficient ). It is known that the species is unintentionally caught to a considerable extent as so-called bycatch in fishing nets. Direct catch, for example for food, as bait or for the production of amulets, also seems to occur. In addition, the sea bays and shelf areas preferred by the species are heavily polluted with persistent pollutants.
protection
The species is protected under the Convention for the Conservation of Migratory Wildlife Species ( Bonn Convention , Appendix II). Both Sotalia species are protected under the Washington Convention on the Protection of Species (CITES), Appendix I. This means that trading in individuals of the species and products from it is prohibited. This ban also applies in all member states of the EU.
literature
- S. Caballero, F. Trujillo, JA Vianna, H. Barrios-Garrido, MG Montiel, S. Beltran-Pedreros, M. Marmontel, MC Santos, M. Rossi-Santos, FR Santos, CS Baker: Taxonomic status of the genus Sotalia: species level ranking for “tucuxi” (Sotalia fluviatilis) and “costero” (Sotalia guianensis) dolphins. In: Marine Mammal Science . Volume 23, 2007, pp. 358-386.
Individual evidence
- ^ RG Garri, FA Magalhães, CH Tosi: Meat consumption of Sotalia guianensis by fishing communities and solutions for the species' conservation in Maranhão State, Brazil. (2006). In: Report of the 2nd Mamacocosea meeting and bibliography. Paramaribo, March 2013, pp. 200-207. ( car-spaw-rac.org ( Memento from April 25, 2016 in the Internet Archive ))
- ^ Entry Sotalia guianensis at CMS Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
- ↑ Entry on Speciesplus
Web links
- Sotalia guianensis inthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2014.3. Posted by: Secchi, E, 2009. Retrieved February 4, 2015.