Deep diving by offshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.)

• We used satellite-linked tags to evaluate dive behavior in offshore bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops spp.) near the island of Bermuda. The data provide evidence that bottlenose dolphins commonly perform both long (>272 s) and deep (>199 m) dives, with the deepest and longest dives being to 1,000 m and 826 s (13.8 min), respectively. The data show a relationship between dive duration and dive depth for dives longer than about 272 s. There was a diurnal pattern to dive behavior, with most dives deeper than 50 m being performed at night; deep diving began at sunset and varied throughout the night. We used the cumulative frequency of dive duration to estimate a behavioral aerobic dive limit (bADL) of around 560-666 s (9.3-11.1 min) in adult dolphins in this population. Dives exceeding the bADL spent significantly longer time in the upper-most 50 m following a dive as compared with dives less than the bADL. We conclude that the offshore ecotype off Bermuda, unlike the shallow-diving near-shore bottlenose dolphin, is a deep-diving ecotype, and may provide a useful animal model to study extreme diving behavior and adaptations.

Ämnesord

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Biologi -- Zoologi (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Biological Sciences -- Zoology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

bADL; behavioral aerobic dive limit; cetacean; dive behavior; dive physiology; extreme diving; marine mammal

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