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Atypical coloration in a specimen of estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, on the littoral of the state of Rio Grande do Norte, north-east Brazil

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 February 2009

L.F. Nascimento ,
L.H.P. Spinelli ,
E. Santos Jr ,
R.E.M. Queiroz ,
K.C.A. Pansard ,
P.I.A.P. Medeiros ,
M.A. Gondim ,
A.H. Jesus ,
F.J.L. Silva  and
E.M. Yamamoto
L.F. Nascimento*
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
L.H.P. Spinelli
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
E. Santos Jr
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
R.E.M. Queiroz
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
K.C.A. Pansard
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
P.I.A.P. Medeiros
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
M.A. Gondim
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
A.H. Jesus
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
F.J.L. Silva
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
E.M. Yamamoto
Affiliation:
Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: L.F. Nascimento, Projeto Pequenos Cetáceos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), Departamento de Fisiologia, Centro de Biociências, Campus Universitário, s/n CEP: 59078-970, Caixa Postal: 1511, Natal/RN, Brasil email: tkdelphinus@yahoo.com.br
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Abstract

The coloration pattern of the estuarine dolphin, Sotalia guianensis, does not display variations in its distribution and the colour grey, as its common name suggests, is predominant. On the coast of the state of Rio Grande do Norte a dolphin was sighted with atypical coloration in relation to animals from that region. After observing its morphological characteristics, it was verified that the animal was a white specimen of S. guianensis. Although photographic recordings were made, the reddish coloration of the eye cannot be confirmed, a characteristic that would identify the animal as an albino dolphin. Despite not being very frequent, cases of coloration anomalies such as albinism have been previously recorded in 20 species of cetaceans. However, there have been no cases recorded for the estuarine dolphin.

Keywords

atypical colorationestuarine dolphinSotalia guianensisnorth-east Brazil
Type
Research Article
Information
Marine Biodiversity Records , Volume 1 , January 2008 , e89
Copyright
Copyright © Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom 2007

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References

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