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Smith K, Fielding R, Schiavone K, Hall KR, Reid VS, Boyea D, Smith EL, Schmidlin K, Fontenele RS, Kraberger S, Varsani A. Circular DNA viruses identified in short-finned pilot whale and orca tissue samples. Virology 2021; 559:156-164. [PMID: 33892449 DOI: 10.1016/j.virol.2021.04.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/08/2021] [Revised: 04/10/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
Members of the Delphinidae family are widely distributed across the world's oceans. We used a viral metagenomic approach to identify viruses in orca (Orcinus orca) and short-finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) muscle, kidney, and liver samples from deceased animals. From orca tissue samples (muscle, kidney, and liver), we identified a novel polyomavirus (Polyomaviridae), three cressdnaviruses, and two genomoviruses (Genomoviridae). In the short-finned pilot whale we were able to identify one genomovirus in a kidney sample. The presence of unclassified cressdnavirus within two samples (muscle and kidney) of the same animal supports the possibility these viruses might be widespread within the animal. The orca polyomavirus identified here is the first of its species and is not closely related to the only other dolphin polyomavirus previously discovered. The identification and verification of these viruses expands the current knowledge of viruses that are associated with the Delphinidae family.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kendal Smith
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Russell Fielding
- HTC Honors College, Coastal Carolina University, Conway, SC, 29528, USA.
| | - Kelsie Schiavone
- Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383, USA
| | - Katharine R Hall
- Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, The University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383, USA
| | - Vincent S Reid
- Barrouallie Whaler's Project, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
| | | | - Emma L Smith
- Department of Chemical & Biological Sciences, University of the West Indies-Cave Hill, Barbados
| | - Kara Schmidlin
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Rafaela S Fontenele
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Simona Kraberger
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA
| | - Arvind Varsani
- The Biodesign Center for Fundamental and Applied Microbiomics, Center for Evolution and Medicine, School of Life Sciences, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, 85287, USA; Structural Biology Research Unit, Department of Integrative Biomedical Sciences, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch, 7700, Cape Town, South Africa.
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2
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Amino acid δ15N differences consistent with killer whale ecotypes in the Arctic and Northwest Atlantic. PLoS One 2021; 16:e0249641. [PMID: 33798257 PMCID: PMC8018630 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0249641] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/22/2020] [Accepted: 03/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Ecotypes are groups within a species with different ecological adaptations than their conspecifics. Eastern North Pacific (ENP) killer whale (Orcinus orca) ecotypes differ in their diet, behavior, and morphology, but the same is not known for this species in the eastern Canadian Arctic (ECA) and Northwest Atlantic (NWA). Using compound-specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of amino acids (AAs), we compared δ15N patterns of the primary trophic and source AA pair, glutamic acid/glutamine (Glx) and phenylalanine (Phe), in dentine collagen of (1) sympatric ENP killer whale ecotypes with well-characterized diet differences and (2) ECA/NWA killer whales with unknown diets. δ15NGlx-Phe was significantly higher in the ENP fish-eating (FE) than mammal-eating (ME) ecotype (19.2 ± 0.4‰ vs. 13.5 ± 0.7‰, respectively). Similar bimodal variation in δ15NGlx-Phe indicated analogous dietary divisions among ECA/NWA killer whales, with two killer whales having higher δ15NGlx-Phe (16.5 ± 0.0‰) than the others (13.5 ± 0.6‰). Inferences of dietary divisions between these killer whales were supported by parallel differences in threonine δ15N (–33.5 ± 1.6‰ and –40.4 ± 1.1‰, respectively), given the negative correlation between δ15NThr and TP across a range of marine consumers. CSIA-AA results for ECA/NWA whales, coupled with differences in tooth wear (a correlate for diet), are consistent with ecotype characteristics reported in ENP and other killer whale populations, thus adding to documented ecological divergence in this species worldwide.
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3
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Distributions of Arctic and Northwest Atlantic killer whales inferred from oxygen isotopes. Sci Rep 2021; 11:6739. [PMID: 33762671 PMCID: PMC7990931 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-86272-5] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/21/2020] [Accepted: 03/09/2021] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
Abstract
Killer whales (Orcinus orca) are distributed widely in all oceans, although they are most common in coastal waters of temperate and high-latitude regions. The species' distribution has not been fully described in the northwest Atlantic (NWA), where killer whales move into seasonally ice-free waters of the eastern Canadian Arctic (ECA) and occur year-round off the coast of Newfoundland and Labrador farther south. We measured stable oxygen and carbon isotope ratios in dentine phosphate (δ18OP) and structural carbonate (δ18OSC, δ13CSC) of whole teeth and annual growth layers from killer whales that stranded in the ECA (n = 11) and NWA (n = 7). Source δ18O of marine water (δ18Omarine) at location of origin was estimated from dentine δ18OP values, and then compared with predicted isoscape values to assign individual distributions. Dentine δ18OP values were also assessed against those of other known-origin North Atlantic odontocetes for spatial reference. Most ECA and NWA killer whales had mean δ18OP and estimated δ18Omarine values consistent with 18O-depleted, high-latitude waters north of the Gulf Stream, above which a marked decrease in baseline δ18O values occurs. Several individuals, however, had relatively high values that reflected origins in 18O-enriched, low-latitude waters below this boundary. Within-tooth δ18OSC ranges on the order of 1-2‰ indicated interannual variation in distribution. Different distributions inferred from oxygen isotopes suggest there is not a single killer whale population distributed across the northwest Atlantic, and corroborate dietary and morphological differences of purported ecotypes in the region.
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McCormack MA, Fielding R, Kiszka JJ, Paz V, Jackson BP, Bergfelt DR, Dutton J. Mercury and selenium concentrations, and selenium:mercury molar ratios in small cetaceans taken off St. Vincent, West Indies. ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2020; 181:108908. [PMID: 31759648 DOI: 10.1016/j.envres.2019.108908] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/27/2019] [Revised: 11/06/2019] [Accepted: 11/07/2019] [Indexed: 06/10/2023]
Abstract
This study measured the concentration of total mercury (THg) and selenium (Se), and calculated the Se:Hg molar ratios in the muscle, blubber, liver, and kidney of small cetaceans (false killer whale, Pseudorca crassidens; killer whale, Orcinus orca; Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus; short-finned pilot whale, Globicephala macrorhynchus; and dolphins of the genus Stenella) taken for human consumption off St. Vincent, West Indies. Overall, 122 samples were analyzed; mean THg concentrations (μg/g dry weight) were highest in the liver (730), followed by the kidney (274), muscle (76.4), and blubber (4.57). To explain variability in muscle THg concentrations, carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope ratios were analyzed to explore differences in dietary carbon source and relative trophic position, respectively, among species. There was no relationship between δ15N and THg concentration, but there was a positive relationship between δ13C and THg concentration. On average for each species, the Se:Hg molar ratios were >1 in blubber and <1 in muscle. All liver samples and the majority of kidney, muscle, and blubber samples exceeded the FAO/WHO human consumption advisory level of 1 μg/g wet weight. Based on our estimations, consuming only 6.6 g of muscle a week would exceed the MeHg provisional tolerable weekly intake of 1.6 μg MeHg/kg body weight/week for a 60 kg person. Given the high THg concentration in these cetaceans and the frequency at which these tissues are consumed, this is a potential human health issue that warrants further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Meaghan A McCormack
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
| | - Russell Fielding
- Department of Earth and Environmental Systems, University of the South, Sewanee, TN, 37383, USA.
| | - Jeremy J Kiszka
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Coastal Oceans Research, Institute of Water and the Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA.
| | - Valeria Paz
- Department of Biological Sciences, Center for Coastal Oceans Research, Institute of Water and the Environment, Florida International University, North Miami, FL, 33181, USA.
| | - Brian P Jackson
- Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, NH, 03755, USA.
| | - Don R Bergfelt
- Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine, Basseterre, St. Kitts, West Indies.
| | - Jessica Dutton
- Department of Biology, Texas State University, Aquatic Station, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA.
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Jourdain E, Ugarte F, Víkingsson GA, Samarra FIP, Ferguson SH, Lawson J, Vongraven D, Desportes G. North Atlantic killer whale
Orcinus orca
populations: a review of current knowledge and threats to conservation. Mamm Rev 2019. [DOI: 10.1111/mam.12168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Eve Jourdain
- Norwegian Orca Survey Haugnesveien 30 Andenes 8480 Norway
- North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission POP 6453, Sykehusveien 21‐23 Tromsø N‐9294 Norway
| | - Fernando Ugarte
- Greenland Institute of Natural Resources Box 570 Nuuk 3900 Greenland
| | | | | | - Steven H. Ferguson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada501 University Crescent Winnipeg MB R3T 2N6 Canada
| | - Jack Lawson
- Fisheries and Oceans Canada NAFC80 East White Hills Rd. St John's NL A1C 5X1 Canada
| | - Dag Vongraven
- Norwegian Polar InstituteFram Center N‐9296 Tromsø Norway
| | - Geneviève Desportes
- North Atlantic Marine Mammal Commission POP 6453, Sykehusveien 21‐23 Tromsø N‐9294 Norway
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Volkova EV, Ivkovich TV, Shitova MV, Chernyaeva EN, Malinina TV, Okorokova SS, Burdin AM, Hoyt E. The summer diet of fish-eating killer whales in the Avacha Gulf of Kamchatka: Are there any preferences? Mamm Biol 2019. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2019.05.002] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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7
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Samarra FIP, Bassoi M, Béesau J, Elíasdóttir MÓ, Gunnarsson K, Mrusczok MT, Rasmussen M, Rempel JN, Thorvaldsson B, Víkingsson GA. Prey of killer whales (Orcinus orca) in Iceland. PLoS One 2018; 13:e0207287. [PMID: 30540762 PMCID: PMC6291266 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0207287] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2018] [Accepted: 10/29/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Killer whales have a cosmopolitan distribution and as a species are generalists, feeding on a variety of prey. However, local populations tend to specialise on specific prey types. In Icelandic waters, killer whales are generally associated with herring and, thus, have been presumed to be herring specialists. However, recent studies suggest a more complex foraging ecology, possibly including a mosaic of strategies. With increased observational effort in recent years due to research and whale-watching activities, there have been several reports of interactions with different prey, including confirmed predation events. In this study we aimed to summarise the range of potential prey of killer whales observed in Icelandic waters. We report on 12 previously unpublished accounts and review 15 accounts published in the scientific literature or local newspapers, making a total of 27 events where killer whales were observed interacting with actual or potential prey. Thirteen different species, including birds (n = 1), cephalopods (n = 1), fish (n = 5) and marine mammals (n = 6), are reported, although herring is by far the species that killer whales are most often observed interacting with. This study provides the first summary of actual and suspected killer whale prey in Icelandic waters, and contributes towards our understanding of this population's prey preferences. However, describing the diet of individuals/groups was not possible and this study points to a need for continued monitoring to understand the intricacies of killer whale foraging behaviour in this area.
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Affiliation(s)
- Filipa I. P. Samarra
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata, Reykjavík, Iceland
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, St Andrews, United Kingdom
- * E-mail:
| | - Manuela Bassoi
- Elding Whale Watching, Ægisgardur, Reykjavik's Old Harbour, Reykjavík
| | - Julie Béesau
- Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, Fife, St Andrews, United Kingdom
| | | | - Karl Gunnarsson
- Marine and Freshwater Research Institute, Skúlagata, Reykjavík, Iceland
| | - Marie-Thérèse Mrusczok
- Orca Guardians Iceland, Hrannarstigur, Grundarfjörður, Iceland
- Láki Tours, Nesvegur, Grundarfjörður, Iceland
| | - Marianne Rasmussen
- Húsavík Research Centre, University of Iceland, Hafnarstétt, Húsavík, Iceland
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Autenrieth M, Hartmann S, Lah L, Roos A, Dennis AB, Tiedemann R. High-quality whole-genome sequence of an abundant Holarctic odontocete, the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Mol Ecol Resour 2018; 18:1469-1481. [PMID: 30035363 DOI: 10.1111/1755-0998.12932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/15/2017] [Revised: 07/04/2018] [Accepted: 07/05/2018] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
Abstract
The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a highly mobile cetacean found across the Northern hemisphere. It occurs in coastal waters and inhabits basins that vary broadly in salinity, temperature and food availability. These diverse habitats could drive subtle differentiation among populations, but examination of this would be best conducted with a robust reference genome. Here, we report the first harbour porpoise genome, assembled de novo from an individual originating in the Kattegat Sea (Sweden). The genome is one of the most complete cetacean genomes currently available, with a total size of 2.39 Gb and 50% of the total length found in just 34 scaffolds. Using 122 of the longest scaffolds, we were able to show high levels of synteny with the genome of the domestic cattle (Bos taurus). Our draft annotation comprises 22,154 predicted genes, which we further annotated through matches to the NCBI nucleotide database, GO categorization and motif prediction. Within the predicted genes, we have confirmed the presence of >20 genes or gene families that have been associated with adaptive evolution in other cetaceans. Overall, this genome assembly and draft annotation represent a crucial addition to the genomic resources currently available for the study of porpoises and Phocoenidae evolution, phylogeny and conservation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marijke Autenrieth
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Stefanie Hartmann
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Evolutionary Adaptive Genomics, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ljerka Lah
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Anna Roos
- Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Alice B Dennis
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Ralph Tiedemann
- Institute of Biochemistry and Biology, Evolutionary Biology/Systematic Zoology, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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9
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Varela JL, Rojo-Nieto E, Sorell JM, Medina A. Using stable isotope analysis to assess trophic relationships between Atlantic bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus) and striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the Strait of Gibraltar. MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH 2018; 139:57-63. [PMID: 29754735 DOI: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2018.04.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2018] [Revised: 04/19/2018] [Accepted: 04/25/2018] [Indexed: 06/08/2023]
Abstract
Stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N from liver and muscle) was used to assess trophic relationships between Atlantic bluefin tuna (ABFT) (Thunnus thynnus) and striped dolphin (SC) (Stenella coeruleoalba) in the Strait of Gibraltar (SoG). δ15N values from ABFT muscle and liver tissues were significantly different from those of dolphin samples, but no for δ13C values. Diet estimation by MixSIAR models from muscle and liver revealed that ABFT fed mainly on squids (Todaropsis eblanae and Illex coindetii). The shrimp Pasiphaea sp. was estimated to be the most important prey-species in the diet of SC. Trophic positions estimated from muscle and liver isotopic data suggested that ABFT occupy a higher trophic level than SC. Estimations of isotopic niche, as measured by the standard ellipse area, indicated that ABFT show a broader trophic niche than SC; furthermore, SEAc did not show trophic overlap between both predators. The results of this study suggest that resource partitioning occurs between ABFT and SC in the SoG ecosystem.
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Affiliation(s)
- José L Varela
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR), Av. República Saharaui s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain.
| | - Elisa Rojo-Nieto
- Departamento de Tecnologías del Medio Ambiente, Universidad de Cádiz, Centro Andaluz de Ciencias y Tecnologías Marinas (CACYTMAR/INMAR), Instituto Universitario de Investigaciones Marinas (INMAR), Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR), Av. República Saharaui s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Joan M Sorell
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR), Av. República Saharaui s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
| | - Antonio Medina
- Departamento de Biología, Universidad de Cádiz, Campus de Excelencia Internacional del Mar (CEI·MAR), Av. República Saharaui s/n, 11510 Puerto Real, Cádiz, Spain
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10
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Autenrieth M, Ernst A, Deaville R, Demaret F, IJsseldijk LL, Siebert U, Tiedemann R. Putative origin and maternal relatedness of male sperm whales (Physeter macrocephalus) recently stranded in the North Sea. Mamm Biol 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.mambio.2017.09.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
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11
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Gero S, Whitehead H. Critical Decline of the Eastern Caribbean Sperm Whale Population. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0162019. [PMID: 27706153 PMCID: PMC5051958 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0162019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/02/2016] [Accepted: 08/16/2016] [Indexed: 11/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) populations were expected to rebuild following the end of commercial whaling. We document the decline of the population in the eastern Caribbean by tracing demographic changes of well-studied social units. We address hypotheses that, over a ten-year period of dedicated effort (2005–2015), unit size, numbers of calves and/or calving rates have each declined. Across 16 units, the number of adults decreased in 12 units, increased in two, and showed no change in two. The number of adults per unit decreased at -0.195 individuals/yr (95% CI: -0.080 to -0.310; P = 0.001). The number of calves also declined, but the decline was not significant. This negative trend of -4.5% per year in unit size started in about 2010, with numbers being fairly stable until then. There are several natural and anthropogenic threats, but no well-substantiated cause for the decline.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shane Gero
- Zoophysiology, Institute for Bioscience, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- * E-mail:
| | - Hal Whitehead
- Dept. of Biology, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada
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