Behavior and ecology of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, in the South Atlantic
Würsig, B.; Würsig, M. (1979). Behavior and ecology of the bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus, in the South Atlantic. Fish. Bull. 77(2): 399-412
In: Fishery Bulletin. US Government Printing Office: Washington, D.C.. ISSN 0090-0656; e-ISSN 1937-4518, more
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Keywords |
Behaviour Ecology Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) [WoRMS] Marine/Coastal |
Abstract |
Bottlenose dolphins observed nearshore in Golfo San Jose, Argentina, spent 92% of their time in water less than 10 m deep. They moved into deeper water, up to 39 m depth, mainly during midday in nonsummer for brief (16 min) periods. They moved more rapidly in deeper water, and may have been feeding on schooling fish at that time. During summer they stayed in shallow water, 2-6 m deep. Dolphins moved parallel to shore and in consistent depth of water at almost all times. They changed direction at predictable locations and patrolled certain nearshore waters for up to several hours. Their movement was influenced by tide and by nearshore rocks. Slow movement and apparent resting occurred mainly during the morning, while most aerial behavior, apparent sexual and social behaviour, and rapid-movement feeding occurred in the afternoon. |
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