Identification of Two Common Bottlenose Dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) Ecotypes in the Guadeloupe Archipelago, Eastern Caribbean.

ABSTRACT: The common bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) exhibits significant intraspecific diversity globally, with distinct ecotypes identified in various regions. In the Guadeloupe archipelago, the citizen science NGO OMMAG has been monitoring these dolphins for over a decade, documenting two distinct morphotypes. This study investigates whether these morphotypes represent coastal and oceanic ecotypes, which have not been previously identified in the region. We characterized morphological differences between the two morphotypes, analyzed genetic variation in individuals stranded around Guadeloupe over the past ten years, and modeled their habitats. Results revealed that these morphotypes align with the ecotypes described in the Atlantic Ocean, forming two distinct genetic groups corres

SUBMITTER: Haderle R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11718819 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature