Dental Ageing Offers New Insights Into the First Epigenetic Clock for Common Dolphins (<i>Delphinus delphis</i>).

ABSTRACT: Determining exact age in wild odontocetes is essential for understanding population dynamics, survival, and reproduction, yet remains logistically challenging. Although epigenetic ageing is emerging as a valuable approach, only nine species-specific clocks currently exist. Most have been calibrated using known-age animals in human care or well-studied wild populations. Only three previous studies have used dental ages from stranded or bycaught individuals. This is due to concerns that dental age inaccuracies, especially in older animals, may affect epigenetic clock performance. To explore this, we developed the first species-specific epigenetic clock for common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), analysing DNA methylation at 37,492 cytosine-phosphate-guanine sites in skin samples from str

SUBMITTER: Hanninger EF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12611323 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature