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We report the pathologic features of nocardiosis in five free-ranging delphinids from the Canary Islands and Andalusia, namely four striped dolphins (Stenella coerulealba) and one bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus). All animals had a multiorgan (disseminated) pattern of infection involving suppurative to pyogranulomatous and thromboembolic lesions in two or more organs. Most affected organs were (by decreasing order) lung, pulmonary lymph nodes, liver, kidney, adrenal glands, and central nervous system. Typical intralesional and intravascular branched and filamentous bacteria were highlighted by Grocott’s methenamine silver and Gram stains. Bacterial analysis including 16S rRNA gene sequencing identified Nocardia farcinica in two striped dolphins and Nocardia otitidiscaviarum in one striped dolphin and the bottlenose dolphin. All dolphins tested (n = 4) for cetacean morbillivirus were negative; one dolphin had concurrent cutaneous herpesvirosis. These results provide the first record of N. otitidiscaviarum in cetaceans, the first account of N. farcinica in free-ranging dolphins, and confirmation of nocardiosis in central eastern Atlantic Ocean. These results expand the known geographic range of nocardiosis in cetaceans., University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, National Project, Depto. de Sanidad Animal, Fac. de Veterinaria, TRUE, pub

Identifiable food remains were analyzed from 46 stomachs of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in southern Spain between 2007 and 2014. Results suggest that the species feeds mainly on mesopelagic and neritic fish, but also on oceanic squids. Fish species of the family Myctophidae were the main prey in terms of numerical importance and reconstructed prey weight (62% N and 29% W), followed by squids of the family Ommastrephidae (20% W) and bogue (Boops boops) (15% W). The most important prey taxa according to the General Importance Index (GII) were C. maderensis, Ommastrephidae gen. spp., Notoscopelus spp., and M. punctatum. Higher number of mesopelagic myctophids were found in dolphins from the Mediterranean (73% vs. 29% N), while more demersal gobiids and European hake (Merluccius merluccius) were found in those from the Atlantic (44% vs. 1% and 8% vs. <1% N), where a more varied diet was also observed. Differences were also seen in the seasonal importance of some prey, as well as between years, sexes, and maturity states. The diet composition suggests that most of feeding occurred in oceanic regions, during twilight and night hours, while the observed dietary variation may reflect differences in topography, and changes in the prey availability.

Identifiable food remains were analyzed from 46 stomachs of striped dolphins (Stenella coeruleoalba) stranded in southern Spain between 2007 and 2014. Results suggest that the species feeds mainly on mesopelagic and neritic fish, but also on oceanic squids. Fish species of the family Myctophidae were the main prey in terms of numerical importance and reconstructed prey weight (62% N and 29% W), followed by squids of the family Ommastrephidae (20% W) and bogue (Boops boops) (15% W). The most important prey taxa according to the General Importance Index (GII) were C. maderensis, Ommastrephidae gen. spp., Notoscopelus spp., and M. punctatum. Higher number of mesopelagic myctophids were found in dolphins from the Mediterranean (73% vs. 29% N), while more demersal gobiids and European hake (Merluccius merluccius) were found in those from the Atlantic (44% vs. 1% and 8% vs. <1% N), where a more varied diet was also observed. Differences were also seen in the seasonal importance of some prey, as well as between years, sexes, and maturity states. The diet composition suggests that most of feeding occurred in oceanic regions, during twilight and night hours, while the observed dietary variation may reflect differences in topography, and changes in the prey availability

The Mediterranean subpopulation of common dolphin (Delphinus delphis) is classified as endangered by the IUCN. Still, information about their diet in the Mediterranean is scarce. Stomach contents of 37 common dolphins stranded in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar were analyzed. A total of 13,634 individual prey of 28 different taxa were identified. For fish, Myctophidae was the most important family as indicated by the highest index of relative importance (IRI = 8,470), followed by the family Sparidae (IRI = 609). The most important Myctophidae species was Madeira lantern fish (Ceratoscopelus maderensis) and for Sparids, the bogue (Boops boops). Cephalopods, instead, were found in low quantities only with 31 prey from the Loliginidae, Ommastrephidae, and Sepiolidae families. Overall, our results indicate that common dolphins are mainly piscivorous (99.77%N, 94.59%O, 99.73%W), feeding mostly on mesopelagic prey. Although common dolphins inhabit mainly coastal waters in the study area, the narrow continental shelf seems to facilitate the availability of Myctophids and other members of the mesopelagic assemblage to dolphins when the assemblage migrates to the surface at night. Our results represent the first attempt at quantifying the diet of this predator in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar

Existe muy poca información sobre la dieta del delfín listado (Stenella coeruleoalba) en aguas del sur de España. En este estudio se analizaron los estómagos de 61 delfines varados en Andalucía en los últimos ocho años (2007-2014). Diez estómagos estaban vacios y de los 51 individuos restantes, 35 vararon en la costa del Mar de Alborán y 11 en el Golfo de Cádiz. Para las 5 muestras restantes no se dispone de localidad concreta. Los restos de las presas en los estómagos consistieron sobre todo en estructuras duras: otolitos, cristalinos y unos pocos huesos de peces, así como mandíbulas y cristalinos de cefalópodos. No aparecieron otro tipo de restos lo que parece indicar que los individuos no se habían alimentado recientemente. Para caracterizar la dieta se calcularon tres índices (calculados para cada categoría de presa): frecuencia de aparición en los estómagos, número de individuos y peso reconstruido y sus porcentajes respectivos. El delfín listado parece ser una especie predominantemente piscívora (se identificaron restos de 5682 peces frente a solamente 210 cefalópodos) que se alimenta de especies mesopelágicas principalmente. La familia más importante tanto en número como en frecuencia de aparición fue Myctophidae, principalmente Ceratoscopelus maderensis y Myctophum punctatum a las que pertenecieron casi la mitad de los peces identificados (36,4%N, 35,3%F y 12,3%N, 25,5%F, respectivamente). También se identificó Maurolicus muelleri (Sternoptychidae 13,4%N y 17,6%F). Otras familias identificadas presentan una distribución más costera: Sparidae (Boops boops) y Carangidae (Trachurus sp.) (4,5%N, 9,8%F y 1,2%N, 3,9%F, respectivamente). Los cefalópodos identificados pertenecieron a 11 familias siendo la más abundante Ommastrephidae (26,7%N y 39,2%F). Otras familias incluyen representantes oceánicos, Brachioteuthidae (16,7%N y 21,5%F); Chiroteuthidae (6,7%N y 9,8%F); Enoploteuthidae (4,8%N y 3,9%F), Ancistrocheridae (0.5%N y 2%F) y otros de distribución más costera

A menudo los pescadores que faenan en las costas andaluzas y murcianas encuentran entre sus capturas tortugas marinas que van a parar a sus redes por accidente, este es el principal problema de conservación en el mar. Pero ¿qué hacer con ellas? Para fomentar la recuperación de los ejemplares enfermos o heridos con la colaboración de los pescadores nace el proyecto ‘Tortuga a bordo’, que coordinan la Estación Biológica de Doñana del Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (CSIC) y la plataforma de servicios ambientales marinos SUBMON.