Dear colleagues,
Below is the abstract of a new paper:
Gol'din P. E. Growth and Body Size of The Harbour Porpoise, Phocoena
phocoena (Cetacea, Phocoenidae), in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea.
- Vestnik Zoologii (=Zool. Herald). - 2004. - 38(4). - P. 59-73.
Pdf reprints (3 Mb) are available from me (e-mail address:
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Best regards,
Pavel
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Postnatal growth, some aspects of life history, and body size of
harbour porpoise were studied. The mean body length of neonates is
72.5 cm; the calving season lasts at least from April to August. The
maximum life span is at least 20 years; the age at attainment of
sexual maturity is 3–4 years, of physical maturity — 6–12 years. The
mean body length of adult males and females is 132–135 cm and 143–145
cm respectively in the Sea of Azov, 122–124 cm and 132–134 cm in the
Black Sea. The question still remains of the existence of two growth
stages in postnatal ontogenesis of harbour porpoises. It seems
reasonable to distinguish two stages, each with decreasing growth
rate. The first evidences are found for the existence of separate
populations in the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea: adult specimens from
the Sea of Azov are larger than those from the Black Sea in 10–12 cm.
During the 20th century body size of the animals has somewhat reduced.
The harbour porpoises in the studied region are at present the
smallest representatives of P. phocoena species.
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