Name that fin - Oz (1 Viewer)

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Oct 5, 2009

• #1

Hey all

Bit of a longshot - Seen swimming out of Buffalo Creek, Darwin. All I got was that it was a dolphin and the only video I managed to shoot was of the fin disappearing. Looks wrong for Bottlenosed....any idea?

View attachment Cap0007.BMP

Cheers

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rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Oct 5, 2009

• #2

I'm by no means experienced on these Ads but it looks rather like an Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin.

 

Isurus

Well-known member

• Oct 5, 2009

• #3

rockfowl may well be right although I think I recall that the aussie humpback dolphins have been split into a new species in the last couple of years...

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Oct 5, 2009

• #4

Cheers guys, look like you're right! Another tick - ha feel a right hypocrite now Mark!

 

chowchilla

Well-known member

• Oct 6, 2009

• #5

Isurus said:

rockfowl may well be right although I think I recall that the aussie humpback dolphins have been split into a new species in the last couple of years...

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Yep, the new' un is the Snubfin Dolphin, only described in 2005. It is reportedly not uncommon in Nthn Aus coastal waters.

 

rockfowl

Mark Andrews

• Oct 6, 2009

• #6

birdboybowley said:

Cheers guys, look like you're right! Another tick - ha feel a right hypocrite now Mark!

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Teeny-ticker!

 

Mysticete

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #7

but to clarify, the Snubfin was split from the Irrawaddy, not the Humpback. Both will likely be further split in the future

 

Isurus

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #8

Mysticete said:

but to clarify, the Snubfin was split from the Irrawaddy, not the Humpback. Both will likely be further split in the future

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Yeah - if this were on my list (which its not, you luck devil) I'd call it something like "Indopacific humpback dolphin; australian population" - I think we can expect a paper describing the new one shortly:
http://www.gbrmpa.gov.au/corp_site/..._report/evidence/01_standard_evidence_page261

 

Mysticete

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #9

They should probably be split, but will they?

Marine Mammal taxonomy is HORRIBLY CONSERVATIVE; few people work in it and there is in general much less rigor to it than in for instance bird systematics. There are distinctive species level populations that have been known about for several decades, and still people are to scared to go that extra step and describe or redescribe these populations as species. Hell, people still recognize paraphyletic genera despite numerous studies that show they are paraphyletic.

 

birdboybowley

Well-known member.....apparently so ;)

• Oct 7, 2009

• #10

Sure I've read that the Aus pop is currently under the Pacific Humpback and then there's Indian and Atlantic. Seen all in diff places as well as Snubfin and Irrawaddy so ticks all round! Split 'em all is my motto!!

 

Isurus

Well-known member

• Oct 7, 2009

• #11

Mysticete said:

They should probably be split, but will they?

Marine Mammal taxonomy is HORRIBLY CONSERVATIVE; few people work in it and there is in general much less rigor to it than in for instance bird systematics. There are distinctive species level populations that have been known about for several decades, and still people are to scared to go that extra step and describe or redescribe these populations as species. Hell, people still recognize paraphyletic genera despite numerous studies that show they are paraphyletic.

Click to expand...

Hmm maybe I should do that marine biology OU degree I've considered over the years, go into cetacean taxonomy and then do what needs to be done naming a few after friends and family along the way.