The use of ultrasonography as a noninvasive tool for assessing the reproductive status of the male Yangtze finless porpoise (YFP; Neophocaena phocaenoides asiaeorientalis) was validated by correlating ultrasonographically determined testicular…
The unique pattern of small tubercles on the leading edge of the dorsal fins of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) has been widely noted in the literature, though their structure or…
Most male mammals in temperate regions demonstrate seasonal sexual behaviors that coincide with seasonal variations in gonadal activities and androgen hormones. The Yangtze finless porpoise is a temperate freshwater cetacean…
All extant members of Phocoenidae (porpoises) have been characterized as pedomorphic based on skeletal characters. To investigate the ontogenetic background for pedomorphosis and assess interspecific differences in ontogeny among phocoenids,…
We captured free-ranging male Yangtze finless porpoises over three seasons and assayed leukocytes and serum biochemistry to investigate physiological responses to the capture and handlings. Serum thyroid hormones (THs) declined…
We examined the tooth ultra-structure of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from Scottish waters to determine whether the incidence of mineralization anomalies could be related to certain life history events (e.g.…
Toothed whales (Odontoceti, Cetacea) are the only aquatic mammals known to echolocate, and probably all of them are able to produce click sounds and to synthesize their echoes into a…
In several publications, it was shown that echolocation sound generation in the nasal (epicranial) complex of toothed whales (Odontoceti) is pneumatically driven. Modern hypotheses consider the larynx and its surrounding…
Most of the data collected on the reproduction of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) comes from by-caught or stranded animals and is therefore opportunistic in nature. Harbour porpoises kept in a…
Cytokines are important cell mediators involved in immune responses. Their expression can be modulated by numerous factors, including stress. The aim of this study was to compare cytokine mRNA expression…