Two new extinct basal phocoenids (Cetacea, Odontoceti, Delphinoidea), from the upper Miocene Koetoi Formation of Japan and their phylogenetic significance

Murakami, Mizuki; Shimada, Chieko; Hikida, Yoshinori; Hirano, Hiromichi
Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology (2012)

Two new extinct porpoises—Archaeophocaena teshioensis, gen. et sp. nov., and Miophocaena nishinoi, gen. et sp. nov.—are described from the upper Miocene Koetoi Formation (5.5–6.4 Ma) of Hokkaido, Northern Japan. The…


Keeping returns optimal: gain control exerted through sensitivity adjustments in the harbour porpoise auditory system

Linnenschmidt, M.; Beedholm, K.; Wahlberg, M.; Hojer-Kristensen, J.; Nachtigall, P. E.
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences (2012)

Animals that use echolocation (biosonar) listen to acoustic signals with a large range of intensities, because echo levels vary with the fourth power of the animal's distance to the target.…


An unusual mortality event of Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) off central California: Increase in blunt trauma rather than an epizootic

Wilkin, Sarah; Cordaro, Joe; Gulland, Frances M. D.; Wheeler, Elizabeth; Dunkin, Robin; Sigler, Teri; Casper, Dave; Berman, Michelle; Flannery, Moe; Fire, Spencer; Wang, Zhihong; Colegrove, Kathleen; Baker, Jason
Aquatic Mammals (2012)

In 2007, the apparent increase in the number of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) stranding along the central California coast compared to the number of strandings the previous year resulted in…


Exploring trade-offs between fisheries and conservation of the vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus) using an Atlantis ecosystem model

Morzaria-Luna, Hem Nalini; Ainsworth, Cameron H.; Kaplan, Isaac C.; Levin, Phillip S.; Fulton, Elizabeth A.
PLoS ONE (2012)

Background: Minimizing fishery bycatch threats might involve trade-offs between maintaining viable populations and economic benefits. Understanding these trade-offs can help managers reconcile conflicting goals. An example is a set of…