Dolphin habitats in the eastern tropical pacific
A.D.W.K.; Perryman, W.L.
Fishery Bulletin (Washington D C) 83(4): 623-644
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0090-0656
Accession: 005189966
Research-ship surveys by the Southwest Fisheries Center provided information on the distributions of spotted, spinner, striped, and common dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific. The main surveys were conducted from January to March during 1976, 1977, 1979, and 1980. Two ships were used per survey, and together they overlapped most areas in the eastern Pacific where dolphins and yellowfin tuna are jointly fished by purse seiners. The spatial distribution of sightings and of sighting rate of these species show a complementarity to their patterns, although there is a broad overlap. Spotted and spinner dolphins occurred primarily in tropical waters north of the Equator, but also in the seasonal tropical waters south of the Galapagos Islands. These dolphins were relatively infrequent along the Equator, off Costa Rica, and northern South America. Common and striped dolphins tended to be more frequent in these same areas of less frequent spotted and spinner dolphins. The differences in habitats of these two species pairs can be described in oceanographic terms. Spotted and spinner dolphins are primarily in Tropical Surface Water, centered off southern Mexico and extending westward along lat. 10.degree. N, where thermocline "ridging" and relatively small annual variations in surface temperature are features. Common and striped dolphins appear to prefer equatorial and subtropical waters with relatively large seasonal changes in surface temperature and thermocline depth and with seasonal upwelling. The species composition of various areas in the eastern tropical Pacific supports the contention of two major communities. South of where spotted and spinner dolphin schools predominate (along with Risso's, bottlenose, and rough-toothed dolphins), striped and common dolphins and also plot whales become increasingly important. Observations along the Equator also suggest a fauna different from that of the Tropical Surface Water that is most characterized by spotted and spinner dolphins. A trophic basis to these faunal differences is suggested by the interactions with fish and birds. Assuming the birds indicate co-occurring tuna, only the spotted and spinner dolphins are commonly found with fish. The distribution of these dolphins as they co-occur with bird flocks and tuna indicates that this interspecific association is confined primarily to the Tropical Surface Water and is a characteristic feature of its epipelagic community.