Post by OldGreenVulture on Dec 3, 2019 12:38:36 GMT
Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoise - Neophocaena phocaenoides.
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Neophocaena
Species: Neophocaena phocaenoides
Subspecies
There are two distinct subspecies of finless porpoise.
1. Black Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides phocaenoides) is found in the Indian ocean and South China Sea
2. YellowSea/Japanese Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides sunameri) in northern China, Korea and along the coast of Japan
Finless Porpoise range
The Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaeniodes) is one of six porpoise species. In the waters around Japan, at the northern end of its range, it is known as the sunameri. A freshwater population found in the Yangtze River in China is known locally as the jiangzhu or "river pig".
Distribution
The Finless Porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around India, China, Indonesia and Japan. At the western end, their range includes the length of the western coast of India and continues up into the Persian Gulf. Throughout their range, the porpoises stay in shallow waters (up to 50m [160 ft]), close to the shore, in waters with soft or sandy seabeds. In exceptional cases they have been encountered as far as 160 kilometres (100 miles) off-shore in the East China and Yellow Seas, albeit still in shallow water.
Physical description
As its name suggests, the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) lacks a dorsal fin, and instead has a ridge that runs down the middle of its back. The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise can also be distinguished by its rounded head, which lacks an apparent beak. This small marine mammal has a relatively slender body, which is dark to pale grey on the upper side and lighter on the underside. Colouration is paler in juveniles, developing into an almost black colouration in mature adults. A scattering of horny tubercles is found on the dorsal ridge, which may create an anti-slip surface when the female carries its calf on its back. However, it is more likely that the tubercles act as sensory organs, with each tubercle containing numerous nerve endings.
Diet
Finless Porpoises are reported to eat fish and shrimp in the Yangtze River, and fish, shrimp and squid in the Yellow Sea/Bohai area and off Pakistan. In Japanese waters they are known to eat fish, shrimp, squid, cuttle fish and octopuses. Finless Porpoises are opportunistic feeders utilising various kinds of available food items available in their habitat. Seasonal changes in their diets have not been studied. They also apparently ingest some plant material when living in estuaries, mangroves, and rivers including leaves, rice, and eggs deposited on vegetation.
Schooling
Finless Porpoises are generally found as singles, pairs, or in groups of up to 12, although aggregations of up to about 50 have been reported. Recent data suggests, that the basic unit of a Finless Porpoise pod is a mother/calf pair or two adults, and that schools of three or more individuals are aggregations of these units or of solitary individuals. Social structure seems to be underdeveloped in the species, and the mother/calf pair is probably the only stable social unit.
Behaviour and reproduction
Very little is known about the breeding biology of the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise. Female finless porpoises are thought to calve every two years, with the peak calving season varying with location. For example, on the Pacific coast of Japan calving takes place in May and June. It is estimated that the gestation period of species in the genus Neophocaena around 11 months and that the female feeds the calf for approximately 7 months. The finless porpoises is known to reach sexual maturity at 4 to 9 years of age and lives for up to 25 years
Swimming style
Although they show no acrobatics in the water, Finless Porpoises are believed to be very active swimmers. They typically swim just beneath the surface of the water and roll to one side when surfacing to breathe. This rolling movement disturbs very little water on the surface, so they are often overlooked when rising to breathe. Surfacing generally lasts for one minute, as they take 3 to 4 quick successive breaths, then quickly submerge into the water. The Finless Porpoise often surfaces a great distance from the point where it dives beneath the water's surface.
Conservation
There are not enough data to place Finless Porpoises on the endangered species list, except in China, where they are endangered. Since this species is the most coastal of all porpoises, it has the most interaction with humans. This interaction often puts the Finless Porpoise at risk. Like other porpoises, large members of this species are killed by entanglement in gill nets. Except for being briefly hunted after World War II due to the lack of seaworthy fishing boats, Finless Porposes have never been widely hunted in Japan. It is a species protected since 1930 at the area around Awajima Island, Takehara and this coverage had since been extended to all Japanese coastal waters. The primary danger to the species is the environmental degradation. In addition, unlike other members of this family, Finless porpoises have lived under captivity for over 15 years.
There are no well established estimates of the animals' abundance. However, a comparison of two surveys, one from the late 1970s and the other from 1999–2000 shows a decline in population and distribution. Scientists believe that this decline has been ongoing for decades and that the current population is just a fraction of its historic levels. A 2006 expedition estimated that fewer than 400 of animals survived in the Yangtze River.
From Carnivora.
carnivora.net/indo-pacific-finless-porpoise-neophocaena-phocaeno-t2783.html
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Subclass: Eutheria
Order: Cetacea
Suborder: Odontoceti
Family: Phocoenidae
Genus: Neophocaena
Species: Neophocaena phocaenoides
Subspecies
There are two distinct subspecies of finless porpoise.
1. Black Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides phocaenoides) is found in the Indian ocean and South China Sea
2. YellowSea/Japanese Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides sunameri) in northern China, Korea and along the coast of Japan
Finless Porpoise range
The Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena phocaeniodes) is one of six porpoise species. In the waters around Japan, at the northern end of its range, it is known as the sunameri. A freshwater population found in the Yangtze River in China is known locally as the jiangzhu or "river pig".
Distribution
The Finless Porpoise lives in the coastal waters of Asia, especially around India, China, Indonesia and Japan. At the western end, their range includes the length of the western coast of India and continues up into the Persian Gulf. Throughout their range, the porpoises stay in shallow waters (up to 50m [160 ft]), close to the shore, in waters with soft or sandy seabeds. In exceptional cases they have been encountered as far as 160 kilometres (100 miles) off-shore in the East China and Yellow Seas, albeit still in shallow water.
Physical description
As its name suggests, the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise (Neophocaena phocaenoides) lacks a dorsal fin, and instead has a ridge that runs down the middle of its back. The Indo-Pacific finless porpoise can also be distinguished by its rounded head, which lacks an apparent beak. This small marine mammal has a relatively slender body, which is dark to pale grey on the upper side and lighter on the underside. Colouration is paler in juveniles, developing into an almost black colouration in mature adults. A scattering of horny tubercles is found on the dorsal ridge, which may create an anti-slip surface when the female carries its calf on its back. However, it is more likely that the tubercles act as sensory organs, with each tubercle containing numerous nerve endings.
Diet
Finless Porpoises are reported to eat fish and shrimp in the Yangtze River, and fish, shrimp and squid in the Yellow Sea/Bohai area and off Pakistan. In Japanese waters they are known to eat fish, shrimp, squid, cuttle fish and octopuses. Finless Porpoises are opportunistic feeders utilising various kinds of available food items available in their habitat. Seasonal changes in their diets have not been studied. They also apparently ingest some plant material when living in estuaries, mangroves, and rivers including leaves, rice, and eggs deposited on vegetation.
Schooling
Finless Porpoises are generally found as singles, pairs, or in groups of up to 12, although aggregations of up to about 50 have been reported. Recent data suggests, that the basic unit of a Finless Porpoise pod is a mother/calf pair or two adults, and that schools of three or more individuals are aggregations of these units or of solitary individuals. Social structure seems to be underdeveloped in the species, and the mother/calf pair is probably the only stable social unit.
Behaviour and reproduction
Very little is known about the breeding biology of the Indo-Pacific finless porpoise. Female finless porpoises are thought to calve every two years, with the peak calving season varying with location. For example, on the Pacific coast of Japan calving takes place in May and June. It is estimated that the gestation period of species in the genus Neophocaena around 11 months and that the female feeds the calf for approximately 7 months. The finless porpoises is known to reach sexual maturity at 4 to 9 years of age and lives for up to 25 years
Swimming style
Although they show no acrobatics in the water, Finless Porpoises are believed to be very active swimmers. They typically swim just beneath the surface of the water and roll to one side when surfacing to breathe. This rolling movement disturbs very little water on the surface, so they are often overlooked when rising to breathe. Surfacing generally lasts for one minute, as they take 3 to 4 quick successive breaths, then quickly submerge into the water. The Finless Porpoise often surfaces a great distance from the point where it dives beneath the water's surface.
Conservation
There are not enough data to place Finless Porpoises on the endangered species list, except in China, where they are endangered. Since this species is the most coastal of all porpoises, it has the most interaction with humans. This interaction often puts the Finless Porpoise at risk. Like other porpoises, large members of this species are killed by entanglement in gill nets. Except for being briefly hunted after World War II due to the lack of seaworthy fishing boats, Finless Porposes have never been widely hunted in Japan. It is a species protected since 1930 at the area around Awajima Island, Takehara and this coverage had since been extended to all Japanese coastal waters. The primary danger to the species is the environmental degradation. In addition, unlike other members of this family, Finless porpoises have lived under captivity for over 15 years.
There are no well established estimates of the animals' abundance. However, a comparison of two surveys, one from the late 1970s and the other from 1999–2000 shows a decline in population and distribution. Scientists believe that this decline has been ongoing for decades and that the current population is just a fraction of its historic levels. A 2006 expedition estimated that fewer than 400 of animals survived in the Yangtze River.
From Carnivora.
carnivora.net/indo-pacific-finless-porpoise-neophocaena-phocaeno-t2783.html