Phocoena spinipinnis, Burmeister's Porpoise [+]
Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Class Mammalia
Order Cetacea
Family Phocoenidae
Genus Phocoena
species: Phocoena spinipinnis [+ITIS +WoRMS]
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Description & Behavior
The Burmeister's porpoise, Phocoena spinipinnis (Burmeister, 1865), aka black porpoise, Marsopa Espinosa, have a beakless upturned mouth and a slight indentation near the blowhole. Their flippers are large, with a broad base and blunt tips. The dorsal fin is set further back on this porpoise than on any other small cetacean with a series of tubercles (bumps) found on its leading edge. The tail stock thickens with age. The body is dark-gray or black in color, occasionally appearing brown, and lightens to a pale gray on the ventral side. A few moments after death, the porpoise turns entirely black (like the finless porpoise). They reach a maximum length of 1.85 m.
World Range & Habitat
The Burmeister's porpoise, Phocoena spinipinnis, inhabits shallow waters and estuaries in the temperate and subantarctic coastal waters around South America. They tend to be found in groups of between 1-8 individuals.
Feeding Behavior (Ecology)
The Burmeister's porpoise, Phocoena spinipinnis, feeds on anchovy and hake throughout most of their range. Squid, mysid shrimp, and euphasiids are also eaten. Burmeister's porpoises in Chilean waters also appear to eat mollusks.
Life History
Male Burmeister's porpoises, Phocoena spinipinnis, appear to be slightly larger on average than females. Males reach sexual maturity at an average length of 1.55 m, and females at a length of 1.6 m.
Conservation Status/Additional Comments
The Burmeister's porpoise, Phocoena spinipinnis, is endangered with a estimated current population of only 500 individuals. This porpoise has been exploited for thousands of years, and Peru and Chile still operate direct fisheries. Those on the Atlantic coast become trapped in fishing gear.
References & Further Research
BioOne ~ CITES ~ Discover Life ~ GBIF ~ Google Scholar ~ ITIS ~ IUCN RedList ~ MarineBio Network ~ NCBI ~ SCIRIS ~ SIRIS ~ Tree of Life Web Project ~ Wikipedia
OBIS-SEAMAP - Species Profiles
Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood, and M.A. Webber, FAO species identification guide, Marine mammals of the world, Rome, FAO. 1993. 320 p. 587 figs.
Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS)
Brownell Jr., R.L. and Clapham, P.J. 1999. Burmeister's porpoise Phocoena spinipinnis. In S.H. Ridgeway & R. Harrison [eds.], Handbook of Marine Mammals, Volume 6: The Second Book of Dolphins and Porpoises. Academic Press. San Diego.
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