How does the common porpoise perceive signals? Photo of porpoise - porpoise fish
(Phocoenidae).
Average length bodies are 160 cm in females and 145 in males, average weight is 50-60 kg (Culik, 2010). The color of the upper half of the body is black or dark gray, the sides are lighter, the belly is light gray or white. The number of teeth is from 16 to 30 in the upper row and from 17 to 25 in the lower row.
There are three subspecies:
- Phocoena phocoena phocoena- in the northern part of the Atlantic Ocean, including off the coast of Russia in the Baltic, White and Barents Seas
- Phocoena phocoena relicta, previously allocated in separate species Phocoena relicta, and having Russian name Azovka- in the Black, Azov, Marmara and northern Aegean Seas
- Phocoena phocoena vomerina- in the northern part of the Pacific Ocean, including off the coast of the Russian Far East
Harbour porpoise holds on in small groups, but on large schools of fish it can form herds of up to a thousand or more heads. It feeds mainly on benthic species of fish, diving to a depth of 260 m has been recorded, and does not jump out of the water completely.
There are approximately 700,000 individuals worldwide. This is a fairly numerous species, but the Black Sea and Baltic subspecies, which are externally and genetically different from other porpoises, are endangered. (Culik, 2010). Until 1964, there was fishing in the Black Sea, which has been prohibited since 1965. Not a large number of porpoises are caught in Japanese waters.
Currently, the main factors negatively affecting the number of harbor porpoises are: unintentional bycatch during fishing, sea pollution and noise resulting from intensive shipping, military exercises, mineral exploration, underwater construction, etc. (ASCOBANS)
There are ways to reduce noise pollution and bycatch (Culik, 2010) that can make human activities less harmful to porpoises and other marine mammals. Description similar measures for the protection of marine mammals English language can be found on the Internet page of the International Whaling Commission (IWC).
Links
- ASCOBANS - Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic Sea, North-East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas
- Agreement on the Conservation of Small Cetaceans of the Baltic, North East Atlantic, Irish and North Seas
- B.Culik (2010) Harbor Poroise from Odontocetes - the toothed whales. Distribution, Behavior, Migration and Threats http://www.cms.int/reports/small_cetaceans/index.htm
- IWC Scientific Committee Documents: Underwater Unexploded Ordnance – Methods for a Cetacean-friendly Removal of Explosives as Alternatives to Blasting
Wikimedia Foundation.
- 2010.
- Delphic
Delta Bank
See what "Common porpoise" is in other dictionaries: Common porpoise - Phocoena phocoena see also 6.1.10. Genus Phocoena porpoises. Common porpoise Phocoena phocoena (length 1.5-1.8 m) with a rounded head without a beak. The dorsal fin is low and blunt. The top is dark, the bottom is light or white without sharp... ...
Animals of Russia. Directory harbor porpoise
Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas Harbour porpoise
- Not to be confused with Guinea Pig. ? Porpoise Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals ... Wikipedia - Harbour porpoise marine mammals genus of guinea pigs, fam. dolphins. Includes 4 types. Distributed in coastal waters Northern Hemisphere and only the spectacled porpoise - off the coast South America . The most studied is the common porpoise. Body length... ...
- Not to be confused with Guinea Pig. ? Porpoise Scientific classification Kingdom: Animals ... Wikipedia Biological encyclopedic dictionary harbor porpoise- paprastoji jūrų kiaulė statusas T sritis zoologija | vardynas taksono rangas rūšis atitikmenys: lot. Phocoena phocoena engl. brown fish; common porpoise; harbor porpoise vok. Braunfisch; kleiner Tümmler; Meerschwein; Schweinswal; Tümmler rus.… … - Phocoena phocoena see also 6.1.10. Genus Phocoena porpoises. Common porpoise Phocoena phocoena (length 1.5-1.8 m) with a rounded head without a beak. The dorsal fin is low and blunt. The top is dark, the bottom is light or white without sharp... ...
- Phocoenoides truei see also 6.1.11. Genus White-winged porpoise Phocoenoides Japanese porpoise Phocoenoides truei (Table 25) The white patch on the sides extends forward beyond the pectoral fins. Lives near the Southern Kuril Islands and in the Sea of Japan,... ... Finless porpoise - Neophocaena phocaenoides see also 6.1.12. Genus Finless porpoise Neophocaena Finless porpoise Neophocaena phocaenoides (Table 25) Body 1.2 1.6 m long. Completely black, without dorsal fin - Phocoena phocoena see also 6.1.10. Genus Phocoena porpoises. Common porpoise Phocoena phocoena (length 1.5-1.8 m) with a rounded head without a beak. The dorsal fin is low and blunt. The top is dark, the bottom is light or white without sharp... ...
and beak, with a spherical... ... They are found only in the north in coastal areas Atlantic Ocean . Mainly lives in the north of the West African coast, in the waters of Great Britain, Ireland, Iceland, off the coast of Greenland and Newfoundland. Lives at west coast
USA. As for the Pacific Ocean, the porpoise is attracted to the Sea of Japan and the Bering Strait. This species is also found off the coast of Alaska and all the way to California, in the Black Sea.
Porpoises prefer coastal areas and do not risk swimming into the open ocean. Daily diet consists mainly of small fish. Preference is given to capelin, herring, and herring. In rare cases, they can eat squid, crustaceans, and algae. Animals can eat up to 10 kg of fish per day.
Porpoises do not form large herds. The maximum that can be seen is a group of 4-5 individuals. Most often they prefer to swim alone. They gather in large herds only during the movement of schooling fish. Animals are not prone to migration and remain in one place all their lives.
Social communication between representatives of the species is poorly developed. Stable relationships exist only between a female and her cub, and then even before puberty. They communicate with each other using clicks and whistles. They often swim into rivers and move inland for many kilometers to the mouth of the river. To escape from killer whales, they can swim into fjords.
Porpoises are excellent swimmers. They prefer to move just below the surface of the water. Thus, the water practically does not move and they are very difficult to notice. Although they look similar to dolphins, they differ in behavior. They are not so friendly, they do not try to contact divers and do not swim up to them. They rarely jump out of the water. In some places there are porpoises that can emerge from the water and swim on their tail, but this happens extremely rarely.
Animals hunt in water depths no deeper than 200 meters. It can dive for 5 minutes, after which it floats up to breathe.
Porpoises do not chase ships. They love to lie down to dry on the shore.
Mating season of guinea pigs
The breeding season for porpoises begins in May and ends in August. Females mate with several individuals. The gestation period lasts 10-11 months. They usually give birth to one or two cubs. Newborns weigh 6-10 kg, body length 60-80 cm. The mother feeds them with her milk for six months and takes care of them until they are one year old.
Young pigs can reproduce at the age of 3-4 years. The female can give birth to offspring annually. He takes a break only after a few years.
Most mammals live no more than 20 years. Most often it is 16-18 years old.
Enemies of Muscovy Pigs
Danger to porpoises aquatic environment They are represented by killer whales and white sharks. Bottlenose dolphins also threaten porpoises. They do not hunt for food. By destroying them, bottlenose dolphins reduce competition for the fish they feed on.
They also suffer from lampreys. They leave spots or open wounds on the body of porpoises.
The porpoise population is affected by:
- global warming;
- poaching;
- intensive fishing;
- ocean pollution;
- military training.
A large number of porpoises die from severe climatic conditions among the ice.
Žinduolių pavadinimų žodynas is endangered, therefore it is listed in the Red Book of Ukraine and the International Red Book. Catching these mammals is prohibited by law. If the law is violated, the poacher must pay a fine.
There is no specialized hunting for these animals, but there are often cases when, while fishing, porpoises accidentally get caught in nets, and a significant part of them die. If this happens, fishermen must immediately, carefully, to avoid injury, disentangle the animal from the net and release it to freedom.
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What do you associate with the words porpoise? Could it be what's in the picture? Or a hamster-type animal called a guinea pig? However, this is a very incomplete concept of a porpoise. Let's see what they are like!
Firstly, I would like to introduce you to Scotoplanes Globosa - a marine invertebrate animal from the genus of deep-sea holothurians. Sometimes called a porpoise because of its characteristic body shape and unpleasant appearance. Scotoplanes Globosa are deep-sea inhabitants of the world's oceans. They are found at depths of 1 km. and below. The appearance of the animal depends on its habitat. Small species, living closer to the surface, has dark skin with longitudinal colored stripes. Deeper-sea species have colorless, transparent skin because they live in darkness without light.
Depending on the species, the porpoise has 6 or more pairs of legs, which are tubular growths on the belly. When moving, Scotoplanes Globosa moves not the legs themselves, but the cavity on which the legs grow. This cavity is filled with water. The mouth is equipped with a dozen tentacles that pick up small organisms from the bottom and put them into the mouth.
Scotoplanes Globosa are quite common animals. Among all deep sea inhabitants they make up 95% of total mass living beings, and constitute the main diet deep sea fish. In addition to benthic organisms, they feed on carrion. They have good sense of smell, allowing you to detect a decomposing carcass in complete darkness. Deep-sea vehicles have recorded thousands of porpoises devouring the carcass of a dead whale.
Very little is known about the behavior of Scotoplanes Globosa.
Information collected by a deep-sea robot at a depth of 3.7 km. showed that porpoises (not to be confused with the mammal porpoise) can travel extensively in groups. The number of individuals in such a group may vary and depends on the species Scotoplanes Globosa
Scientists judge reproduction based on research sea cucumbers(porpoise is a type of sea cucumber). Sexual dimorphism is not typical, and to determine sex, animal tissue must be examined under a microscope.
Now meet the next pig!
SEA PIGS, aquatic mammals order of cetaceans, according to a number of experts - one of the groups of dolphins. Previously, porpoises were widely consumed as food, and in some countries, for example in Japan, quite a large number of them are still caught for this purpose.
By appearance and their skeletal structure is very similar to dolphins: they have a fish-like body with horizontal caudal fins and forelimbs transformed into pectoral fins. The main differences are the absence of a pronounced beak and laterally compressed teeth with spatulate or chisel-shaped crowns. If there is a dorsal fin, it is low, triangular, with small tubercles along the anterior edge - rudiments of the shell of distant ancestors.
Usually, porpoises are classified into the family of the same name (Phocoenidae), although some authors consider them only a subfamily (Phocoeninae) of the dolphin family (Delphinidae).
Harbor and finless porpoises are common in bays, estuaries and other coastal marine waters. White-winged porpoises, on the other hand, live in the open sea and are among the fastest swimmers among cetaceans. Often, moving near the surface of the water, they leave a trail of foam behind them. Although the diet depends on the species, porpoises feed primarily on squid, fish and shrimp.
Unlike dolphins, monotonous whistles are unknown in the sound repertoire of porpoises - only various pulse signals have been recorded. Some of them are used for echolocation, others reflect emotional condition individuals. Although this cannot be considered verbal communication, porpoises, like most higher animals, are capable of exchanging information. Their level of intelligence has not been assessed in detail, but they are probably close to dogs in this sense.
(Phocoena phocoena) is one of the smallest cetaceans. The maximum length of males is approximately 1.7 m. It is known that according to at least females reach sexual maturity at 14 months and then apparently bear offspring annually. Pregnancy lasts approx. 11 months. The cubs switch to solid food at approximately five months of age, and are completely weaned off milk, most likely, after another three months.
Such life cycle interesting from two points of view. First, other cetaceans suckle their mother for at least twice as long; secondly, they usually reach sexual maturity at the age of several years. However, like most representatives of the order, the common porpoise has only one calf in its litter. This species feeds almost exclusively on small, non-spiny schooling fish, such as herring.
Sometimes the porpoise species is divided into several subspecies. Atlantic (P. p. phocoena) is found in the coastal waters of the North Atlantic, reaching the Arctic Ocean in summer, as well as near Africa. The Pacific subspecies (P. p. vormerina) is found in the coastal waters of the North Pacific Ocean, also reaching the Arctic in the summer. The third population is P. p. relicta - described in the Black Sea.
Other representatives of this genus are much less known. Among rare species- Californian porpoise (P. sinus). The spectacled porpoise (P. dioptrica) lives in the South Atlantic - near Argentina, the Falkland Islands and South Georgia. The Burmeister's porpoise, or black porpoise (P. spinipinnus), is found in the South Pacific Ocean off the coast of Argentina, Chile and Peru.
White-winged porpoises
(Phocoenoides) are represented by two oceanic species. The northern species (P. dalli) is distributed mainly in the eastern part of the North Pacific Ocean, and the southern one (P. truei) is distributed mainly in the waters around Japan. Although some experts consider them only different populations one species, the majority of data speaks in favor of taxonomic independence. The ranges of the southern and northern species partially overlap, but they have never been recorded in mixed flocks, and hybrids between them have not been described. Both species feed primarily on squid and fish, but the northern one consumes more fish and the southern one consumes more cephalopods. Both are characterized by contrasting black and white coloring and they swim very quickly. In addition, both have a high longitudinal ridge, or keel, on dorsal side caudal peduncle. The length of the males of these animals reaches almost 2.1 m with a weight of approx. 90 kg. Like the common porpoise, white-winged porpoises are commercially fished in Japan.
Finless porpoise
(Neophocoena phocoenoides) is characterized by the absence of a dorsal fin, which is replaced by a low crest. The animal's body is black above and whitish below. The length of males reaches approximately 1.5 m. This species - the only representative of the genus - is found in warm coastal waters from Japan, Borneo and Java to India and enters some large rivers, for example, to the Yangtze, along which it can climb 1600 km. The finless porpoise feeds primarily on shrimp, although it also consumes squid and fish.
Well, now the most recognizable and expected!
Guinea pig (lat. Cavia porcellus) is a mammal from the order of rodents of the pig family. From hundreds of species small mammals only a few are suitable for keeping in a city apartment. These species include guinea pigs, which are bred not only in vivariums of research institutes, but also at home.
A guinea pig is easier to keep than a dog or cat. It requires only a little attention and a little space for the cage, it is unpretentious, you can always buy food for it, care is not difficult and takes a little time every day. These animals are calmer than dogs and even cats and have many positive qualities, very valuable at home. Children over 8-9 years old can be trusted to care for them on their own, since guinea pigs, as a rule, are good-natured, tame animals.
Based on recent research, a number of scientists are still of the opinion that guinea pigs should be combined into a new separate subfamily. At the same time, there is no doubt that the original homeland of the animals is Central and South America, and there is evidence that the history of the existence of guinea pigs goes back 35-40 million years. The domestication of wild guinea pigs began in the ninth-third millennium BC. e. It is likely that these animals themselves came to human homes in search of protection and warmth. Among the Incas, guinea pigs were sacrificial animals that were sacrificed to the sun god. Animals with variegated brown or white colors were especially popular. The ancestor of our guinea pigs is the guinea pig Cavia aperea tschudi. She meets in southern regions Chile, located at an altitude of 4200 m above sea level, and lives in underground burrows in small groups of five to ten animals. In appearance and body structure it is very different from our guinea pigs, which is due to food depleted in water and rich in cellulose, but there are no differences in terms of food intake and fertility.
Our domestic guinea pig (Cavia arerea porcellus) comes from South America and is descended from the wild guinea pig. The genus Cavia combines several very similar ones similar species- small rodents known as guinea pigs or guinea pigs, and in their homeland as aperea, aporea, gui. Of course, they have nothing to do with the sea and pigs. It also includes Cavia arerea from Brazil and Paraguay, Cavia tschudii and Cavia cutleri from the dry valleys of the Andes, Cavia nana from Bolivia, Cavia fulgida from the Amazon basin. Wild pigs They live in a variety of environments - from swampy lowlands inland to rocky, dry plateaus. Wild pigs differ from domesticated pigs in their lighter body structure and greater mobility. The color of the fur of a wild animal is very different from that of domestic animals and is black-brown in color. They move nimbly and quickly, being most active in the morning and at dusk. They feed at night. Some species dig burrows, others build ground shelters from plants, while others use natural shelters, such as rock crevices. They live in flocks consisting of several or ten to twenty individuals led by one of the males. Each flock occupies its own territory, to which no outside pig has access. They feed on accessible parts of plants, from roots to seeds. Reproduce intensively in different times year, which is dictated by the protection of the species.
Wild pigs were domesticated by humans in pre-Incan times. They were bred throughout the Central Andes, both for ritual purposes and for delicious meat. These rodents were kept at home and fed with table scraps. This is evidenced by drawings on vases and found mummies of guinea pigs. During excavations at one of the archaeological sites north of the central part of the Culebras I coast, dating back to the late Pre-ceramic period (III-II millennium BC), special rooms for guinea pigs were discovered. There were tunnels lined with stones that ran between adjacent rooms. The numerous bones of pigs and fish bones found in them indicate that, most likely, the fishermen bred the rodents in convenient premises and fed them with surplus fish from the catch. Even though these animals are herbivores, modern Peruvian fishermen still feed them scraps and kitchen scraps containing large quantities of fish. Guinea pig meat remains a source of valuable protein for poor Andean Indians to this day, while coastal residents consider it a delicacy.
The discovery of America by Christopher Columbus made contact possible guinea pig with the Old World. These rodents came to Europe, being brought on ships by Spanish conquerors 4 centuries ago from Peru.
The harbor porpoise is a mammal that lives exclusively in coastal waters.
It belongs to the order “Cetaceans” and belongs to the phylum “Chordata”.
This is a unique animal with a wide habitat; fortunately, it is not an endangered species, but it has five subspecies, some of which are at the global global extinction from the face of the earth.
There are a total of them in the world population about 695 thousand individuals, the Baltic species of these mammals are on the verge of extinction, since, according to scientists, there are no more than 245 adult heads left.
Appearance
This animal may be inferior in size to its fellow, but not by much. The average length of its body reaches up to 2 meters, weight does not exceed 100 kg. It has a powerful and stocky torpedo-shaped body with a triangular fin on its hump.
The head has a blunt shape, and the beak is completely absent. The teeth are sharp, there can be more than 30 of them on each jaw. With age, they can fall out and wear off.
Body color can vary from bluish-gray to light gray. The abdomen is always lighter, the boundaries are unclear. This species more often than other relatives suffers from albinism. Looking at the cute face, one can state that this animal has a good disposition and soul and will not harm a person.
But it should be taken into account that wild world still contains many unsolved mysteries that can cause harm. We want YOU, when you see this cute dolphin, to behave extremely carefully and not lose your vigilance.
Habitat
As stated earlier, they have a very wide habitat. Let's be a little more specific and give examples of some of his exact places of residence. Very often it can be found in:
- Baltic;
- Black;
- Azov;
- Seas of Marmara;
In some places where it lives, the number of individuals is stable, but the Black Sea and Baltic species are strictly protected by regional authorities, as they are recognized as vulnerable.
Habitat and lifestyle
The harbor porpoise dolphin prefers to live at a depth of 20 meters, staying exclusively in coastal waters, but can occasionally visit deep-sea areas of the seas and oceans.
This species itself resembles hermits who roam the seas alone. Sometimes they can gather in small temporary flocks, and even less often in pairs. Maximum speed movement is 8-9 meters per second or 20 km/h.
To communicate with each other, they furiously use echolocation in the form of all kinds of clicks, sounds and whistles. They rarely jump out of the water. They are very slow compared to other families.
Nutrition
In search of food, they are capable of diving to 75 myrtle depths and staying there for no more than 6 - 7 minutes. The hunting area is at the base of the bottom. The diet is very varied, here are just a few dishes from their menu, which they give the deepest preference to:
- Sea crustaceans;
- Small fish;
- Various invertebrates;
- Squid;
- Shellfish;
She should eat more than 4.5 kilograms of seafood per day to keep your physical fitness. The size of the oral cavity is so small that it is not able to swallow even a 25 cm fish.
Reproduction
The porpoise animal gives birth to offspring once a year, more often in June and July. There is usually one cub per litter, but in rare cases there may be two. A certain period for mating season scientists have not recorded it, so it can be assumed that they mate all year round.
The female's pregnancy lasts 10.5 months. The time will come and a baby will be born whose umbilical cord will break, and a caring mother, hooking the baby’s tiny body to the edges of her mouth, will carry him to the surface so that the baby can take his first breath.
Throughout the year, the female takes care of her offspring, and he, in turn, obediently fulfills all the important requirements of the mother in order to survive in harsh conditions.
She feeds her child fatty, nutritious, and most importantly healing milk, it is rich large quantities squirrel. Over the course of a year, a child can gain several tens of kilograms.
Enemies
This species has only two serious enemies, and sea sharks. There are several more bad guys that, one way or another, have an adverse effect on the population, these are: sea lampreys, different types flukes and nematodes.
Lifespan
IN wildlife these animals can live no more than 20 years.
Red Book
The main world population of these mammals is not currently threatened, however two subspecies, Baltic and Black Sea, have been assigned a protection category“EN” and they are protected by the state and regions.
- The main difference between porpoises and dolphins is that they do not tolerate life in captivity. The maximum period of life in a water enclosure does not exceed three years.
- Very sensitive to the environment, dirt in sea water another reason for the death of these peace-loving animals.
- Until the mid-twentieth century, they were exterminated en masse.
- Only in 1964 state level fishing for this species was prohibited.
- Even today, poachers exterminate mammals; they are not even stopped by sanctions in the form of fines that must be paid to those who conduct illegal fishing.
- In 2007, a remarkable phenomenon happened at the Danish Aquarium: in captivity, a female large porpoise gave birth to scientific world it was quite an event.
The common porpoise belongs to the porpoise family of the order Cetacea.
A characteristic feature of its distribution is that it lives only in the northern hemisphere. Representatives of this species can be found near the coast in northern regions Atlantic Ocean. On the territory of Russia, these are Barents, Beloye and Baltic Sea. The habitat area of the porpoise population is coastal waters Spain, Great Britain, France, Scandinavia, Ireland.
The appearance of common porpoises was noted off the cold coasts of Greenland, Newfoundland, and Iceland. The habitat of this mammal is Pacific Ocean– Bering Strait, Sea of Japan, shores of Alaska and East Coast North America (to California). Animals of this species also live in Chernoye, Seas of Azov and in the north of the Aegean Sea.
The harbor porpoise population numbers approximately 700 thousand individuals and half of this number spends its life on the northern Atlantic coast.
Appearance of a porpoise
Common porpoise comparatively small size, - the length of the dense body is 1.4-1.9 meters. At the same time, females are larger and heavier than males.
The average weight of a female is 76 kg, a male is 61 kg. This species of animal has a triangle-shaped fin on its back. The color of the upper part of the body is dark gray or black, from the sides to the belly the color becomes lighter - from quite light gray to white. Along white belly animals are coming gray stripes, which stretch to the throat.
![](https://i0.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/vaquita4_olsen-e1413214317732.jpg)
Behavior and nutrition of the porpoise
Like other representatives of this genus, the common porpoise never goes into the open sea, preferring to swim close to the shore. These mammals love to swim into bays, fjords, and river mouths, where killer whales, their natural enemies, never visit.
Diet of guinea pigs - small fish, for example, herring, capelin and herring. The animal can feast on squid and crustaceans. In the depths of the ocean, not exceeding 200 meters, the porpoise usually hunts. Adult You need to eat 7 kg per day. fish. A porpoise can stay underwater for about 5 minutes before it needs to surface to take a breath of air.
![](https://i0.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Phocoena_phocoena.2-e1413214323902.jpg)
This type, usually stays in small groups and does not form large herds. They often swim alone or in a small group of 5 individuals. ABOUT social structure Very few groups of porpoises are known.
Porpoise societies and individuals do not like to move from place to place, preferring to stay in one place. It often happens that these mammals swim into rivers and move upstream over long distances.
Reproduction and lifespan
![](https://i0.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/Harbor.Porpoise.4-e1413214336329.jpg)
Pregnancy in this species lasts 10-11 months, after which one cub is born. This usually happens in May-August. A newborn baby weighs between 6.5 and 10 kg and has a body length of 65-85 cm. The baby swims with its mother for up to a year.
Sexual maturity in individuals of this species occurs at 3-4 years. After its onset, the female brings offspring every year for several years. Mating occurs with several partners, randomly. The lifespan of porpoises is 16-18 years.
Enemies of the porpoise
![](https://i2.wp.com/animalreader.ru/wp-content/uploads/2014/10/F1.large_-e1413214342868.jpg)
Natural enemies guinea pigs are white