{"id":2584,"date":"2009-10-01T17:57:25","date_gmt":"2009-10-01T15:57:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/m-e-e-r.de\/?p=2584&lang=en"},"modified":"2020-12-29T19:16:52","modified_gmt":"2020-12-29T18:16:52","slug":"exceptional-spotted-dolphin-sighting","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/m-e-e-r.de\/en\/exceptional-spotted-dolphin-sighting\/","title":{"rendered":"Exceptional spotted dolphin sighting"},"content":{"rendered":"

Mysterious phenomenon<\/strong><\/h4>\n

\"730617f644\"La Gomera, October 2009. <\/b>During the springtime field season we encountered a large number of spotted dolphins (Stenella frontalis<\/i>)<\/b>, a species present year-round in the Canary Islands. In one of the groups, containing a large number of calves (which is typical in springtime), we observed a young animal showing an extrordinarily swollen genital area<\/b>. The reasons for this phenomenon were not known. Luckily, we managed to photograph the animal during aerial behaviours.<\/p>\n

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Comparable cases reported<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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(c) Denise Herzing<\/p><\/div>\n

For comparison,<\/strong> the image on the right side represents an adult female spotted dolphin<\/strong> showing the typical swelling of the genital area during lactation<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

After posting this information to the international cetology email discussion group MARMAM<\/strong>, we have received a multitude of comments as well as a variety of ideas and diagnoses<\/strong>. Similar observations were described, involving several spotted dolphin calves in the Azores<\/strong> and a juvenile\/young adult male grey seal<\/strong> in Cornwall (UK).<\/p>\n

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Many possible diagnoses<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\"Fleckendelfinkalb

(c) Lisa Steiner<\/p><\/div>\n

Potential reasons for the abnormal swelling in the spotted dolphin calf included the following:<\/p>\n