BibTex RIS Cite

Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009

Year 2012, Volume: 18 Issue: 1, 67 - 75, 01.04.2012

Abstract

Abstract Between mid-July and early August, an unusual mass mortality of cetaceans was detected on the Turkish Western Black Sea coast. 114 cetaceans (53 harbour porpoises, 9 common dolphins, 7 bottlenose dolphins, 45 unidentified) were reported dead and nine common dolphins stranded alive, 6 of which were returned to the sea. Only two freshly dead common dolphins were subjected to a complete necropsy, sampling and tissue analysis. Tissue samples from brain, lung, spleen, liver, kidney, muscle and testis were fixed in formalin and embedded in paraffin. Histological analysis was conducted and immunohistochemical technique to detect morbillivirus antigen was applied. RNA and cDNA samples were examined for dolphin morbillivirus (DMV) detect by reversetranscription–PCR (RT-PCR) and conventional PCR. Main histopathological lesions were multifocal non-purulent meningitis, severe diffuse alveolar oedema in lung samples, multifocal periportal macrovacuolar hepatic steatosis, interstitial and tubulardegeneration with protein casts and calcifications in renal medulla. No evidence for DMV infection was analytically found in both dolphins, and the cause of this unusual mortality is still uncertain.

References

  • Alekseev, A.Yu., Reguzova, A. Yu., Rozanova, E.I., Abramov, A.V., Tumanov, Yu. V., Kuvshinova, I.N., Shestopalov, A.M. (2009) Detection of specific antibodies to morbilliviruses, Brucella and Toxoplasma in the Black Sea Dolphin Tursiops truncatus ponticus and the Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas from the Sea of Okhotsk in 2002−2007. Russian Journal of Marine Biology 35(6): 494-497.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2002) Natural mortality factors affecting cetaceans in the Black Sea. In: Cetaceans of the Mediterranean and Black Seas: State of Knowledge and Conservation Strategies, (ed., G. Notarbartolo di Sciara), A report to the ACCOBAMS Secretariat, Monaco, February 2002. Section 16, 13 p.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2008) The state of cetacean populations. In: State of the Environment of the Black Sea (2001-2006/7), (ed., Temel Oğuz). The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC), Istanbul, Turkey. pp. 365-395.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2009) The progress report on the implementation of the conservation plan for Black Sea Cetaceans November 2009 (October 2007October 2009) Draft Doc.12.6.) BSC AG FOMLR Meeting in Istanbul.
  • Birkun, A., Jr., Kuiken, T., Krivokhizhin, S., Haines, D.M., Osterhaus, A.D.M.E., van de Bildt, M.W., Joiris, C.R., Siebert, U. (1999) Epizootic of morbilliviral disease in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis ponticus) from the Black Sea. Vet. Res. 144(4): 85-92.
  • Cowan, D.F. (2009) Pathology. In: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second Edition, (eds., W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig, J.G.M. Thewissen), Academic Press, USA, pp. 836-844.
  • Fernández, A., Esperón, F., Herraéz, P., Espinosa, A., Clavel, C., Bernabé, A., Sánchez-Vizcaino, J.M., Verborgh, P., DeStephanis, R., Toledano, F., Bayón, A. (2008) Morbillivirus and pilot whale deaths, Mediterranean Sea. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14(5): 792-794.
  • Gol’din, P.E. (2009) Harbour porpoises in the Sea of Azov: population structure, longterm dynamics and factors affecting them. In: Abstracts of 23rd Annual Conf. European Cetacean Society, Istanbul, Turkey, p. 20.
  • Hall, A., Harwood, J. (2009) Mass die-offs. In: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second Edition, (eds., W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig, J.G.M. Thewissen), Academic Press, USA, pp.709-712.
  • Müller, G., Wünschmann, A., Baumgärtner, W., Birkun, A., Komakhidze, A., Stanev, T., Joiris, C.R. (2002) Immunohistological and serological investigations of morbillivirus infection in Black Sea harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Vet. Microbiol. 87(2): 183-190.
  • Ozturk, B. (1996) Whales and Dolphins, Introduction of Cetology. Anahtar Kitapları Yayınevi, Istanbul. 136 pp (in Turkish).
  • Raga, J.-A., Banyard, A., Domingo, M., Corteyn, M., Van Bressem, M.-F., Fernández, M., Aznar, F.-J., Barrett, T. (2008) Dolphin morbillivirus epizootic resurgence, Mediterranean Sea. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14(3): 471-473.
  • Tonay, A. M., Dede, A., Ozturk, A.A. (2008) Cetacean strandings in the Turkish western Black Sea coast during spring months in 2003-2005. In: Proc. 22nd Annual Conf. European Cetacean Society, Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. Tonay, A.M., Ozturk, B. (2003) Cetacean bycatches in turbot fishery on the western coast of the Turkish Black Sea. In: International Symposium of Fisheries and Zoology (In memory of Ord. Prof. Dr. Curt KOSSWIG in His 100th Birth Anniversary), (eds., I.K. Oray, M.S. Çelikkale, G. Özdemir), İstanbul, pp. 131-138.
  • Van Bressem, M.F. (2009) Emergency task force: guidelines for a coordinated Cetacean stranding response during mortality events caused by infectious agents and harmful algal blooms. ACCOBAMS Guidelines for a Coordinated Cetacean Stranding Response. 29pp.
  • Zaitsev, Y. (2008) An Introduction to the Black Sea Ecology. Smil Editing and Publishing Agency Ltd, Odessa, 228 pp.
Year 2012, Volume: 18 Issue: 1, 67 - 75, 01.04.2012

Abstract

References

  • Alekseev, A.Yu., Reguzova, A. Yu., Rozanova, E.I., Abramov, A.V., Tumanov, Yu. V., Kuvshinova, I.N., Shestopalov, A.M. (2009) Detection of specific antibodies to morbilliviruses, Brucella and Toxoplasma in the Black Sea Dolphin Tursiops truncatus ponticus and the Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas from the Sea of Okhotsk in 2002−2007. Russian Journal of Marine Biology 35(6): 494-497.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2002) Natural mortality factors affecting cetaceans in the Black Sea. In: Cetaceans of the Mediterranean and Black Seas: State of Knowledge and Conservation Strategies, (ed., G. Notarbartolo di Sciara), A report to the ACCOBAMS Secretariat, Monaco, February 2002. Section 16, 13 p.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2008) The state of cetacean populations. In: State of the Environment of the Black Sea (2001-2006/7), (ed., Temel Oğuz). The Commission on the Protection of the Black Sea Against Pollution (BSC), Istanbul, Turkey. pp. 365-395.
  • Birkun, A. Jr. (2009) The progress report on the implementation of the conservation plan for Black Sea Cetaceans November 2009 (October 2007October 2009) Draft Doc.12.6.) BSC AG FOMLR Meeting in Istanbul.
  • Birkun, A., Jr., Kuiken, T., Krivokhizhin, S., Haines, D.M., Osterhaus, A.D.M.E., van de Bildt, M.W., Joiris, C.R., Siebert, U. (1999) Epizootic of morbilliviral disease in common dolphins (Delphinus delphis ponticus) from the Black Sea. Vet. Res. 144(4): 85-92.
  • Cowan, D.F. (2009) Pathology. In: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second Edition, (eds., W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig, J.G.M. Thewissen), Academic Press, USA, pp. 836-844.
  • Fernández, A., Esperón, F., Herraéz, P., Espinosa, A., Clavel, C., Bernabé, A., Sánchez-Vizcaino, J.M., Verborgh, P., DeStephanis, R., Toledano, F., Bayón, A. (2008) Morbillivirus and pilot whale deaths, Mediterranean Sea. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14(5): 792-794.
  • Gol’din, P.E. (2009) Harbour porpoises in the Sea of Azov: population structure, longterm dynamics and factors affecting them. In: Abstracts of 23rd Annual Conf. European Cetacean Society, Istanbul, Turkey, p. 20.
  • Hall, A., Harwood, J. (2009) Mass die-offs. In: Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second Edition, (eds., W.F. Perrin, B. Würsig, J.G.M. Thewissen), Academic Press, USA, pp.709-712.
  • Müller, G., Wünschmann, A., Baumgärtner, W., Birkun, A., Komakhidze, A., Stanev, T., Joiris, C.R. (2002) Immunohistological and serological investigations of morbillivirus infection in Black Sea harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Vet. Microbiol. 87(2): 183-190.
  • Ozturk, B. (1996) Whales and Dolphins, Introduction of Cetology. Anahtar Kitapları Yayınevi, Istanbul. 136 pp (in Turkish).
  • Raga, J.-A., Banyard, A., Domingo, M., Corteyn, M., Van Bressem, M.-F., Fernández, M., Aznar, F.-J., Barrett, T. (2008) Dolphin morbillivirus epizootic resurgence, Mediterranean Sea. Emerging Infectious Diseases 14(3): 471-473.
  • Tonay, A. M., Dede, A., Ozturk, A.A. (2008) Cetacean strandings in the Turkish western Black Sea coast during spring months in 2003-2005. In: Proc. 22nd Annual Conf. European Cetacean Society, Egmond aan Zee, the Netherlands. Tonay, A.M., Ozturk, B. (2003) Cetacean bycatches in turbot fishery on the western coast of the Turkish Black Sea. In: International Symposium of Fisheries and Zoology (In memory of Ord. Prof. Dr. Curt KOSSWIG in His 100th Birth Anniversary), (eds., I.K. Oray, M.S. Çelikkale, G. Özdemir), İstanbul, pp. 131-138.
  • Van Bressem, M.F. (2009) Emergency task force: guidelines for a coordinated Cetacean stranding response during mortality events caused by infectious agents and harmful algal blooms. ACCOBAMS Guidelines for a Coordinated Cetacean Stranding Response. 29pp.
  • Zaitsev, Y. (2008) An Introduction to the Black Sea Ecology. Smil Editing and Publishing Agency Ltd, Odessa, 228 pp.
There are 15 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Arda M. Tonay This is me

Ayhan Dede This is me

Ayaka Amaha Öztürk This is me

Didem Ercan This is me

Antonio Fernández This is me

Publication Date April 1, 2012
Published in Issue Year 2012 Volume: 18 Issue: 1

Cite

APA Tonay, A. M. ., Dede, A. ., Öztürk, A. A. ., Ercan, D. ., et al. (2012). Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment, 18(1), 67-75.
AMA Tonay AM, Dede A, Öztürk AA, Ercan D, Fernández A. Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment. April 2012;18(1):67-75.
Chicago Tonay, Arda M., Ayhan Dede, Ayaka Amaha Öztürk, Didem Ercan, and Antonio Fernández. “Unusual Mass Mortality of Cetaceans on the Coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in Summer 2009”. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment 18, no. 1 (April 2012): 67-75.
EndNote Tonay AM, Dede A, Öztürk AA, Ercan D, Fernández A (April 1, 2012) Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment 18 1 67–75.
IEEE A. M. . Tonay, A. . Dede, A. A. . Öztürk, D. . Ercan, and A. . Fernández, “Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009”, Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment, vol. 18, no. 1, pp. 67–75, 2012.
ISNAD Tonay, Arda M. et al. “Unusual Mass Mortality of Cetaceans on the Coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in Summer 2009”. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment 18/1 (April 2012), 67-75.
JAMA Tonay AM, Dede A, Öztürk AA, Ercan D, Fernández A. Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment. 2012;18:67–75.
MLA Tonay, Arda M. et al. “Unusual Mass Mortality of Cetaceans on the Coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in Summer 2009”. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment, vol. 18, no. 1, 2012, pp. 67-75.
Vancouver Tonay AM, Dede A, Öztürk AA, Ercan D, Fernández A. Unusual mass mortality of cetaceans on the coast of the Turkish Western Black Sea in summer 2009. Journal of Black Sea / Mediterranean Environment. 2012;18(1):67-75.