Dolphins! Dolphins! And more ‘Tursiops Australis’?

Published on Friday, 16 September 2011 10:22

	By Douglas Jobling Follow @DouglasATE

Australian researcher Kate Charlton-Robb (Ph.D) from the University of Monash has identified a new species of dolphin off the cost of Victoria.

These playful and intelligent mammals of the sea are originally thought to stem from only two recognised species of the bottlenose dolphin. Biological studies undertaken on this species have proved otherwise, thus deducing that this breed of species is completely new and calls Australia home.

The species has been discovered through biological methods of comparative anatomy, otherwise known as the comparing of skulls of the living species today with museum skulls therefore providing strong grounding to the theory that these dolphins are new species.

“This research relied in large part on the analysis of dolphin skulls collected and maintained by museums over the last century including the extraordinary holdings at Museum Victoria.”

What helps Ms Charlton-Robb strengthen this theory is the copious “DNA regions from the current day population as well as specimens dating back to the early 1900s,” as well as the different externalities to other species. Thus allowing the theory to be recognised, accepted and listed within the scientific world.

The common name given to the new species Tursiops Australis is ‘Burrunan’, this name is drawn from the origins of local aboriginal dialects, with a meaning of ‘large sea fish of the porpoise kind’. Burrunan is thought only to have two small pods “We know these unique dolphins are restricted to a very small region of the world, in addition the resident populations are very small with only approximately 100 dolphins in Port Phillip Bay and 50 in the Gippsland Lakes.”

The dolphin in question. Easily confused with a dolphin, apparently.

This discovery is not only a monumental milestone for marine biology but for science in Australia as a whole. This expresses the need for more in depth scientific analyses to be needed and also reflects the fact that there are many new and exciting discoveries are out there.

“Ms Charlton-Robb’s discovery is an exciting example of a recent trend in biodiversity research across Victoria and Australia. Through the careful application of emerging technologies to museum specimens, researchers are revealing that our biological heritage is far more diverse than we realise.” said Dr Rowe, Museum Victoria’s Senior Curator of Mammals. 

Australia is privileged to have a new dolphin species in our waters and people are encouraged to enjoy the marine wildlife, but to make sure they keep their distance. Marine mammals are a protected species.

Editorial Comment: Thanks to our new Aussie based journalist, Douglas Jobling, for this piece. Want more dolphins?  Try Non-Human Persons, our feature on just how smart dolphins are.