(from National Geographic)
An entirely new species of dolphin has been discovered in Australia, and not in some isolated lagoon but in the shadows of skyscrapers, scientists say. One of only three new dolphin species found since the 1800s, the Burrunan dolphin - named after an Aboriginal phrase that means "large sea fish of the porpoise kind" - is known from only two populations so far, both in the state of Victoria.About a hundred Burrunan dolphins have been found in Port Phillip Bay near Melbourne, Australia's second most populous city. Another 50 are known to frequent the saltwater coastal lakes of the Gippsland region, a couple hundred miles or so away. It's long been known that distinct dolphin populations roam off south-eastern Australia. But now DNA tests have shown that the creatures dolphins are genetically very different from the two recognized bottlenose dolphin species, the common bottlenose dolphin and the Indo-Pacific bottlenose.
The results were so surprising that the team initially thought there was a mistake and reran the tests, said study leader Kate Charlton-Robb, a marine biologist at Australia's Monash University. The team also examined dolphin skulls, collected and maintained by Australian museums over the last century, and determined that Burrunan dolphins have slight cranial differences that set the species apart. Compared to the other bottlenoses, Burrunan dolphins have a more curved dorsal fin, a stubbier beak, and a unique "tri-coloration"—including dark gray, mid-gray, and white.
Because so few of the new dolphin species are known, the Burrunan research team has petitioned the Australian government to list the animals as endangered.
"Given the small size of the population, it's really crucial that we make an effort to protect them." - Kate Charlton-Robb, Marine Biologist (AMU)
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