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2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 25
Bol. Mus. Mun. Funchal, 62 (334): 25-43, 2012 ISSN 0870-3876
NEW RECORDS OF CETACEAN SPECIES FOR
MADEIRA ARCHIPELAGO WITH AN UPDATED CHECKLIST
BY L. FREITAS 1, A. DINIS 1, C. NICOLAU 1, C. RIBEIRO 1 & F. ALVES 1
With 1 figure & 1 table
RESUMO. Quatorze espécies de cetáceos são descritas pela primeira
vez para o mar do arquipélago da Madeira. Onze são registos confirmados,
baseados em arrojamentos ou em imagens de qualidade, e três são registos não
confirmados, baseados em observações visuais. As espécies confirmadas são:
a baleia-azul (Balaenoptera musculus), a baleia-sardinheira (B. borealis), a
baleia-anã (B. acutorostrata), a baleia-de-bossas (Megaptera novaeangliae),
o cachalote-anão (Kogia sima), o zífio (Ziphius cavirostris), a baleia-de-bico-
de-Gervais (Mesoplodon europaeus), a falsa-orca (Pseudorca crassidens), o
grampo (Grampus griseus), a orca-pigmeia (Feresa attenuata) e o golfinho-de-
Fraser (Lagenodelphis hosei). As espécies não confirmadas são: a baleia-bico-
de-garrafa (Hyperoodon ampullatus), baleia-piloto (Globicephala melas) e o
golfinho-cabeça-de-melão (Peponocephala electra). A lista de cetáceos para o
arquipélago da Madeira é assim atualizada de 15 para 29 espécies, e as espécies
previamente descritas foram revistas e complementadas com informação
atualizada sempre que foi considerado relevante.
PALAVRAS CHAVE: Macaronésia, oceano Atlântico, arrojamentos, censos,
fotografias, observação de cetáceos, história da baleação, taxonomia, mamíferos
marinhos.
1 Madeira Whale Museum, 9200-031 Caniçal, Madeira, Portugal.
Corresponding author: luisfreitas@museudabaleia.org
26 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
ABSTRACT. Fourteen cetaceans’ species are described for the first
time for the waters of Madeira archipelago. Eleven are confirmed records,
based on strandings or in good quality images and three are non-confirmed
records, based on visual observations. The confirmed species are: blue whale
(Balaenoptera musculus), sei whale (B. borealis), common minke whale (B.
acutorostrata), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), dwarf sperm whale
(Kogia sima), Cuvier’s beaked whale (Ziphius cavirostris), Gervais’ beaked
whale (Mesoplodon europaeus), false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens),
Risso’s dolphin (Grampus griseus), pigmy killer whale (Feresa attenuata)
and Fraser’s dolphin (Lagenodelphis hosei). The non-confirmed species are:
northern bottlenose whale (Hyperoodon ampullatus), long-finned pilot whale
(Globicephala melas) and melon-headed whale (Peponocephala electra).
The checklist of cetaceans for Madeira archipelago is now updated from 15
to 29 species, and the species previously described were also revised and
complemented, whenever relevant, with updated information.
KEYWORDS: Macaronesia, Atlantic Ocean, strandings, surveys, photo-
identification, whalewatching, whaling-historical, taxonomy, marine mammals.
INTRODUCTION
The last two checklists revising the cetaceans’ species from the Madeira archipelago
(Northeast Atlantic; Fig. 1) were published almost 20 years ago (MATHIAS, 1988; SANTOS-REIS
& MATHIAS, 1996). They reflected part of the data collected and published up to the 1990’s,
including references to historical documents (SARMENTO, 1936, 1948; SILVA & MENESES, 1940)
and scientific publications of new recorded species (HARMER, 1924; NOBRE, 1938; MAUL &
SERGEANT, 1977). However, there are other relevant publications that were not referred in those
checklists, such as, TOWNSEND (1935), CLARKE (1954) and GORDON et al. (1995). Moreover,
REINER (1981), FREITAS et al. (1998) and ALVES et al. (2010) refer three new species for the
area, adding up to a total of 15 species.
The consultation of the official logbooks of the Madeira Whaling Company
(hereafter named EBAM – Empresa Baleeira do Arquipélago da Madeira), bibliographic
review, the raising interest and search of cetaceans by the whalewatching operators during
the last decade, as well as, the systematic record of cetacean strandings and the increase of
sea effort conducted by the Madeira Whale Museum (MWM), either by nautical or aerial
surveys, resulted in the identification of new cetaceans’ species for the area. In that sense, this
paper adds 14 new species to the checklist of the cetological fauna of Madeira archipelago
and also adds new information on eight species previously described.
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 27
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28 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
MATERIALS AND METHODS
An extensive bibliographic review was made and the official logbooks of the
EBAM (from January 1941 to October 1981) were consulted in order to find new records of
species that were not yet described for the archipelago and to obtain extra information about
species that had been already referred to these waters. Moreover, Madeiran ex-whalers were
interviewed to collect information that might complement the EBAM records. The MWM
Images Database, from the whaling period, was analysed in order to find pictures of captured
specimens to match and confirm the identification of the specimens recorded in the logbooks.
The systematic collection and record of information on stranded cetaceans started in 1994 and,
in 1996, a stranding network was established, to cover the coastline of Madeira archipelago.
Photographs were systematically taken of the stranded specimens and, whenever possible,
their skulls and skeletons were collected, catalogued and stored in the MWM, for species’
record and identification purposes. Opportunistic sea surveys conducted by the MWM between
1997 and 2000, as well as year round dedicated visual aerial surveys (2002-2008) and visual
nautical surveys (2001-2012), allowed the identification of sighted individuals accurately
up to the species level on the majority of the encounters. The encounters were documented
using colour slide films, photographic and/or video digital cameras and, in some occasions,
underwater images of the sighted animals were obtained. The images were stored on the
MWM Images Database. Additionally, records from experienced whalewatching operators
or from other opportunistic sightings, when accompanied by relevant data (species, date,
position, and number of individuals) were considered after being sorted and validated. The
species presented in the results were classified as:
1) confirmed – when identification was based on stranded specimens or on sightings
with good quality images; 2) non-confirmed – when identification was based on visual
observations, without evidence that would allow confirmation by third parties.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Fourteen species of cetaceans are described for the first time for Madeira
archipelago, from which eleven are confirmed records and three are non-confirmed records.
Thus, the total number of cetaceans’ species for this area is now updated to 29. Apart from
the harbour porpoise and the Northern Atlantic right whale, the remaining 27 species have
been recorded in the last years (Table 1). Eight of the 15 species described in previous years
are worth remarking in order to clarify and/or update information regarding their presence
in Madeiran waters.
The authors suggest that the increase in dedicated survey efforts towards cetaceans
in Madeiran waters during the last decade was the main factor contributing to add such high
number of species to the cetological fauna of the archipelago, although oceanic climatological
changes may also contribute to the increased number of sightings of tropical species.
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 29
TABLE 1 - Updated list of cetacean species recorded in the waters of the archipelago of Madeira.
Classification according to Rice (1998) and common names according to approved IWC list. Type of record:
S – sighting; C – catch; ST – stranding. First recorded: first record (year) according to the first published
scientific or historical reference that reports the species; references in brackets are non-peer-reviewed. Last
recorded: last known record (year) of the species based on all types of data until December 2012. Symbols
legend: * new confirmed record; + new record based only on visual observations; ! species described in
previous years for Madeira archipelago but with new information (see Results and Discussion).
Scientific nam e English name
Ty pe of
record
First published scient ific or hist orical referen ce
First
recorded
Last
recorded
Su b-order Mys tice ti
Family BALAENI DAE
!
Euba laena gla cialis Müller, 1776
Nort hern At lantic right whale
C Maul & Sergeant ( 1977)
1967 11967
Família BALAENOP TERIDAE
*
Balaen optera mu sculus ( Linnaeus, 17 58) Blue whale S this n ote 1964 2009
!
Balaen optera physa lus ( Linnaeus, 175 8) Fin whale S, C, ST Gordon et al. (1 995) 19 902201 2
*
Balaen optera borea lis Lesson , 1828 Sei whale S t his note 20 02 2011
*
Balaen optera acuto rostrata Lacépède, 18 04 Common minke whale S, ST t his not e 1956 201 0
!
Balaen optera eden i An derson, 187 8 Bryde's whale S, ST Alves et al. (2 010) 2 0053201 2
*
Megaptera novaean gliae (Borowski, 17 81) Humpback whale S, C this n ote 1957 2012
Su b-order O donto ceti
Family P HYSE TERIDAE
!
Physeter m acrocephalu s Lin naeus, 1758 Sperm wh ale S, C, ST T ownsend (193 5) ≤192 042012
Family KOGIIDAE
Kogia b reviceps (Blainville, 183 8) Pygmy sperm whale S, C, ST Maul & Sergeant ( 1977) 1941 2012
*
Kogia sim a (Owen, 1866 ) Dwar f sperm whale ST this n ote 2000 2000
Family ZIP HIIDAE
*
Ziphius ca virostris G. Cuvier, 18 23 Cuvier's beaked whale S, ST t his note 19 92 2011
!
Mesoplodo n bidens (Sowerby, 180 4) Sowerby's beaked whale C, ST Maul & Sergeant (1977) 1 941 201 2
Mesoplodo n densirostris Blainville, 18 17 Blainville's beaked whale S, ST Harmer ( 1924) 1917 2012
*
Mesoplodo n europa eus (Gervais, 1855) Gerv ais' beaked whale ST this n ote 2007 2007
+
Hyperood on am pullatus (Forst er, 177 0) Nort hern bot tlenose whale S t his note 20 01 2008
Family DELP HINIDAE
!
Orcinus orca (L innaeus, 1758 ) killer whale S (Sarment o, 1948 ), Hammon d & Lockyer (1988 ) ≤1 948 2012
Globiceph ala ma crorhynchus Gray, 1 846 Shor t-finne d pilot whale S, C, ST (Sarmento , 1936 ; Nobre, 193 8), Fraser (1 950) 1936 20 12
+
Globiceph ala me las ( Traill, 18 09) Lon g-finned pilot whale S (Pais, 199 3), th is note 1984 1993
*
Pseudorca crassidens (Owen, 1846 ) False killer whale S, ST t his not e 1997 201 1
Steno bredanensis (G. Cuvier in Lesson, 1828)
Rough too thed dolphin S, C Reiner (1 981) 196 8 2 012
*
Gramp us griseus (G. Cuvier, 1 812) Risso's dolphin S, ST (Sarm ento, 1948), this not e ≤19 48 2 012
Tursiops trunca tus (Montagu, 18 21) Bott lenose dolphin S, ST (Sarment o, 193 6), Maul & Sergeant (1977) 1933 -34 2012
Stenella frontalis (G. Cuvier, 1 829) Atlantic sp otted dolp hin S, ST Freitas et al. (1 998) 199 7 2012
!
Stenella coeruleoalba ( Meyen, 18 33) Strip ed dolphin S, ST Fr eitas et al. (19 98) 1995 52012
Delphinu s delphis Linnaeus, 17 58 Comm on dolphin S, ST (Sarmento , 1936 ), Maul & Sergeant (1 977) 1932 20 12
*
Lageno delphis ho sei Fraser, 1956 Fraser 's dolphin S t his note 20 03 2010
+
Pepon ocephala electra (Gray, 1846 ) Melon- headed whale S t his note 20 05 2005
*
Feresa attenu ata Gray, 187 4 Pigmy k iller whale S this no te 2009 2 009
Family P HOCOENIDAE
!
Phoco ena pho coena (Linn aeus, 1758) Harbour por poise C (Sarment o, 193 6), Matia s (1988) 1905 1905
1A pregnan t female n orther n right whale was capt ured in Madeira on 7 January 195 9 (unpublished record - o fficial logbooks of EBAM).
2
3
Th e species is ment ioned by Alves et al . (2 010) fo r Madeira waters, h owever the f irst conf irmed record for this species is fr om a sighting o n 28 Septem ber 2003.
4Th e species is ment ioned by To wn send (1935) for Madeira water s, referring t o Logbook r ecords of Amer ican whaleships for t he perio d between 1761 to 19 20.
5Th e first reco rd for th is species is from an animal str anded in September 19 91, accor ding to th e Records of Museu Municipal do Funcha l.
Th e first kn own fin whale recor d is of an anima l captured in Madeira on 4 June 19 52. T here are re cords of 12 more capt ured animals until No vember 195 7
(unpublished records - o fficial logbooks of EBAM).
30 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
Confirmed records
Blue whale Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758)
There are only four reports of sightings of single individuals of this species in
Madeiran waters. The most recent record is from April 2009 when a blue whale and a fin
whale were photographed by whalewatching operators and by the MWM research team at two
nautical miles South of “Garajau” (South Madeira). The oldest record is from whalers in 1964
at “Caniçal” (Southeast Madeira) (JOÃO MOREIRA, pers. comm.) and the remaining two are from
whalewatching operators off the Southeast coast of Madeira Island, one in September 1993
(MIGUEL FERNANDES, pers. comm.) and the other one in September 2004 (HÉLDER CAMACHO
and JOÃO SOUSA, pers. comm.). Blue whales are known to have a cosmopolitan distribution
(SEARS, 2002), and have been observed in the neighbouring archipelagos of the Azores (SIMAS
et al., 1998) and the Canary Islands (RITTER & BREDERLAU, 1998). The very low number of
records may be explained because the main migratory routes of this species do not include
Madeira archipelago and may also reflect the very small size of the North Atlantic population
(REEVES et al., 2003).
Sei whale Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828
The first record was a sighting of three individuals on September 2002 during
nautical surveys off the coast of “Porto da Cruz” (Northeast Madeira). Several more
sightings of this species have been recorded up to date by the MWM team in visual aerial
and nautical surveys, as well as by whalewatching operators. However, due to the difficulty
to distinguish this species from Bryde’s whale at sea, many more records have not been
considered confirmed observations of the species (there was not a clear dorsal view of
the head), which may lead to an underestimation of the species’ presence in the area. The
presence of this species in Madeiran waters was expected and is in accordance to its general
distribution pattern in the North Atlantic (PRIETO et al., 2011). The sei whale is also present
in the neighbouring archipelagos of the Azores (GORDON et al., 1990) and the Canary Islands
(RITTER & BREDERLAU, 1998).
Common minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacépède, 1804
The first record of this species was a sighting in 1956 by EBAM whalers close
to “Garajau” (South Madeira) (FRANCISCO REINER, pers. comm.). More recently, two animals
stranded, one on July 1998 at Desertas islands (stranding code: AR.M.98.01) and another on
August 1999 at Porto Santo Island (AR.M.99.01). Only three more sightings were recorded
up to date, one on July 2002 off the West coast of Madeira Island by the MWM team, another
by the shore of the Southeast coast of the same Island (FILIPE ALVES, pers. comm.) on May
2004, and the most recent sighting in February 2010 by the shore in front of the MWM (JOÃO
SOUSA, pers. comm.), at “Caniçal” (Southeast Madeira). Despite the common minke whale’s
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 31
cosmopolitan distribution, it occurs more frequently in coastal and colder waters (PERRIN &
BROWNELL, 2002). The common minke whale’s preference for coastal waters may be one
of the possible explanations for such low number of sightings in the deep oceanic waters
around Madeira.
Humpback whale Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781)
A total of five individuals were taken during the whaling period in Madeira and,
according to the official logbooks of EBAM, the first one was on July 1957. More recently,
single individuals were sighted by whalewatching operators (on November 2003, June 2004
and September 2012), and by the MWM team on May 2006, all at South of Madeira. Despite
the humpback whale cosmopolitan distribution (CLAPHAM, 2002), its main migration routes
in the Atlantic seem not to include the inshore waters of Madeira archipelago, as supported
by the low number of records of this species in the last decades, including the whaling period
(1941-1981).
Dwarf sperm whale Kogia sima (Owen, 1866)
The only known record of this species for Madeira archipelago is the stranding
of a juvenile on August 2000 (AR.O.00.06), at “Madalena do Mar” (Southwest Madeira),
later identified by the skull (skull reference code: MB387). There are also reports of a few
strandings at the nearby archipelagos of the Azores (GONÇALVES et al., 1996) and the Canary
Islands (JABER et al., 2004). This species has an evasive behaviour and it is very hard to
distinguish from the pygmy sperm whale (Kogia breviceps (BLAINVILLE, 1838)) at sea. It is
known to occur in tropical and temperate latitudes worldwide (MCALPINE, 2002).
Cuvier’s beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris Cuvier, 1823
The first record of this species is of an individual stranded on August 1992 (AR.
O.92.01) at “Porto Moniz” (Northwest Madeira). Years later, more strandings occurred,
namely on May 1999 (AR.O.99.01) at “Ponta de São Lourenço” (East Madeira), on May 2000
(AR.O.00.02 – MB381; AR.O.00.03 – MB382) at Porto Santo Island and on May 2000 (AR.
O.00.04 – MB383) at “Santana” (Northeast Madeira). Besides the strandings, this species
has been occasionally sighted in Madeiran waters during visual nautical and aerial surveys.
Cuvier’s beaked whales have a cosmopolitan distribution in deep offshore, tropical to cool
temperate marine waters and, as other beaked whales, are difficult to detect and approach at
sea. Most of the data comes from strandings (HEYNING, 2002), as occurred at the neighbouring
archipelagos of the Azores (REINER et al., 1993) and the Canary Islands (VONK & MARTÍN,
1989; MARTÍN et al., 2004).
Gervais’ beaked whale Mesoplodon europaeus Gervais, 1855
On April 2007 a female of Gervais’ beaked whale stranded (AR.O.07.02 – MB388)
in “Ponta Delgada” (North Madeira) and later on May of the same year a male stranded in
32 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
Porto Santo Island (AR.O.07.04 – MB389). Although the female skull was the only one
recovered in good conditions to allow species identification, photographs of the stranded male
head confirmed it as being of the same species. These two strandings are the only records of
the species for Madeira archipelago. The distribution of Gervais’ beaked whale appears to
include mostly tropical and warm temperate waters of the North Atlantic. Gervais’ beaked
whale is known particularly from stranding records, mainly in western North Atlantic (REEVES
et al., 2002) as well as in the neighbouring archipelagos of the Azores (REINER et al., 1993)
and the Canary Islands (MARTÍN et al., 2004).
False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens (Owen, 1846)
The first record of the species in Madeira archipelago was of a group of about 15
individuals on October 1997. They were sighted opportunistically in the channel between the
islands of Madeira and Porto Santo by the MWM research team. There is also a record of an
individual stranded on August 2001 (AR.O.01.07 – MB384) at “Ponta do Pargo” (Southwest
Madeira) and several groups were sighted again on eleven other occasions between 2001
and 2011, either by the MWM research team or by whalewatching operators. The species is
known to usually occur in tropical and warm temperate waters, deeper than 1000 m (REEVES
et al., 2002) and it has also been described for the neighbouring archipelagos of the Azores
(REINER & SANTOS, 1984) and the Canary Islands (HERNÁNDEZ-GARCÍA, 2002).
Risso’s dolphin Grampus griseus (Cuvier, 1812)
SARMENTO (1948) mentions Risso’s dolphin as one of the possible species present
in Madeiran waters based on descriptions of the colour and shape of the dorsal fin of some
sighted animals. However no dates or locations were given for the referred sightings. The
first documented record is from a stranding of one adult individual (AR.O.86.01) at “Caniçal”
(Southeast Madeira) on December 1986 (unpublished data from the Museu Municipal do
Funchal). Over 30 sightings have been recorded between 1998 and 2012 in Madeiran waters,
almost all in the South coast of Madeira Island, mainly by whalewatching operators but also
by the MWM research team. Risso’s dolphins have a worldwide distribution in temperate
and tropical oceans, between about 400 to 1000 m depth (BAIRD, 2009), and it is present in
all other Macaronesian islands (CHAVES, 1924; VONK & MARTÍN, 1988; REINER et al., 1996).
Pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata Gray, 1874
The only record of the species in Madeira archipelago was of a group of about 12
individuals with two calves on May 2009. The group was sighted during random nautical
surveys in the Southeast coast of Madeira Island. They were difficult to approach and avoided
the boat. Photos of the animals were taken and subsequently identified as Feresa attenuata.
The pygmy killer whale is found in tropical and subtropical waters worldwide (DONAHUE
& PERRYMAN, 2002), though according to WILLIAMS et al. (2002) this species was sighted in
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 33
cooler waters in the Bay of Biscay, North-eastern Atlantic. These extralimital records are
generally associated with incursions of warm waters in those areas (TAYLOR et al., 2008).
To our knowledge the last record of this species for the Macaronesia was on February 2012
in the Cape Verde Islands, with mass stranding of 7 pygmy killer whales (LÓPEZ-SUÁREZ et
al., 2012).
Fraser’s dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956
There are five records of this species for Madeiran waters, all made by
whalewatching operators. In all occasions the animals accompanied closely the boats for short
periods of time, allowing the species identification, but photographs for species confirmation
were only taken in the last two sigthings in 2010. The first sighting was a group of around
25 individuals on October 2003 (PETER BRISTOW, pers. comm.); the second sighting was of a
group of around 75 individuals on April 2005 (LUÍS DIAS, pers. comm.); both off the Southeast
coast of Madeira; the third sighting was a group of four animals in November 2008 at South
of Madeira (MIGUEL FERNANDES, pers. comm.); and the fourth and fifth sightings were on
August 2010 also at the South of Madeira, both in the same day and probably from the same
group, (RAQUEL MARQUES, pers. comm.). Fraser’s dolphin is a tropical species, ranging between
30ºN and 30ºS, and the occurrence outside this limit is considered unusual and is probably
influenced by temporary oceanographic events (DOLAR, 2002). The presence of this species
in Madeiran waters should be regarded as exceptional based on the few existing records.
Non-confirmed records
Northern bottlenose whale Hyperoodon ampullatus (Forster, 1770)
There are four sightings of isolated individuals or groups of up to three animals of
this species. The first one was on August 2001 off the South coast of Madeira, during nautical
surveys conducted by the MWM research team, and the last one on October 2008 West of
the Desertas Islands by a whalewatching operator (LUÍS DIAS, pers. comm.). This species is
found only in the North Atlantic and is rarely seen further south than Nova Scotia, Azores or
the Iberian Peninsula (REEVES et al., 2002). However, the stranding of a northern bottlenose
whale in Fuerteventura on 1988, Canary Islands (MARTÍN et al., 2004), which is further South
of Madeira archipelago and away from the main known area of distribution, confirms the
Madeira archipelago within a wider area of occurrence of the species. However, it should be
seen as an exceptional presence based on the few existing records.
Long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas (Traill, 1809)
There are at least two non-confirmed opportunistic sightings of this species in
Madeiran waters. MIGUEL LACERDA (pers. comm.) made the first sighting on July 1984 in
the Southeast coast of Madeira and PAIS (1993) reported one sighting of long-finned pilot
34 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
whales on June 1993 at about 50 nm North of Madeira Island. Although SARMENTO (1936)
and NOBRE (1938) had identified two individuals taken from Madeiran waters as long-finned
pilot whales, FRASER (1950) later corrected the identification to short-finned pilot whales
(Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846). The similarity of these two species may lead
to an underestimation of sightings of long-finned pilot whales in these waters. Thus, more
attention is required in identifying pilot whales (Globicephala sp.) in future sightings. The
waters of the Azores, Madeira and Mauritania are described as the southern limit of this
species range (REEVES et al., 2002; PRIETO & FERNANDES, 2007).
Melon-headed whale Peponocephala electra (Gray, 1846)
There are two sightings of this species, both off “Caniço” (Southeast Madeira)
and within a short-time interval. The first one was of a group of about 12 individuals on June
2005 by a whalewatching operator (LUÍS DIAS, pers. comm.), and the second one of about six
individuals on July 2005, during MWM nautical surveys. In both encounters the observers,
based on visible anatomical characteristics of the animals and in photographs, identified them
as being melon-headed whales. However, the similarity of this species with the pigmy killer
whale (Feresa attenuata Gray, 1874), the small size of the groups (a characteristic usually
related to pigmy killer whales (PERRYMAN, 2002)) and the low quality of the images make it
impossible to confirm the sightings as being of melon-headed whales. Both melon-headed
whale and the pigmy killer whale have Madeira archipelago within their expected overall
area of occurrence (PERRYMAN, 2002; DONAHUE & PERRYMAN, 2002).
Remarks on species described in previous years
Northern Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis Müller, 1776
The northern right whale was initially identified from a skull of one of two animals
captured in 1967 by EBAM in Madeiran waters (MAUL & SERGEANT, 1977). According to
the EBAM official logbooks, another animal (a pregnant female) was captured previously
on January 1959. To date there are no further records of the Northern Atlantic right whale
in Madeiran waters. The fact that this species is considered nearly extinct in the Northeast
Atlantic, where it has only been sighted for a few occasions in the last decades (SILVA et al.,
2012), makes it unlikely to be resighted in Madeiran waters.
Fin whale Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758)
Although the first bibliographic reference to this species in Madeiran waters is
from GORDON et al. (1995), the first record is of an animal captured by EBAM in June 1952
(unpublished records – official logbooks of EBAM). There are 12 more records of individual
animals captured until November 1957 by EBAM, accompanied by photographic records
of some of those events.
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 35
Bryde’s whale Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1878
ALVES et al. (2010) mention this species for the first time for Madeiran waters
referring to sightings in 2005 and a tagging event that happened in 2006. In that publication
the species is identified as Balaenoptera brydei after the genetic sequences obtained from
the analysis of a skin sample (sample BEM02 deposited in GenBank with reference number
EU030282) matched genetic sequences of Balaenoptera brydei Olsen, 1913, deposited in
the GenBank. Due to the uncertainties regarding the taxonomy of this species, the authors
in the present paper adopted the more conservative approach based on the revised list of
cetacean species and sub-species of the Society for Marine Mammology (COMMITTEE ON
TAXONOMY, 2012). The first confirmed record is of a calf stranded on August 2004 at “Santa
Cruz” (Southeast Madeira). The animal was identified by the three longitudinal ridges on the
top of the head and by its skull, which is catalogued and stored at the MWM (AR.M.04.01
– MB385). It was not possible to confirm the species genetically due to the carcass advanced
state of decomposition. Later, the MWM team identified one individual of this species from
a photograph taken by a whalewatching operator on the South coast of Madeira Island on
the 28 September 2003. To date, this species has been regularly observed, in groups of one
to five individuals, between June and November, during visual nautical and aerial surveys
carried out by the MWM, and by whalewatching operators. Again, due to the difficulty to
distinguish this species from the sei whale, the only records considered valid were the ones
for which there was a clear dorsal view of the head during encounters, which may lead to an
underestimation of the species’ number of sightings. Although Madeira archipelago is located
at the northern limit of the species range in the East Atlantic (KATO, 2002) we observed a
rapid increase in the number of sightings over the last years. Additionally, 2005 also revealed
to be an exceptional year for this species presence in the Canary Islands (BREDERLAU et al.,
2006; RITTER & NEUMANN, 2006). In the Azores archipelago, located at a northern latitude,
the species was also observed (STEINER et al., 2008).
Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758
Although the previous checklists dated the first sperm whale record in Madeiran
waters in 1936 (SARMENTO, 1948), this species was already mentioned by TOWNSEND (1935),
referring to the Logbook records of American whaleships for the period between 1761 and
1920. Later in 1940, the sperm whales were sighted from lookout posts located at “Porto
Moniz” (Northwest Madeira) and at “Machico” (Southeast Madeira). The shore based
whaling activity in Madeira archipelago started in January 1941, with the first sperm whale
being hunted in February that year (unpublished data; Madeira Whaling Historical records
at the MWM).
Sowerby’s beaked whale Mesoplodon bidens (Sowerby, 1804)
This species has only two confirmed records for the Madeiran waters. The first
one was on August 1941, when an animal was taken and identified later from its skull (MAUL
36 Boletim do Museu Municipal do Funchal (História Natural) No. LXII, Art. 334
& SERGEANT, 1977) and the second one was on July 2012, when a group of three individuals
stranded alive at “Machico” beach (Southeast Madeira). This group was rescued and sent
back to the sea by locals. The existence of only two confirmed records of this species for
Madeiran waters may result from Madeira archipelago’s location at the Southern limit of this
species known area of occurrence (REEVES et al., 2002) and/or from the difficulty to approach
and distinguish them from other beaked whales at sea.
Killer whale Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758)
SARMENTO (1948) refers to this species for Madeiran waters, stating that it has been
recognised by its dorsal fin and white patches on the body; however no dates or locations
were given for the sightings. It may be inferred that those sightings were prior to the date of
that publication. The killer whale is referred again by HAMMOND & LOCKYER (1988) in regard
to seven animals captured by the EBAM between 1952 and 1956.
Striped dolphin Stenella coeroleoalba (Meyen, 1833)
This species is listed for Madeira in SNPRCN (1990) and SANTOS-REIS & MATHIAS
(1996), but no information is given related to date, occurrence, type of record or source.
Although FREITAS et al. (1998) referred the first sighting of this species in Madeiran waters
between 1994-97 (the year of the sighting was 1995, CARLA FREITAS pers. comm.), five
strandings are documented in Museu de História Natural do Funchal (unpublished data) prior
to this period, being the first one in September 1991.
Harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758)
The harbour porpoise has been referenced to Madeiran waters based on an animal
caught in a tuna fishing gear in 1905 and described as being smaller than a common dolphin
(SARMENTO, 1936, 1948). Unfortunately no more detailed description or remains of the animal
exist to allow species confirmation. Thus harbour porpoise is considered as a non-confirmed
species for Madeira, following the same criteria used by the authors in this paper for other
species that were only visually identified. The harbour porpoise preference for coastal habitats
plus the lack of records of the species in Madeiran waters, apart from the above reference,
makes us consider its presence in these waters exceptional.
2012 Freitas et al., New records of cetacean species for Madeira 37
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
The authors are grateful for the very useful information and/or photographs
provided by different people, namely, Jorge Alves, Ricardo Antunes, Manuel Biscoito, Peter
Bristow, Hélder Camacho, Luís Dias, Miguel Fernandes, Carla Freitas, Claudia Gomes,
Rafael Gomes, Simplício Passos Gouveia, Miguel Lacerda, Raquel Marques, João Moreira,
Francisco Reiner, Eleutério Reis, Carlos Silva, Dinarte Sousa and João Sousa; to “Museu de
História Natural do Funchal” for providing information, logistical support and access to their
records and skulls’ collection. The authors also thank the Madeira Whale Museum boats’
crew for work and support, namely Hugo Vieira, Miguel Silva and João Viveiros and to Isabel
Quaresma and the volunteers, Nélida Aguiar, João Sousa, Filipe Nóbrega, Rita Ferreira, and
Rui Vieira for their enthusiasm and hard work during the necropsies; to the whalewatching
operators, namely, Ema Freitas & Can, Lda (Bonita da Madeira), Gavião, H2O Madeira,
Horizonte do Atlântico (Ventura do mar), Lobosonda, Nautisantos (Sea born), Prazer do Mar
(Sea pleasure), Rota dos Cetáceos e ZonaCat; to the Madeira Regional Government and all
Madeira archipelago Town Halls, as well as, to the Portuguese Navy, the Harbour Authorities of
Funchal and Porto Santo, Maritime Police, “Porto Santo Verde”, “Parque Natural da Madeira”
and “Estação de Biologia Marinha do Funchal” for providing logistical support on strandings.
Finally, the acknowledgment to Machico Town Hall for their financial support, as well as, the
EU programs LIFE, LIFE+ and FEDER/INTERREG III-B for funding the “Projecto para a
Conservação dos Cetáceos no Arquipélago da Madeira” (LIFE99 NAT/P/006432), Project
CETACEOSMADEIRA II (Life07 NAT/P/000646), Project MACETUS (MAC/4.2/M10)
and Project EMECETUS (05/MAC/4.2/M10), respectively.
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