Short CommunicationA stranding of Balaenoptera borealis (Lesson 1828) from Patagonia, Argentina, with notes on parasite infestation and diet

Abstract

Strandings of baleen whales are uncommon in Patagonia, Argentina. We report on a stranding of an individual sei whale Balaenoptera borealis on the east coast of San Antonio (40°43.5′ S, 64°55.8′ W), Río Negro province, Argentina. It was the eighth reported stranding of this species along the Argentinean coastline. The stomach content of the whale was dominated by crustaceans. Three parasite species were also recovered, namely Ogmogaster antarcticus (Trematoda), Anisakis simplex (Nematoda) and Tetrabothrius affinis (Cestoda). This was the first record of a host carrying the latter two species in the South-West Atlantic Ocean.

Keywords: diet, new record, parasites, sei whale

African Journal of Marine Science 2011, 33(1): 177–179