North Atlantic right whales, Eubalaena glacialis, exposed to paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins via a zooplankton vector, Calanus finmarchicus

By E. Durbin, G. Teegarden, R. Campbell, A. Cembella, M. Baumgartner, Bruce Mate. 2002

85 citations recorded by the source corpus.

Abstract The seriously endangered north Atlantic right whale ( Eubalaena glacialis ) is regularly exposed to the neurotoxins responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) through feeding on contaminated zooplankton acting as a vector of these dinoflagellate toxins. This chronic exposure occurs during several months each summer while the whales are present on their late summer feeding ground in Grand Manan Basin in the lower Bay of Fundy. Based on estimated ingestion rates, we suggest that these toxins could affect respiratory capabilities, feeding behavior, and ultimately the reproductive condition of the whale population.

Subfields: Ecology, Oceanography

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/9267490a12665ec9a1ac73c46bda86871abb329c

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In Ecology

1. E. Durbin
2. T. Cole
3. R. Campbell
4. G. Teegarden
5. Xabier Irigoien
6. M. Baumgartner
7. Kevin J. Flynn
8. R. Harris

In Oceanography

1. E. Durbin
2. R. Campbell
3. Kevin J. Flynn
4. T. Cole
5. G. Teegarden
6. Xabier Irigoien
7. M. Baumgartner
8. R. Harris

Citations in the corpus

• Phytoplankton blooms: a ‘loophole’ in microzooplankton grazing impact? (2005, background): “, 2003) with copepods seeming to act rather as a vector than as a target (e.g. Turner et al., 2000; Durbin et al., 2002).”
• Associations between North Atlantic right whales and their prey, Calanus finmarchicus, over diel and tidal time scales (2003, background): “Right whale exposure to the natural toxins that cause paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) may be enhanced by feeding on near-surface aggregations of Calanus finmarchicus that have significantly higher PSP toxin levels than deeper copepods (Durbin et al. 2002).”
• Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxins in North Atlantic right whales Eubalaena glacialis and their zooplankton prey in the Bay of Fundy, Canada (2006, methodology): “Moreover, based on toxicity data from its primary prey species, Calanus finmarchicus (Turner et al. 2000, Durbin et al. 2002, present study), a compelling argument can be made that this highly endangered cetacean is exposed to these potent neurotoxins primarily through a single zooplankton vector.”