Far from home: Record of a vagrant striped dolphin in Patagonia with notes on diet, parasites and age determination

Abstract

The striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833), is a pelagic small cetacean with primary distribution in tropical and subtropical waters. Here, we present a record of a vagrant individual of striped dolphin in Patagonia, out of its distribution range. The animal was 1 year old, measured 148 cm. and weighted 35. Kg. The specimen was classified as immature due to the small development of the epididym and the absence of spermatozoa in testicular smear. Helminths found belong to two families of Cestoda: cysts of Phyllobothrium delphini (Phyllobothriidae) and Tetrabothrius sp. (Tetrabothriidae). In addition, 1 Pholeter gastrophilus (Digenea: Pholeteridae) was collected. In the stomach we found two cephalopod beaks, identified as argentine shortfin squid and lesser shining bobtail and 6 crystallines of non-identified small fishes. This stranding event constitutes the most southern record for the species at the Argentine coast and highlights the importance of systematically recording strandings as an integral part of any program aimed at monitoring the well-being of local cetacean communities.