Social structure in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)

@article{Valsecchi2002SocialSI,
  title={Social structure in migrating humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae)},
  author={E. Valsecchi and P. Hale and P. Corkeron and W. Amos},
  journal={Molecular Ecology},
  year={2002},
  volume={11}
}
Although largely solitary, humpback whales exhibit a number of behaviours where individuals co‐operate with one another, for example during bubble net feeding. Such cases could be due to reciprocal altruism brought on by exceptional circumstances, for example the presence of abundant shoaling fish. An alternative explanation is that these behaviours have evolved through kin selection. With little restriction to either communication or movement, diffuse groups of relatives could maintain some… Expand
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Estimates of relatedness in groups of humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on two wintering grounds of the Southern Hemisphere
TLDR
The results demonstrate that if cooperative behaviours occur on wintering grounds they are not favoured by kin selection, and the analysis from the Gabon population suggests that related males may avoid each other during competitive activities. Expand
The influence of maternal lineages on social affiliations among humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) on their feeding grounds in the southern gulf of Maine.
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The hypothesis that, despite the apparent absence of close kinship bonds, the fluid associations between feeding whales are influenced by "maternal lineages" as represented by mtDNA haplotypes is tested. Expand
The Nature of Humpback Whale ( Megaptera novaeangliae )
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It is proposed that competition and cooperation are interrelated in humpback whales’ competitive groups and that male cooperation would be an adaptive strategy either to displace dominant escorts or to fend off challengers. Expand
The Nature of Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) Song
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It is postulates that sexual selection in humpback whales may have both a physical and cognitive fitness component. Expand
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Optimal observation conditions of a small population of humpback whales in sheltered waters allowed the discovery of two social groups enduring almost three decades, suggesting these long lasting associations endure through migration and into the southern breeding areas. Expand
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Although predictable in its areas of occurrence, many aspects of humpback whale migration are still poorly understood. Nuclear DNA analysis has revealed a low level of relatedness among whales using… Expand
Presence and movement of humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae) mother-calf pairs in the Gold Coast, Australia
TLDR
The Gold Coast bay in eastern Australia has been hypothesised to be an important habitat, primarily for humpback whale mother-calf pairs, and relative distribution, and temporal patterns from 2,305 humpback whales between 2011 to 2017 are investigated to determine habitat use of the bay as aresting area. Expand
Humpback whale songs: Do they organize males during the breeding season?
TLDR
It is hypothesized that the song organizes males by providing, through its characteristics of continuous change and adoption of these changes by all nearby singers, a real time measure of association between individuals, possibly providing a means of reciprocity for mutual assistance in mating. Expand
Songs of male humpback whales, Megaptera novaeangliae, are involved in intersexual interactions
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It is suggested that males joining singers are prospecting for females rather than engaging in male social ordering and that singing may incur the cost of attracting competing males. Expand
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