Ecology Summary - Neophocaena phocaenoides

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Ecology of Neophocaena phocaenoides

Main Ref.	Tan, J.M.L., 1995
Remarks	Found in tropical to warm temperate coastal waters, i.e., shallow bays, mangrove swamps, estuaries and large rivers, but mainly prefers estuarine waters (Ref. 81021). Occurs singly, in pairs, or in small groups of up to 12 individuals. Not as showy as other dolphins; though, they are occasionally seen breaking the surface in calm seas (Ref. 801). Feeds on small fishes, squids and shrimps; also ingests some plant materials including leaves and rice (Ref. 1394).

Main Ref.

Tan, J.M.L., 1995

Remarks

Found in tropical to warm temperate coastal waters, i.e., shallow bays, mangrove swamps, estuaries and large rivers, but mainly prefers estuarine waters (Ref. 81021). Occurs singly, in pairs, or in small groups of up to 12 individuals. Not as showy as other dolphins; though, they are occasionally seen breaking the surface in calm seas (Ref. 801). Feeds on small fishes, squids and shrimps; also ingests some plant materials including leaves and rice (Ref. 1394).

Aquatic zones / Water bodies

	Marine - Neritic	Marine - Oceanic	Brackishwater	Freshwater
Marine zones / Brackish and freshwater bodies	supra-littoral zone littoral zone sublittoral zone	epipelagic mesopelagic epipelagic abyssopelagic hadopelagic	estuaries/lagoons/brackish seas mangroves marshes/swamps	rivers/streams lakes/ponds caves exclusively in caves

Highighted items on the list are where Neophocaena phocaenoides may be found.

Habitat

Substrate	Pelagic;
Substrate Ref.
Special habitats
Special habitats Ref.

Associations

Ref.	Jefferson, T.A. and S.K. Hung, 2004
Associations	parasitism;
Associated with	External parasites: Conhoderma auritum and Xenobalanus globicipitis on flippers and flukes. Internal parasites: Nasitrema spathulatum, Nasitrema sunameri, Otophocaenurus asiaorientalis, Pseudostenurus sunameri, Stenurus nanjingensis in respiratory passages and cranial sinuses; Pharurus asiaeorientalis in throat and blood sinuses; Halocercus pingi, Halocercus sunameri, Halocercus taurica in lungs and trachea; Pseudostenurus auditivus in tympanic cavity; Campula folium in liver; Campula oblonga in bile ducts, pancreatic ducts and duodenal ampulla; Anisakis typica in stomach; Hadwenius nipponocus in duodenal ampulla; Corynosoma sp., Delphinicola tenuis, Orthosplanchus elongatus; Synthesium tursionis in the intestines; Crassicauda fuelleborni and Diphyllobothrium fuhrmanni from unspecified organs Ref. 81021.
Association remarks
Parasitism	outside host (On flippers and flukes.) inside host (In respiratory passages, cranial sinuses, throat and blood sinus, lungs, trachea, tympanic cavity, liver, bile ducts, pancreatic ducts, duodenal ampulla, stomach and intestines.)

feeding

Feeding type	plants/detritus+animals (troph. 2.2-2.79)
Feeding type Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993
Feeding habit	hunting macrofauna (predator)
Feeding habit Ref.	Jefferson, T.A., S. Leatherwood and M.A. Webber, 1993

Trophic Level(s)

Estimation method	original sample		unfished population		Remark
Estimation method	Troph	s.e.	Troph	s.e.	Remark
From diet composition
From individual food items	4.44	0.84			Trophic level estimated from a number of food items using a randomized resampling routine.
Ref.

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