Based on actual data of Soviet whaling, and reliable methodologies that existed at the time when this monograph was written, it examines the distribution and migration patterns of whales of the Southern Ocean. It defines distinct populations on the basis of phenes, as well as whale breeding zones, which are located in the adjacent to the Southern Ocean waters at lower latitudes. The book records the presence of a new species of killer whale in the Southern Ocean - Orcinus nana. Prenatal growth patterns, pregnancy and lactation duration, mean sizes of new-born whales are determined. Methods for the graphic recording of registering structures are described, and an original method for their decoding is proposed to determine animal age. The age of sexual and physical maturity, life expectancy is determined. Earlier unknown "pair formations" on the lower jaw of baleen whales and sperm whales are described, together with their macro, histological and electronic microscopic structure.

The impact of the extermination of whales on the Southern Ocean ecosystem is examined, recommendations for control of the current state of whale populations are given, and perspectives of whale population recovery are estimated. Regions that could be used as testing areas for whale registration method are defined.

The book is intended for biologist-cytologists, ecologists and other specialists interested in cetaceans, and for biology students.

Auteur

Yuri Aleskeysvich Mikhalev was graduated from Biological department of Kishinev State University 1963 with major in biologist-zoologist, and was hired as senior scientist in the sea mammal laboratory in Odessa branch of AzCherNIRO. He took part as a scientific group member in 6 cruises of Soviet whaling fleets Slava (1965-66), Sovetskaya Ukraina (1964-65), Yuri Dolgorukiy (1966-67) and scientific-research vessel Bodriy-25 (1973-74 and 1974-75).

1970 he became a chief of the mammal laboratory in Odessa branch of AzCherNIRO. He is author of more that 100 papers, most of them were published abroad. His first thesis was about biology of Antarctic fin whale reproduction (Scientific Council of All-union Institute of Sea Fishery and Oceanography, Moscow, 1972). Two doctorate theses were about biology of whales of Southern Hemisphere (specialty environment protection and rational use of nature resources, Scientific Council of Institute of Ecology Problems and Evolution, Russian Academy of Science, Moscow, 1997, and zoology, Scientific Council of Institute of Zoology, National Academy of Science of Ukraine, Kiev, 2005). He was awarded with 150-years of Antarctica discovery medal for his research of Antarctic cetaceans.

When 1982 the mammal laboratory was closed he started to work as professor of anatomy and physiology department of State Pedagogical University (Odessa, Ukraine). Now he is working in the Institute of Marine Biology of Ukrainian Academy of Science in Odessa. Since 1994 he is an independent expert of Scientific Committee of International Whaling Commission (IWC), since 1995 he is a member of the Marine Mammal Council (Moscow, Russia).

Contenu
AnnotationAcknowledgmentsIntroduction
1 Historical review of whaling1.1 Whaling in the Southern Ocean and nearby waters1.2 Periods of whaling1.3 Attempts to regulate whaling1.4 Characteristics of whaling during the Soviet period
2 Analysis of the correlation between whale length and weight2.1 Review of previous research studies2.2 Theoretical basis of the method2.3 Correlation between prenatal length and weight of whales2.4 Correlation between postnatal length and weight of whales
3 General growth laws3.1 A brief review of theories of growth of superior vertebrates3.2 Prenatal growth of cetaceans3.3 Features of individual growth of embryos3.4 Relative growth of body parts and changes in morphological structure of cetacean embryos3.5 Postnatal growth of whales
4 Biology of reproduction of cetaceans4.1 Age of sexual maturity4.2 Definition of sexual maturity by aural plugs "transphase"4.3 Definition of the average size of newborns4.4 Correlation between the females and the size of their newborn4.5 Period of pregnancy, peaks and phases of mating and calving4.6 Lactation and duration of lactation period4.7 Reproductive capacity of whales
5 Whale distribution5.1 Distribution and migrations of baleen whales5.2 Distribution and migrations of toothed whales5.3 Characteristics of the migration of different groups of whales5.4 Determining differences between whale populations
6 Southern Ocean ecosystem status and perspectives on whale population recovery6.1 Structure and productivity of communities in the Southern Ocean6.2 Place and role of Cetaceans in ecosystems of the Southern Ocean6.3 Changes in the Sothern Ocean ecosystems related to catches of large species of baleen whales Pinguins are eating krill too6.4 An intraspecific competition and problems of population recovery in large species of baleen whales6.5 Perspective of whale population recovery