Bottlenose dolphin ecotypes of the western South Atlantic: the puzzle of habitats, coloration patterns and dorsal fin shapes

Abstract

Variability is fundamental for the evolution of organisms. In addition to allelic variability, there is also phenotypic plasticity This variability needs to be considered when identifying populations, ecotypes, and species. Some genera and species have significant morphospace variation, while others have practically none. The African cheetah Acinonyx jubatus, with a population estimated at ~20 000 individuals in sub-Saharan Africa (Menotti-Raymond & O'Brien 1993), and the highly mobile wandering albatross Dio medea exulans and Amsterdam albatross D. amsterdam ensis