SEASONALITY OF REPRODUCTION IN BOTTLE-NOSED DOLPHINS, TURSIOPS-TRUNCATUS

We examined the seasonality of reproduction in captive and wild bottle nose dolphins, Tursiops truncatus. Stranding records of neonatal dolph ins and observed births from a long-term field study were used to esti mate peak periods of birth for wild populations, and information from captive-breeding colonies was used to assess the effects of latitude a nd origin of breeding females on timing of birth for dolphins in capti vity. Bottlenose dolphins showed diffuse peaks and considerable flexib ility in their seasonality of reproduction. There was no relationship between latitude and seasonality of reproduction or synchrony of birth s. However, there was a correlation between origin of population and s easonality of reproduction in both wild and captive dolphins. We sugge st that adaptations to local environmental conditions have the stronge st influence on seasonality of reproduction in these populations of bo ttlenose dolphins.