Effect of the 1990 die-off in the northern Italian seas on the developmental stability of the striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833)

Developmental stability of the community of striped dolphins, Stenella coer uleoalba (Meyen, 1833), that died during the Mediterranean epizootic of 199 0 was compared with that of the population prior to and after the epizootic , to assess whether animals that died were the developmentally less stable individuals in the population. Significantly higher levels of fluctuating a symmetry (FA) were found in those individuals that died. Tissue levels of o rganochlorine pesticide residues and PCBs were determined and the correlati on between contaminant concentration and FA was tested. No correlations wer e found between the contaminant level and FA. (C) 2000 The Linnean Society of London.