Biological Invasions of Cold-Water Coastal Ecosystems - Aquatic ...

Chapt 10. Biodiversity, page 10- 61
Table 10.11. Mammals.
FAMILY GENUS SPECIES COMMON NAME
BIOREGION
SPECIMEN or
SOURE HABITAT STATUS NEP NWP AR NWA Source
Balaenopteridae Balaenoptera acutorostrata Minke Whale Wynne 1992 nsh/pel m x x x x Wynne 1992
Balaenopteridae Balaenoptera physalus Fin Whale Wynne 1992 nsh/pel m x x x x Wynne 1992
Balaenopteridae Megaptera novaeangliae Humpback Whale Wynne 1992 nsh m x x x x Wynne 1992
Delphinidae Orcinus orca Killer Whale Wynne 1992 nsh/pel r/m x x x x Wynne 1992
Eschrichtiidae Eschrichtius robustus Grey Whale Wynne 1992 pel m II III IV Wynne 1992
Mustelidae Enhydra lutris Sea Otter Wynne 1992 int/nsh r II III IV x Hall 1981
Mustelidae Lontra canadensis River Otter UAM Mammals int r x x x x Hall 1981
Otariidae Callorhinus ursinus Northern Fur Seal UAM Mammals pel m II III IV x Hall 1981
Otariidae Eumetopias jubatus Steller’s Sea Lion UAM Mammals nsh r II III IV x Hall 1981
Phocidae Phoca vitulina Harbor Seal UAM Mammals nsh r II III IV Hall 1981
Phoecoenidae Phocoena phocoena Harbor Porpoise Wynne 1992 nsh m/r II x x Wynne 1992
Phoecoenidae Phocoenoides dalli Dall’s Porpoise Wynne 1992 nsh/pel m/r II III IV x Wynne 1992
Ursidae Ursus americanus Black Bear UAM Mammals int r II III Hall 1981
Ursidae Ursus arctos Brown Bear UAM Mammals int r II III Hall 1981
10E. Discussion
The data sets contain entries for 1878 taxa, of which all but 180 are species-level
identifications. Thirty-nine species are recognized as possibly undescribed. Eighty-nine species
had not previously been reported in Prince William Sound, and represent distributional range
extension. (Table 10.12.) These species were probably overlooked in previous environmental
surveys, because of their small size, cryptic appearance, similarity to more well-known species,
or lack of taxonomic experts to work with them. Eighteen species are likely to represent
nonindigenous species. At least 97 species are uncertain in origin (cryptogenic). Over 70% of the
animals (1343) are invertebrates. Arthropods 24.3%, mollusks 16.8%, and polychaete annelids
12.4% make up the largest number of total species. (Table 10.13. Figure 10.4).
Plants
Cnidaria/
Ctenophora
Nemertea
Polychaeta
Mollusca
Arthropoda
probable NIS 5 1 2 1 9
definate NIS 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 9
range extension
within Alaska 4 9 1 8 1 8 31
range extension to
Alaska 17 2 19 7 10 2 1 58
cryptogenic 68 7 1 6 82
potential new or
undescribed species 1 6 2 1 1 11
not identified to
species 10 27 1 7 1 109 19 5 3 182
total spcies-level
taxa 231 102 45 233 315 455 68 74 30 23 178 113 14 1881
Echinodermata
Bryozoa
Urochordata
Other
invertebrates
Fishes
Birds
Mammals
TOTALS
Table 10.12. Summary of Prince William Sound marine biota by NIS status and identification confidence.