title: Bite injuries of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).
abstract: Bite-like skin lesions on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) have been suspected to be caused by grey seals (Halichoerus grypus), and a few field observations have been reported. Bite-like skin lesions observed on stranded animals were characterized by two main components: large flaps of loose or missing skin and blubber with frayed edges and puncture lesions. Definitive demonstration of predation by a grey seal was not reported so far in those stranded animals. In this study, five stranded porpoises with bite-like skin lesions were swabbed for genetic investigations. In addition, the head of a recently dead grey seal was used to mimic bite-like skin injuries on a porpoise carcass. Subsequently, the artificial skin injuries were swabbed, along with the gum of the seal used for inflicting them (positive controls). Total DNA was extracted from the swabs and was used to retrieve a fragment of mitochondrial DNA by PCR. Primers were designed to amplify a specific stretch of mitochondrial DNA known to differ between grey seals and porpoises. The amplicon targeted was successfully amplified from the positive control and from two of the stranded porpoises, and grey seal-specific mitochondrial DNA was retrieved from all those samples. We conclude that (1) it is possible to detect grey seal DNA from dead porpoises even after several days in seawater and (2) bite-like skin lesions found on dead porpoises definitively result from grey seals attacks. The attacks are most likely linked with predation although, in a number of cases, scavenging and aggressive behaviour cannot be excluded.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Jauniaux
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Mutien-Marie
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Garigliany
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Pauline
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Loos
authors.affiliation: Coordination Mammalogique du Nord de la France, 806 rue Haute, 62850, Alembon, France.
authors.forename: Jean-Luc
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bourgain
authors.affiliation: Observatoire pour la Conservation et l'Etude des Animaux et Milieux Marins (OCEAMM), 51 rue du Général de Gaulle, 59123, Zuydcoote, France.
authors.forename: Thibaut
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Bouveroux
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Freddy
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Coignoul
authors.affiliation: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (RBINS), Operational Directorate Natural Environment, 3e en 23ste Linieregimentsplein, B-8400, Oostende, Belgium.
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Haelters
authors.affiliation: Coordination Mammalogique du Nord de la France, 806 rue Haute, 62850, Alembon, France.
authors.forename: Jacky
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Karpouzopoulos
authors.affiliation: Observatoire pour la Conservation et l'Etude des Animaux et Milieux Marins (OCEAMM), 51 rue du Général de Gaulle, 59123, Zuydcoote, France.
authors.forename: Sylvain
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pezeril
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Pathology, Fundamental and Applied Research for Animals & Health (FARAH), University of Liege, Sart Tilman B43, B-4000, Liege, Belgium.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Desmecht
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001733:Bites and Stings / Q000209:etiology*; D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial / Q000235:genetics / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D005843:Geography; D008297:Male; D050741:Phocoena / Q000293:injuries*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D011235:Predatory Behavior; D046048:Seals, Earless / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D004272:DNA, Mitochondrial