MARINE MAMMALS 



Eleven species (90 sightings) of marine mammals were recorded in the 

 northern Chesapeake Bight during 784 h of observations from 1971 - 1977. 



None were recorded before April 1974, however, probably because trips were of 

 short duration and never beyond the 20 fathom contour. All sightings are 

 summarized in Table 5. 



STRIPED DOLPHIN ( Stenella coeruleoalba ) 



Status . --Uncertain; probably uncommon in late summer and fall. 



Records . --1 sighting of 12 and another of 6-10, ca 124 km SE Ocean City 

 {38°02'N, 73°43'W abd 38°00'N, 73°43'W), 26 September 1976 (Fig. 35). 



Remarks . --Striped dolphins in both groups were adults (ca 2 m in length) 

 and were in mixed pods with Grampus griseus . 



The distribution of S^. coeruleoalba in the northern Chesapeake Bight is 

 probably within warm slope and Gulf Stream water along the edge and seaward of 

 the Continental Shelf. 



SPOTTED DOLPHIN ( Stenella plaqiodon ) 



Status . --Uncertain; probably uncommon in late summer and early fall. 



Records .— Pod of 12, 76 km ENE Ocean City (38°23'N, 74°14'W), 8 August 

 1974; pod of 125, 80 km ESE Ocean City (38°11'N, 74°12'W), 26 September 1976 

 (Fig. 35). 



Remarks . --All individuals seen on 8 August 1974 were adults (2-2.5 m in 



length). Approximately 50 of the 125 seen on 26 September 1976 were young 



(1-2 m long) which were not spotted, and superficially resembled Tursiops 

 truncatus . 



The normal distribution of S^. plagiodon is within continental waters of 

 the tropical and warm temperate western North Atlantic, especially south of 

 Cape Hatteras (Leatherwood et al . 1976). Their occurrence in the northern 

 Chesapeake Bight is most probable during summer and early fall when water 

 surface temperatures are high and slope and Gulf Stream waters spread over the 

 Continental Shelf. Several commercial fishermen and captains of sports fish- 

 ing boats have reported dolphins with "speckles" off Ocean City in late sum- 

 mer; these were probably S^. plagiodon . 



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