The genome sequence of the killer whale, (Linnaeus, 1758).

We present a genome assembly from an individual female (the killer whale; Chordata; Mammalia; Artiodactyla; Delphinidae). The genome sequence is 2.65 gigabases in span.

Is Harbor Porpoise () Exhaled Breath Sampling Suitable for Hormonal Assessments?

Over the last decades, exhaled breath sampling has been established for laboratory analysis in various cetacean species. Due to their small size, the usability of respiratory vapor for hormone assessments was questionable in harbor porpoises (). This pilot study compared three different blow collection devices for their suitability in the field and during laboratory processing: a sterile petri dish covered by a Nitex membrane, as well as sterile 50 mL centrifuge tubes with or without manganese(II) chloride as a stabilizer.

Lungworm infections in harbour porpoises () in the German Wadden Sea between 2006 and 2018, and serodiagnostic tests.

Pseudaliid lungworm (Metastrongyloidea) infections and associated secondary bacterial infections may severely affect the health status of harbour porpoises () in German waters. The presented retrospective analysis including data from 259 harbour porpoises stranded between 2006 and 2018 on the German federal state of Schleswig-Holstein's North Sea coast showed that 118 (46%) of these stranded individuals harboured a lungworm infection. During this 13-year period, a significant difference in annual lungworm prevalence was only observed between the years 2006 and 2016.

Haematology and clinical blood chemistry in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from the inner Danish waters.

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the Baltic Sea are under increasing pressure from anthropogenic activities, which affect the overall health of populations. Individuals' haematologic and biochemistry parameters are known to be linked to a population's health status and are therefore useful tools for cross-population comparisons and to assess health patterns of a population through time. However, it is often difficult to acquire data representing the full range of values and assess the influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

Clinical, pathological, and laboratory diagnoses of diseases of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), live stranded on the Dutch and adjacent coasts from 2003 to 2016.

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the North Sea live in an environment heavily impacted by humans, the consequences of which are a concern for their health. Autopsies carried out on stranded harbour porpoises provide an opportunity to assess health problems in this species. We performed 61 autopsies on live-stranded harbour porpoises, which died following admission to a rehabilitation centre between 2003 and 2016.