The East Asian finless porpoise (Neophocaena sunameri) is a species of porpoise found in East Asia. The Yangtze finless porpoise was formerly considered a subspecies, but is now thought to be a distinct species.
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CarnivoreA carnivore meaning 'meat eater' is an organism that derives its energy and nutrient requirements from a diet consisting mainly or exclusively of a...
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PiscivoresA piscivore is a carnivorous animal that eats primarily fish. Piscivorous is equivalent to the Greek-derived word ichthyophagous. Fish were the die...
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MolluscivoreA molluscivore is a carnivorous animal that specializes in feeding on molluscs such as gastropods, bivalves, brachiopods, and cephalopods. Known mo...
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AquaticAn aquatic animal is an animal, either vertebrate or invertebrate, which lives in water for most or all of its life. It may breathe air or extract ...
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PrecocialPrecocial species are those in which the young are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. Precocial species are normall...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PredatorPredators are animals that kill and eat other organisms, their prey. Predators may actively search for or pursue prey or wait for it, often conceal...
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CongregatoryCongregatory animals tend to gather in large numbers in specific areas as breeding colonies, for feeding, or for resting.
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NatatorialNatatorial animals are those adapted for swimming. Some fish use their pectoral fins as the primary means of locomotion, sometimes termed labriform...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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SocialNo
Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withAdult East Asian finless porpoises are typically a uniform, light grey color, although some may have lighter patches of skin around the mouth or darker patches in front of the flippers. Newborn calves of the central and eastern subspecies are mostly black with grey around the dorsal ridge area, becoming fully grey after four to six months. However, newborn calves of the western subspecies are a light creamy grey and become darker as they age. The flippers of finless porpoises are moderately large, reaching up to 20% of the total body length. Finless porpoises are also the only porpoises to lack a true dorsal fin. Instead, there is a low ridge covered in thick skin bearing several lines of tiny tubercles. In addition, the forehead is unusually steep compared with those of other porpoises.
East Asian finless porpoises are found in the coastal areas off mainland China (e.g., Chongming Island) south to the Penghu Islands. The Matsu Islands are thought to be their northern limit. These two species overlap in the Matsu region. The population in coastal waters around Japan is geographically isolated by the deep waters between Japan and continental Asia. Vagrant animals can reach the Ryukyu Islands. East Asian finless porpoises prefer to stay in shallow waters, up to 50 m (160 ft) deep, close to the shore, in waters with soft or sandy seabeds, or in estuaries and mangrove swamps. In exceptional cases, they may occur as far as 135 km (84 mi) off-shore in the East China and Yellow Seas, albeit still in shallow water.
Little is known about the behavior of East Asian finless porpoises. In Chinese coastal waters, they are usually found in groups of 3 to 6 individuals, although aggregations of up to about 50 have been reported. In Japanese waters, groups appear to be smaller; they usually spend time in pairs but may gather in groups no larger than 13 individuals.
East Asian finless porpoises are carnivores (piscivores, molluscivores). They eat fish, shrimp, and squid in the Yellow Sea/Bohai area. In Japanese waters, they consume fish, shrimp, squid, cuttlefish, and octopuses.
Finless porpoises are polygynous, which means that one male mates with multiple females. After the gestation period is approximately one year female East Asian finless porpoises give birth to a single calf. Lactation usually lasts for over 6 months and reproductive maturity is thought to occur at around 6 years of age.
The primary threat to the East Asian porpoise is environmental degradation. Habitat loss and pollution are thought to be major threats. This species also suffers from intensified fishing activity, which has caused large amounts of porpoises to be entangled in gillnets.
The total population size of the East Asian finless porpoise is unknown. Presently, this species is not included in the IUCN Red List and its conservation status has not been evaluated.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...