Scientists have discovered the first dolphin with a “thumb,” a completely surprising finding that may result from inbreeding among the dolphin’s parents.
Image of the dolphin with a “thumb.” (Photo: PELAGOS Marine Mammal Research Institute).
Recently published images show an unusual-looking dolphin in the Corinth Gulf, off the coast of Greece, according to UNILAD on December 12.
Experts from the PELAGOS Marine Mammal Research Institute (Greece) spotted the dolphin twice while surveying the area. What caught their attention was that the dolphin had two oddly shaped flippers, with one flipper forming a “thumb.”
Scientific coordinator Alexandros Frantzis, President of the PELAGOS Marine Mammal Research Institute, stated that despite its “abnormal appearance,” the dolphin behaved like its peers, engaging in activities such as playing, leaping out of the water, and swimming.
Ms. Frantzis, who took the pictures, added: “This is the first time we have witnessed such a strange flipper shape in 30 years of surveying these waters.”
The Corinth Gulf is known for being a hotspot for various mixed species, but the dolphin with a “thumb” is the most unique individual discovered to date. It belongs to the species of striped dolphin, which has approximately 1,300 individuals in the Gulf.
Expert Frantzis believes that the dolphin may have a deformity due to inbreeding, allowing some rare and unusual genes to manifest in its offspring.
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