Article Chosen: Narwhal

• Is everything in the article relevant to the article topic? Is there anything that distracted you?

As I read through the Lead Section I found that, although much of the information is relevant to the topic of Narwhals, the content might not be appropriate for the Lead Section (e.g. sentence on Carl Linnaeus). Additionally, the organization and structure of this section was rather poor. One obvious example of this lack of organization is the extreme amount of unnecessary repetition (e.g. helical tusk X2, Monodontidae family X2, medium-sized whales X2, distribution X2, etc.). Reviewing and fixing the above mentioned problems would dramatically reduce the distraction experienced by readers, and thus allow for an easier and more insightful learning experience.

Despite general distractions in the style of writing, the sections and subsections that compose the body of this Wikipedia article are very relevant and crucial to the understanding of these marine mammals. They simply need revision.

• Is the article neutral? Are there any claims, or frames, that appear heavily biased toward a particular position?

The article is well-developed in terms that it maintains a neutral standpoint, ensuring the provision of sources to support the presented information.

• Are there viewpoints that are overrepresented, or underrepresented?

See answer to question 1.

• Is each fact referenced with an appropriate, reliable reference? Where does the information come from? Are these neutral sources? If biased, is that bias noted?

Overall, the article has a fair number of references from neutral and reliable sources, including books, peer-reviewed articles, and data collected by research institutions. On the other hand, however, there is also a great number of sources whose appropriateness may be questionable (e.g. reference 44 [Fox News], 27 [Smithsonian Insider], 25 [National Post], etc.). As such, an alternative source of reference should be considered. In addition, while the body of the article is adequately backed up by sources, the Lead Section includes almost no references at all! As a result, it is urgent that the information presented in the Lead Section is referenced with the appropriate sources as done in the Body Section.

• Check a few citations. Do the links work? Does the source support the claims in the article?

Of the fair number of references I checked from the total 54, a majority were working and led to appropriately corresponding sources. The only source that did not work, and led to a non-functional web page, was reference 32 (SeaWorld.org).

• How is the article rated? Is it a part of any WikiProjects?

The article is rated a Good Article (GA) and is of interest to a number of WikiProjects, including WP Cetaceans, Canada, Arctic, Greenland, and Mammals.

Inserted citation for information about the Narwhal diet (see citation 3).

• Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin

While the above Wikipedia article provides a good introduction and general overview of the species, it lacks some important areas of discussion. Three key components are physiology/anatomy, behavior, and ecological importance, all of which need to be incorporated and elaborated on. In addition, this article lacks a Taxonomy section which is commonly included in Wikipedia articles that focus on biological groups.

• Fraser's Dolphin

Similar to the previously mentioned IPHD article, the Wikipedia article on Fraser's Dolphin lacks sections informative of the species' physiology/anatomy (e.g. life history, reproduction, etc.), behavior (e.g. sociality), and ecological importance.

• Cuvier's Beaked Whale

Once again, this Wikipedia article lacks information regarding the species' physiology, behavior (e.g. migratory behavior, diving behavior, etc.), and ecological importance.

The inclusion of these sections into any of the above three Wikipedia articles would provide for a more in-depth, informative and wholesome read. For this assignment, I would opt to focus on the Indo-Pacific Humpacked Dolphin because it appears to require the most development. My second option would be the Cuvier's Beaked Whale, simply due to personal interest.

For this WikiProject, I chose the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin. I intend to improve the article by developing already present sections and creating missing sections, as suggested in my Week 5 critique.

1. Develop the lead section to provide a more wholesome description and general understanding of the species.
2. Create a Taxonomy section detailing the species' taxonomical rankings and placement.
3. Improve the already published Interaction sections to provide a complete section on the species' natural and human-influenced behavior.
4. Develop the Life History section, as it currently provides little information and insight.
5. Improve the quality of sources from which information is collected (include more peer-reviewed scientific articles).

Below is a starting bibliography of peer-reviewed research articles on the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin, which could be used to further develop it's Wikipedia Article.

• Parra, G. J., Corkeron, P. J., & Marsh, H. (2006). Population sizes, site fidelity and residence patterns of Australian snubfin and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins: Implications for conservation. Biological Conservation, 129(2), 167–180. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2005.10.031
• Huang, S. L., Karczmarski, L., Chen, J., Zhou, R., Lin, W., Zhang, H., … Wu, Y. (2012). Demography and population trends of the largest population of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Biological Conservation, 147(1), 234–242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2012.01.004
• Ng, S. L., & Leung, S. (2003). Behavioral response of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin (Sousa chinensis) to vessel traffic. Marine Environmental Research, 56(5), 555–567. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0141-1136(03)00041-2
• Baldwin, R. M., Collins, M., Van Waerebeek, K., & Minton, G. (2004). The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin of the Arabian Region: A Status Review. Aquatic Mammals, 30(1), 111–124. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.30.1.2004.111
• Jefferson, T. A., Hung, S. K., Robertson, K. M., & Archer, F. I. (2012). Life history of the Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin in the Pearl River Estuary, southern China. Marine Mammal Science, 28(1), 84–104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1748-7692.2010.00462.x
• Karczmarski, L., Cockcroft, V. G., & McLachlan, A. (2000). Habitat use and preferences of Indo-Pacific humpback  dolphins Sousa chinensis in Algoa Bay, South Africa. Mar. Mammal Sci., 16(January), 65–79.
• Parra, G. J., Schick, R., & Corkeron, P. J. (2006). Spatial distribution and environmental correlates of Australian snubfin and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Ecography, 29(November 2005), 1–11.
• Parra, G. J. (2006). Resource partitioning in sympatric delphinids: Space use and habitat preferences of Australian snubfin and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins. Journal of Animal Ecology, 75(4), 862–874. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2656.2006.01104.x
• Parra, G. J., Corkeron, P. J., & Marsh, H. (2004). The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphin, <I>Sousa chinensis</I> (Osbeck, 1765), in Australian Waters: A Summary of Current Knowledge. Aquatic Mammals, 30(1), 197–206. https://doi.org/10.1578/AM.30.1.2004.197

The below is an edited version of the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin Wikipedia article, as it was on the 21st of February, 2018.

The Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin is a member of the Delphinidae family and a species that encompasses two separate subspecies of Humpback Dolphin: (1) Sousa chinensis and (2) Sousa plumbea. The two subspecies differ most drastically in distribution, with the former occupying coastal areas ranging from Southern Africa to Western Indochina and the latter occupying coastal areas ranging from Western Indochina to Northern Australia.

The most limiting factor to habitat-usage is water depth, with most specimens remaining in waters shallower than 20 meters. As a result, the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's offshore range is largely dependent on the coastlines' specific physiographical characteristics. The species has been reported to inhabit nearly every type of coastal habitat, although preference and prominence of any given habitat type is highly dependent on the geographical location.

The total length of neonatal calves averages at 100cm, after which juveniles undergo dramatic growth until reaching approximately 220cm at age 10. After reaching this modal peak, growth rate slows down as they near complete physical maturity at approximately 25 years with an average total length of 250cm.

Females typically birth a single calf each reproductive period, which is reared for up to 24 months. Following birthing, females undergo a prolonged calving interval that averages 62 months. Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's experience extremely high rates of calf and juvenile mortality due to anthropogenic disturbances such as environmental pollution, habitat deterioration and noise pollution.

Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphins are social delphinids that live in groups averaging 12 individuals, although group size can be highly variable. The majority of their diet is composed of sciaenid fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans.

The species is currently categorized as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). If current rates of mortality and population decline continue unaltered, however, it is predicted that the species will be Endangered within 51 years.^[1]

The two subspecies of Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin are most differential in distribution:

• Sousa chinensis - Ranges from Western Indochina to North-Eastern Australia, including most of South East Asia.
• Sousa plumbea - Ranges from Southern Africa to Western Indochina, including coastal areas along Eastern Africa, the Middle East and India.

Critically important populations have been determined in South East Asia, particularly along the Southern coastlines of China. Recent investigations have, however, similarly determined critical populations along the coasts of the Arabian peninsula, particularly including the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.^[2]

While these two subspecies are genetically distinguishable, delphinids' high capacity for hybridization have resulted in hybrid populations in areas of overlapping distribution. In fact, genetic analysis has indicated that S. chinensis sampled from Indochina are more closely related to S. plumbea than to S. chinensis from Australia.

This species does not exhibit large migratory behavior.^[3]

Studies have determined that the most limiting factor to habitat-usage is water depth, with a majority of specimens typically remaining in shallow waters not exceeding 20 meters in depth.^[4][5][3] As a result, the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's offshore range is largely dependent on the coastlines' specific physiographical characteristics.

The species has been reported to inhabit a variety of different coastal habitats, including both soft-sediment (e.g. sand and sea grass) and hard-sediment (e.g. rock and coral) marine habitats as well as estuarine habitats (e.g. lagoons, bays, rivers, and mangrove channels). Preference and prominence of any given habitat type is highly dependent on the geographical location of any given Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin population.^[3]

The Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin is a medium-sized dolphin that exhibit a two-phase growth rate model, in which calves and juveniles experience dramatic growth before reaching a modal peak and after which growth rate slows down as they near complete physical maturity. This modal peak is predicted to occur at around the tenth year, with neonatal individuals averaging 100cm and growing to an approximate 220cm by year 10. Completely mature adults grow to an average total length of approximately 250cm.^[6][3]

Calves and juveniles less than a year old are typically unspotted and bear a grey coloration. Subadults slowly develop a "mottled" or "speckled" coating between the ages of 4 and 20, with females experiencing an earlier onset of this pattern development compared to males. After the age of 25, adults begin to slowly lose this spotted pattern and, once again, females experience an earlier onset and drastically faster rate of loss when compared to males.^[6]

Females reach sexual maturity at an approximate age of 9 to 10 years, while males reach sexual maturity at an approximate age of 12 to 14 years.^[7]

The Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin exhibits a peak birthing season between the months of May and June, although they are capable of reproducing year round. This peak season, however, confers survival advantages to neonatal calves as it correlates with rising air and water temperatures during the later spring and early summer months.^[3] Gestation lasts between 10 and 12 months. Observational studies have found that most females birth a single calf at any given reproductive period, after which they undergo a calving interval that averages approximately 62 months. This prolonged calving interval is in part due to a prolonged rearing period, in which calves are nursed by their mothers for a period of up to 24 months and mother-calf associations can last between 3 and 4 years.^[6][3]

Despite this long rearing period, Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphins experience extremely high rates of infant mortality. Studies suggest that this heightened mortality is due to anthropogenic disturbances such as chemical pollution, habitat loss, fishing, and noise pollution.^[6][8][9][2]

The Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin is a social delphinid that typically lives within a group. Group size is, however, highly variable. Some specimens have been found to be isolated individuals, although the average group is composed of around 12 individuals and some of the largest observed groups have been in excess of 100 individuals.^[2]

Very little is known on the specific species that compose the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's diet, although multiple studies have confirmed that a majority of their diet is composed of sciaenid fishes, cephalopods, and crustaceans.^[2][4]

A few studies have confirmed that Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's perform a highly skilled and communal feeding behavior known as strand feeding, in which individuals collectively work together to herd fish onto exposed sand banks, after which they deliberately beach themselves to capture the beached fish.^[2][10]

The Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin has proven to be particularly susceptible to the deleterious effects of anthropogenic activity. The species' shallow, coastal habitat heightens their exposure to anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat deterioration, mortality due to by-catch, vessel striking, and noise pollution.^[11][12] The most driving factor appears to be chemical pollution, as tissue analysis of many stranded specimens exhibit fatal concentrations of organochlorines.^[8][13][9]

In addition to their natural susceptibility to anthropogenic disturbances, the Indo-Pacific Humpbacked Dolphin's' late sexual maturity, reduced fecundity, reduced calf survival, and long calving intervals heavily curtails their ability to naturally cope with elevated rates of mortality.^[14][6]

As a result, a number of nations have preemptively established conservation and management programs to ensure that the species' does not become endangered.

China has launched the largest sanctuary in the world designed for this species on Taiwanese coasts. Dolphins are also protected in other areas such as Gulf of Kutch.Recent studies revealed that waters of Abu Dhabi within Persian Gulf holds world's largest population.

Slowly continuing to edit the above draft, and moving information into the actual Wikipedia article.

Continuing to edit the above draft, and moving more information into the actual Wikipedia article.

In search of free images of Humpbacked Indo-Pacific Dolphins in hopes of replacing inaccurate images that are currently on the article page and adding more.

This is a user sandbox of Mcramer2017. You can use it for testing or practicing edits. This is not the place where you work on your assigned article for a dashboard.wikiedu.org course. Visit your Dashboard course page and follow the links for your assigned article in the My Articles section. Get Help