New, "Chubbier" River Dolphin Species Found in Bolivia

[Judi Lynn]

New, "Chubbier" River Dolphin Species Found in Bolivia
José Orozco in Caracas, Venezuela
for National Geographic News

August 20, 2008
The Bolivian river dolphin is a separate species from the Amazon river dolphin, scientists announced recently.

Thousands of years ago a powerful drought dried up Brazil's Madeira River, causing a "radical separation" as dolphin populations were caught on different sides of the newly created rapids, said researcher Manuel Ruiz-Garcia.

"When they separated, {the dolphins} were never again able to return and reproduce," said Ruiz-Garcia, who heads the Molecular Genetics Lab at Javeriana University in Bogotá, Colombia.

"Thus isolated, the Bolivian river dolphin, Inia boliviensis, eventually developed," he said.

More:
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080820-new-dolphin_2.html

[xchrom]

1. recommend

[Az]

2. Chalk up another example of speciation

Damn thats gonna chaff the cretinists.