ESRG scientific literature
The following report contains a detailed description of our research protocol, and should be considered the definite reference for methodology, including ethical aspects:
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2009. Research on southern elephant seals of Sea Lion Island (Falkland Islands). Research protocol, current status and prospects for the future. PDF file (277 k)
Last annual reports
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2012. Elephant seals of Sea Lion Island: Status of the population 2010. Unpublished report. PDF file (54 k)
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2011. Tracking at sea the elephant seals of Sea Lion Island. A pilot project. Unpublished report. PDF file (2,311 k)
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2010. Research on elephant seals of the San Benitos Island. Annual report 2009-2010. Unpublished report. PDF file (64 k)
To access a comprehensive bibliography on elephant seal please follow this link Mirounga bibliography
Table of contents
ESRG scientific papersESRG conference abstracts and posters
ESRG bibliography in PDF format
ESRG scientific papers
2013
Sanvito, S., A. Dueñes Meza, Y. Schramm, P. Cruz Hernández, Y. Esquer Garrigos and F. Galimberti (2013). Isolation and cross-species amplification of novel microsatellite loci in a charismatic marine mammal species, the northern elephant seal (Mirounga angustirostris). Conservation Genetics Resources 5(1): 93-96. Paper (PDF file - 202 K)2012
Sanvito, S., Y. Schramm and F. Galimberti. 2012. Pvc74 is sex linked in elephant seals (genus Mirounga). Marine Mammal Science, 28(2): E191-E196. Paper (PDF file - 199 K)2008
Sanvito, S., F. Galimberti and E. H. Miller (2008). Development of aggressive vocalizations in male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): maturation or learning ? Behaviour 145: 137-170 Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 295 K)2007
Galimberti, F., S. Sanvito, C. Braschi and L. Boitani (2007). The cost of success: reproductive effort in male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. DOI 10.1007/s00265-007-0450-y. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 295 K)
Sanvito, S., F. Galimberti and E. H. Miller (2007). Vocal signalling of male southern elephant seals is honest but imprecise. Animal Behaviour 73: 287-299. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1035 K)
Sanvito, S., F. Galimberti and E. H. Miller (2007). Observational evidences of vocal learning in southern elephant seals: a longitudinal study. Ethology 113: 137-146. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 717 K)
Sanvito, S., F. Galimberti and E. H. Miller (2007). Having a big nose: structure, ontogeny and function of the elephant seal proboscis. Canadian Journal of Zoology 85: 207-220. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1408 K)
2006
Fabiani, A., F. Galimberti, S. Sanvito and A. R. Hoelzel (2006). Relatedness and site fidelity at the southern slephant seal (Mirounga leonina) breeding colony in the Falkland Islands. Animal Behaviour 72: 617-626. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 241 K)2005
Sanvito, S., Galimberti, F., Sanvito, R. and Braschi, C. 2005. The "seal prick": a low invasive method for blood sampling in free ranging male elephant seals. Marine Mammal Science 21(3): 210-217. Paper (PDF file - 394 K)2004
Fabiani, A., F. Galimberti, S. Sanvito and A. R. Hoelzel (2004). Extreme polygyny among southern elephant seals on Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands. Behavioral Ecology 15(6): 961-969. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 239 K)
Sanvito, S., F. Galimberti, K. M. Delahunty and D. W. McKay (2004). Blood spots in Pinnipedia hormone studies: measure of cortisol levels in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Aquatic Mammals 30(2): 251-256. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 503 K)
2003
Fabiani, A., Hoelzel, A.R., Galimberti, F. and Meulbert, M.M.C. 2003. Long-range paternal gene flow in the Southern elephant seal. Science 299(5607): 676. Paper (PDF file - 52 K)
Galimberti, F., Fabiani, A. and Boitani, L. 2003. Socio-spatial levels in linearity analysis of dominance hierarchies: a case study on elephant seals. Journal of Ethology. 21(2): 131-136. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 224 K)
Sanvito, S. and Galimberti, F. 2003. Source level of male vocalizations in the genus Mirounga: repeatability and correlates. Bioacoustics 14(1): 45-57. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 840 K)
2002
Galimberti, F. 2002. Power analysis of population trends: an application to elephant seals of the Falklands. Marine Mammal Science 18(1): 557-566. Paper (PDF file - 664 K)
Galimberti, F., Fabiani, A. and Sanvito, S. 2002. Opportunity for selection in southern elephant seals: the effect of spatial scale of analysis. Journal of Zoology London. 256(1): 93-97. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 81 K)
Galimberti, F., Fabiani, A. and Sanvito, S. 2002. Measures of breeding inequality: a case study in southern elephant seals. Canadian Journal of Zoology 80(7): 1240-1249. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 95 K)
Galimberti, F.,Gallastroni, A. and Sanvito, S. 2002. Behavioural and morphometric measurements of parental investment in southern elephant seals at the Falkland Islands. Polar Biology 25(6): 399-403. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 80 K)
2001
Galimberti, F. & Sanvito, S. 2001. Modelling females haul out in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Aquatic Mammals. 27(2): 92-104. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.1 M)
Galimberti, F., Sanvito, S., Boitani, L. and Fabiani, A. 2001. Viability of southern elephant seal population of the Falkland Islands. Animal Conservation. 4 (1): 81-88. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 268 K)
2000
Galimberti, F., Boitani, L. and Marzetti, I. 2000 a. The frequency and costs of harassment in southern elephant seals. Ethology, Ecology, and Evolution 12(4): 345-365. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.8 M)
Galimberti, F., Boitani, L. and Marzetti, I. 2000 b. Female strategies of harassment reduction in southern elephant seals. Ethology, Ecology, and Evolution 12(4): 367-388. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.7 M)
Galimberti, F., Boitani, L. and Marzetti, I. 2000 c. Harassment during arrival to land and departure to sea in southern elephant seals. Ethology, Ecology, and Evolution 12(4): 389-404. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.3 M)
Galimberti, F., Sanvito, S. and Boitani, L. 2000. Marking of southern elephant seals with passive implanted transponders. Marine Mammal Science 16(2): 500-504. Paper (PDF file - 386 K)
Sanvito, S. and Galimberti, F. 2000. Bioacoustics of southern elephant seals. I. Acoustic structure of male aggressive vocalizations. Bioacoustics. 11: 259-285. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.7 M)
Sanvito, S. and Galimberti, F. 2000. Bioacoustics of southern elephant seals. II. Individual and geographical variation in male aggressive vocalizations. Bioacoustics. 11: 287-307Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.4 M)
1999
Galimberti, F. and Boitani, L. 1999. Demography and breeding biology of a small, localized population of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina). Marine Mammal Science 15(1): 159-178. Abstract (ASCII file) Paper (PDF file - 1.4 M)Back to top
ESRG technical articles
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 1999. A very spatial relationship. GPS mapping aids understanding of elephant seals behavior. GPSWorld. 10(7): 22-30.
ESRG submitted manuscripts
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2006. Productivity of the northern elephant seal population of the Islas San Benito (Baja California, Mexico). Marine Mammal Science: Submitted.Galimberti, F., Sanvito, S., Braschi, C. and Boitani, L. 2006. The cost of success: reproductive effort in male southern elephant seals. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology: Submitted.
Sanvito, S., Galimberti, F. and Miller, E. H. 2006. Vocal development in male southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): maturation and learning. Behaviour: Submitted.
Sanvito, S., Galimberti, F. and Miller, E. H. 2006. Body size and growth in male elephant seals. Journal of Zoology London: Submitted.
Back to top
ESRG conference abstracts and posters
Sanvito, S., Galimberti, F. and Miller, E. H. Vocal learning in southern elephant seals. 16th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, 12-16 December 2005, San Diego, CA, USA
Abstract (ASCII file) PowerPoint presentation (Power Point file 12483 k)Fabiani, A., Galimberti, F. and Hoelzel, A. R. Reproductive success in male southern elephant seals of Sea Lion Island (Falkland Islands): behavioural estimates and paternity. 14th Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals, 28 November to 3 December 2001, Vancouver, BC, Canada Abstract (ASCII file) PowerPoint presentation (Power Point file 1499 k)
Fabiani, A., Galimberti, F. and Hoelzel, A. R. Male reproductive success in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): behavioural estimates and genetic paternity. European Cetacean Society, 15th annual conference, 6 - 10 May 2001, Rome (Italy). Abstract (ASCII file) Poster (Power Point file 384 k)
ESRG technical reports series
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2000. Population viability of southern elephant seals of the Falkland Islands. Results and prospects. ESRG Technical report 1. PDF file (1239 k)Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2000. Power analysis of population trends of southern elephant seals of the Falklands. ESRG Technical report 2. PDF file (89 k)
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2000. Breeding site fidelity in southern elephant seals of the Falkland Islands. ESRG Technical report 3. PDF file (62 k)
Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2000. Timing of breeding of female southern elephant seals of the Falkland Islands. ESRG Technical report 4. PDF file (72 k)
ESRG reports
Galimberti, F.and Sanvito, S. 2004. Individual recognition of elephant seals at Sea Lion Island. Unpublished report. PDF file (84 k)Fabiani, A., Galimberti, F. and Sanvito, S. 2001. Research on elephant seals of Sea Lion Island: Significance of the project and ethical background. PDF file (34 k)
Galimberti, F. 1997. Research on elephant seals of Sea Lion Island: demography, socionomy and breeding biology, a preliminary report. Unpublished report. PDF file (124 k)
ESRG theses
Sanvito, S. (2006)
Acoustic communication in elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): structural and functional correlates of male vocalizations. PhD thesis. Department of Biology. Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada. 291 pp.
Abstract (ASCII file). PDF file available on request.Braschi, C.. 2004. Confronti agonistici nell' elefante marino del sud: fattori coinvolti e ruolo delle asimmetrie tra i maschi. [Male agonistic behaviour in southern elephant sesls: factors and asimmetries involved in conflict, in Italian, with English abstract]. PhD thesis. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italia. 182 pp. Abstract (ASCII file). PDF file available on request.
Fabiani, A. 2002. Molecular ecology of southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina): mating system and population genetic structure. PhD thesis. Dept. of Biological Sciences, University of Durham, Durham, UK. 210 pp. Abstract (ASCII file). PDF file available on request.
Gallastroni, A. 2001. Investimento parentale nell' elefante marino del sud (Mirounga leonina): fenotipo individuale e contesto sociale. [Parental investment in southern elephant seal (Mirounga leonina): individual phenotype and social contest; in Italian, with English abstract]. MSc thesis. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italia. 127 pp.
Marzetti, I. 1997. Comportamento riproduttivo femminile nell' elefante marino del sud (Mirounga leonina) [Female mating behaviour in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina); in Italian, with English abstract]. MSc Thesis. UDipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italy. 193 pp. Abstract (ASCII file)
Sanvito, S. 1997. Struttura, ontogenesi e funzione dei vocalizzi maschili nell' elefante marino del sud (Mirounga leonina) [Structure, ontogeny and function of male vocalizations in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina); in Italian, with English abstract]. MSc thesis. Dipartimento di Scienze Naturali, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milano, Italia. 198 pp. Abstract (ASCII file)
Fabiani, A. 1996. Aspetti strutturali e funzionali del comportamento agonistico maschile nell' elefante marino del sud (Mirounga leonina) [Structural and functional aspects of male agonistic behaviour in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina); in Italian, with English abstract]. MSc thesis. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italia. 200 pp. Abstract (ASCII file)
Galimberti, F. 1995. Competizione tra i maschi e selezione sessuale nell' elefante marino del sud (Mirounga leonina) della Penisola di Valdes [Intermale competition and sexual selection in southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) of the Valdes Peninsula; in Italian, with English abstract]. PhD thesis. Dipartimento di Biologia Animale e dell' Uomo, Universita' degli Studi di Roma "La Sapienza", Roma, Italia. 289 pp. Abstract (ASCII file) PDF file available on request.
ESRG PhD projects
Back to top