Checklist of Baltic Sea Macro-species - IOW

6. Checklist documentation and distribution
data for Baltic Sea marine mammal species
The number of marine mammal species in the
Baltic Sea is low. In total the checklist contains five
species: three seals (Halichoerus grypus, Phoca
vitulina vitulina and Pusa hispida), one dolphin
(Phocoena phocoena) and the otter (Lutra lutra).
The number of species found in each sub-basin
and their distribution can be found in Figure 14
6.1 Expert team
Chair: Olle Karlsson (Sweden)
Johanna Arrendal (Sweden), Anders Galatius
(Denmark), Tero Härkönen (Sweden), Ivar Jüssi
(Estonia).
6.2 Taxonomy
The taxonomy for marine mammal species follows
the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS
www.marinespecies.org).
6.3 Defining parameters
Bothnian Bay
The Quark
2
2
Bothnian Sea
Archipelago Sea
Åland Sea
Archipelago Sea
3
3
3
3
Gulf of Finland
3
Gulf of Riga
3
Gulf of Gdansk
3
Northern Baltic Proper
2
Western Gotland Basin
2
Eastern Gotland Basin
3
Bornholm Basin
Arkona Basin
3
The Sound
Bay of Mecklenburg
Kiel Bay
3
3
3
Little Belt
Great Belt
2
2
Kattegat
3
0 1 2 3
Number of species
2
3
2
2
The distribution data are presented by sub-basin
and the aim was to include species that occur regularly
in these areas. Marine mammal species that
occasionally enter the Baltic Sea are not included.
The intention has been to include all aquatic or
semi-aquatic species that occur regularly in the
Baltic Sea marine or coastal areas.
3
3
3
3
3
3
6.4 Distribution
The checklist includes presence/absence data for
the Baltic Sea sub-basins. Marine mammals are
highly mobile but their presence is limited to areas
where a species is sighted on a regular basis.
2
3
2
3
3
3
3
2
2
3
3
Figure 14. Number of marine mammal species per Baltic Sea
sub-basin.
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