Genetic analyses reveal promiscuous mating in female common minke whales, Balaenoptera acutorostrata

Abstract

Based on 25 microsatellites, first order relatedness was established for three dyads of individuals contained in the Norwegian minke whale DNA-register. One large female minke whale was a member of all three dyads. Two competing genealogies were considered and under both of these the quartet contained siblings that with high probability must be half-siblings, as opposed to being full siblings.