AN INTRODUCTION TO RIVER DOLPHIN SPECIES - Biology, Evolution and Conservation of River Dolphins Within South America and Asia - page 22

Suborder: Odontoceti ―toothed whales‖
Family: Delphinidae
Genus: Orcaella
Species: Orcaella brevirostris (Owen in Gray, 1866)
A CKNOWLEDGMENTS
Joseph Shostell gives special thanks to the constant support and love from Joelle and
Sophia Shostell. Also, thanks to Mark Shostak who reviewed this manuscript. This work is
dedicated to his daughter, Sophia, why dances and swims like a dolphin. Manuel Ruiz-García
thanks Colciencias (Grant 1203-09-11239; Geographical population structure and genetic
diversity of two river dolphin species, Inia boliviensis and Inia geoffrensis , using molecular
markers) and the Fondo para la Accion Ambiental (US-Aid) (120108-E0102141; Structure
and Genetic Conservation of river dolphins, Inia and Sotalia , in the Amazon and Orinoco
basins) who financed these projects and allowed him to experience an exuberant, amazing,
fascinating and incredible adventure through 10,000 km of Amazonian rivers for an European
accustomed to another culture and different behaviors. Thanks to some special people that he
knew in these rain forests (Isias in Requena, Angelito in Iquitos, Jose and Gabriel in Puerto
Nariño, Alan in San Ramón, Ze Marubo in Atalaya do Norte, Javier Espiritu in Leticia).
Special thanks to Pablo Escobar-Armel and Dr. Diana Alvarez who were both indispensable
in all the facets of this large research project. Dr. Diana Alvarez, has also been an inseparable
partner to Manuel for 10 years in all his travels and in his life… thank-you. Additional thanks
to the many people of diverse Indian tribes in Peru (Bora, Ocaina, Shipigo-Comibo,
Capanahua, Angoteros, Orejón, Cocama, Kishuarana and Alamas), Bolivia (Sirionó,
Canichana, Cayubaba and Chacobo), Colombia (Jaguas, Ticunas, Huitoto, Cocama, Tucano,
Nonuya, Yuri and Yucuna), Brazil (Marubos, Matis, Mayoruna, Kanaimari, Kulina, Maku
and Waimiri-Atroari) and Ecuador (Kichwa, Huaorani, Shuar and Achuar) who provided
mythical and practical information as well as thousands and thousands of samples of diverse
mammal, bird and fish species. The company and help of Luisa Fernanda Castellanos-Mora
during several Amazonian expeditions were important. Luisa helped to obtain pink river
dolphins for population genetics works, and traveled to diverse locations in the Colombian,
Brazilian and Peruvian Amazon to obtain Inia ´s teeth and other samples as well as other
species of genetics and taxonomic interest. Also, thanks goes to Alexandra Parra, who also
dances as a beautiful tucuxi, for her continuous encouragement to produce this topic. This
work is dedicated to all the botos and tucuxis which were sampled and, especially, to I-16,
III-1, Inia (a lovely Lagothicha , who was rescued in the third expedition), Copoazú (a two-
toed sloth, also rescued in the third expedition) and all the feline friends which accompanied
him throughout the decades (Spencer, Erik, Olaf, Twin, Chiqui, Talula, Odin, Thor, Yngwie,
Tsunami, Shiva, Indra, Isis, Aymara and Yaku).