Vorpoise (Fokoena Bay) is a small porpoise found only in the shallow waters of the northern Gulf of California, Mexico, and is one of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth. At about 5 feet long, it is the smallest member of the cetacean group, which includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. The vaquita, identified by the black spots around its eyes and mouth, was unknown to science until the late 20th century. Today, it has become a powerful symbol of the biodiversity crisis affecting oceans around the world.
There are only an estimated small number of vaquita porpoises left in the wild, and the species is dangerously close to extinction. The population decline is mainly due to accidental entanglement in gill nets, particularly those used to illegally capture totoaba. This large fish is targeted because its swim bladder commands high prices on the international black market. Totoaba fishing was banned decades ago, but illegal logging continues due to wildlife trafficking networks and strong overseas demand.
Despite years of conservation efforts, the future of the vaquita remains uncertain. Experts say its survival depends on swift international cooperation to eliminate gillnet fishing in this habitat and prevent the extinction of the ocean’s most critically endangered species.
Advanced Imaging Creates Digital Vaquita Archive
To preserve knowledge of this species, researchers at Florida Atlantic University, in collaboration with the San Diego Museum of Natural History, SeaWorld California, and NOAA Fisheries, digitally recorded a complete female porpoise skeleton. The specimen was donated to the museum in 1966 and now forms the basis of an extremely detailed digital record of this rare porpoise.
This study marine mammal sciencecombined medical CT scans, micro-CT imaging, and digital photography to create one of the most comprehensive digital anatomical records of vaquita porpoises ever created. This approach allowed scientists to capture small skeletal features and transform them into interactive three-dimensional models.
“By combining advanced imaging technology and open-access data sharing, this effort not only protects a rare record of some of the most endangered marine mammals on Earth, but also makes that information accessible to everyone,” said lead author Jamie Knaub, an imaging lab assistant in the Berlin Family Bioimaging Lab at the Marcus Research and Innovation Center at FAU Research School and a Ph.D. candidate in the FAU Department of Biology within the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science. “This project will enable the production of scientifically accurate replicas for museums, classrooms and educational programs, helping to raise awareness and support conservation efforts for species currently at risk of extinction.”
Knaub worked with co-author Brittany Aja Dolan, a former project leader at SeaWorld California. Philip Unitt, curator of birds and mammals at the San Diego Museum of Natural History. Dr. Robert L. Brownell Jr., a biologist with the Division of Marine Mammals and Turtles at the Southwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries, collected the specimens in the 1960s as a graduate student.
CT and micro-CT scans reveal microscopic details
To build the digital archive, the team used several imaging techniques to document the skeleton at multiple levels of detail. The researchers first scanned the specimen using medical computed tomography (CT), which uses X-rays to produce cross-sectional images. Photographs of individual bones and skeletal components were then taken before performing high-resolution micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) scans.
Unlike standard CT scanners, micro-CT systems can capture extremely small anatomical structures measured in microns (smaller than the width of a human hair).
“This project required a highly complex imaging workflow to capture the vaquita skeleton at multiple scales, from the entire bone structure to the minute internal details,” said senior author and professor Marian E. Porter, Ph.D., in FAU’s School of Biological Sciences. “By integrating medical CT, micro-CT, and high-resolution photography, we were able to reconstruct both the external morphology and internal structure of each bone in a way that is fully interactive in a digital format, yet maintains anatomical fidelity. The result is a layered dataset that reflects the true complexity of the specimen, rather than just a model.”
The scanning process produced thousands of cross-sectional images. Using specialized three-dimensional imaging software, researchers digitally separated each bone and reconstructed it into a highly detailed 3D model. The resulting replica can be rotated, enlarged, and viewed from any angle, allowing scientists to study the specimen without risking damage to the original skeleton.
Open access 3D models for research and education
The original skeleton of the porpoise is fragile and extremely rare, so opportunities for direct study and public viewing are limited. To make the information more widely available, the team uploaded the 3D model to the online repository MorphoSource, making it freely accessible.
“The success of this project was made possible by the advanced imaging capabilities available at the Berlin Family Bioimaging Lab,” said co-author Tricia L. Meredith, Ph.D., research director for FAU’s on-site experimental school, A.D. Henderson University School and FAU High School, and assistant professor in the FAU School of Education. “To transform raw scan data into usable 3D models, it was essential to have access to high-resolution micro-CT systems, along with expertise in processing and reconstructing large, complex datasets. This type of integrated technology environment will allow specimens like the porpoise to be preserved and shared at a level of detail that was not possible until recently.”
This research was supported by FAU’s School of Environmental, Coastal, and Ocean Sustainability (ECOS), the Joshua M. Berlin Research Gift, the FAU Experimental School, and SeaWorld California.
