BIO378 Whales

Blue Whale

• Very Large

• Mottled Grey/blue

• Blow (tall and straight blow)

• Has ventral pleats

• Head = U-shaped, rounded with a central ridge

• dorsal fin = very small, back on the body

• Fluke = shows fluke, uniformly blue / grey

• Range = Atlantic and Pacific

Fin whale

• very large

• dark grey / black / brown on top, light on underside, right lower jaw is white, light coloured streaks over back (behind the head)

• Blow (tall and columnar)

• Head = V-shaped, small ridge

• Has ventral pleats

• Dorsal Fin = tall and falcate (sickle-shaped) much bigger than blue whales

• Fluke = do not usually show fluke

• Range = Atlantic and Pacific

Sei Whale

• Large

• dark grey/brown, whiteish on belly

• blow (tall and columnar)

• head = pointed with single prominent ridge

• has ventral pleats

• Dorsal fin = prominent and falcate, swept backwards

• fluke = do not usually show fluke

• range = atlantic and pacific

Minke Whale

• medium

• dark grey on back, whiteish on belly, bright white patches on flippers

• blow (diffuse, often not visible)

• Head = sharply pointed, prominent ridge

• has ventral pleats

• dorsal fin = tall and curved backwards

• fluke = do not usually show fluke

• range = atlantic and pacific

Humpback Whale

• large

• black/dark grey on back, some white on belly, very long white flippers

• blow (tall, bushy [rounded])

• head = rounded, with central ridge, many bumps around lips and china

• has ventral pleats

• dorsal fin = low and broad-based (hump more than fin)

• fluke = mostly black on top side, mostly white on underside

• range = coastal atlantic and pacific

Grey whale

• large

• brownish grey with orangish patches

• blow (bushy and heart shaped)

• head = triangular from top, top jaw is slightly arched

• ventral pleats = two short pleats

• dorsal fin = dorsal hump

• fluke = do not show fluke

• range = coastal pacific

bowhead whale

• very large

• all black, white chin, grey to white around tail stock

• blow (bush and v-shaped)

• head = highly arched jaws, distinct ‘neck’ with a large bulge around the blowhole

• ventral pleats = no

• dorsal fin = no

• fluke = no fluke

• range = arctic

Right whale

• large

• all black, with white areas on belly; rough patches on head and cream coloured

• blow (bushy and v-shaped)

• head = highly arched jaws

• ventral pleats = no

• dorsal fin = no dorsal fin

• fluke = smooth, all black

• range = atlantic

sperm whale

• large/very large

• brown/grey, white lips inside shirt

• body shape = boxy, wrinkly

• head shape = square head, about 1/3 in males, blow angled forward and to the left

• dorsal fin = more a bump, nuckles behind drosal

• range = atlantic and pacific

Northern Bottlenose whale

• medium

• dark grey/brown

• body shape = robust body

• head = tube-like beak like dolphin; rounded melon (large and square in males)

• dorsal fin = sickle-shaped and tall

• range = atlantic and arctic

narwhal

• medium

• white belly; black and side variously mottled with black spots and blotches; calf grey

• body shape = round

• head = no beak, rounded, rounded melon

• dorsal fin = no dorsal

• range = arctic

beluga

• medium

• white; calves are greyish

• body shape = flattened belly; blubbery surface

• head = no beak, prominent melon

• dorsal fin = no dorsal, but shallow ridge

• range = arctic

killer whale

• medium

• black and white patterns

• body shape = stocky

• head = no beak, melon

• dorsal fin = large dorsal

• range = global

long-finned pilot whale

• medium

• all black, with a whitish anchor-shaped mark on the chest

• body shape = robust, round

• head = no beak, very bulbous melon

• dorsal fin = large, broad-based dorsal fin

• range = atlantic

atlantic white sided dolphin

• small

• black/dark grey, grey stripe along body with white underside, clear yellow streak on tail stock

• bod shape = robust

• head = small beak, with black line running to eye

• dorsal fin = tall and slightly curved

• range = atlantic

white-beaked dolphin

• small

• mostly dark grey, white belly and beak, tailstock also whiteish

• body shape = thick and robust

• head = white beak

• dorsal fin = very tall and slightly curved

• range = atlantic and arctic

Pacific white-sided dolphin

• small

• black/dark grey, light grey sides and black border between side and white bottom

• body shape = sleek

• head shape = short thick and black beak

• dorsal fin = tall and curved, with black front and whitish trailing edge

• range = pacific

Short-beaked common dolphin

• small

• dark grey/brown back with v-shaped light grey saddle; with yellow patch in front and greyish in back; black eye mask

• body shape = slender and streamlined

• head = long pointed and black beak

• dorsal fin = tall and slightly curved

• range = Atlantic and Pacific

Dall’s porpoise

• small

• dark grey/brown back with v-shaped light grey saddle; hour-glass pattern with yellow patch in front and greyish in back; black eye mask

• body shape = very robust and solid

• head = no beak, no separation from melon

• dorsal fin = triangular, hooked, with white tup and trialing edge

• range = pacific

Harbour porpoise

• small

• grey on top, whiteish belly; lines from jaw to flipper

• body shape = stocky

• head = no beak no separation from melon

• dorsal fin = triangular dorsal fin with broad base

• range = atlantic and pacific