Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North Atlantic

Chapter I: Part 1

Text size

Transcriber's Notes:

This is a Plain Text Version. It uses the Latin-1 Character set, but note that the only non-ASCII character used is the degree symbol.

Italic typeface in the original is indicated with _underscores_. Bold typeface in the original is indicated with UPPER CASE.

A list of other publications (NOAA Technical Reports) appears on the front cover of the original book, before the title page. This list has been retained, but has been moved to join the continuation of the list inside the back cover.

Other changes to the text have been listed after the end of the book.

* * * * *

NOAA Technical Report NMFS CIRC-396

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic

A Guide to Their Identification

STEPHEN LEATHERWOOD, DAVID K. CALDWELL,
and HOWARD E. WINN

with special assistance by
William E. Schevill and Melba C. Caldwell

SEATTLE, WA
AUGUST 1976

UNITED STATES
DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Elliot L. Richardson, Secretary
/ NATIONAL OCEANIC AND
/ ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION
/ Robert M. White, Administrator
/ National Marine
/ Fisheries Service
/ Robert W. Schoning, Director

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402

Stock No. 003-020-00119-0 / Catalog No. C 55.13: NMFS CIRC-396

PREFACE

In March 1972, the Naval Undersea Center (NUC), San Diego, Calif. in cooperation with the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), Tiburon, Calif. published a photographic field guide--_The Whales, Dolphins and Porpoises of the Eastern North Pacific. A Guide to Their Identification in the Water_, by S. Leatherwood, W.E. Evans, and D.W. Rice (NUC TP 282). This guide was designed to assist the layman in identifying the cetaceans he encountered in that area and was intended for use in two ongoing whale observer programs, NUC's Whale Watch and NMFS's Platforms of Opportunity. The rationale of these programs was that since oceanographers, commercial and sport fishermen, naval personnel, commercial seamen, pleasure boaters, and coastal aircraft pilots together canvas large areas of the oceans which scientists specializing in whales (cetologists) have time and funds to survey only occasionally, training those persons in species identification and asking them to report their sightings back to central data centers could help scientists more clearly understand distribution, migration, and seasonal variations in abundance of cetacean species. For such a program to work, a usable field guide is a requisite. Because the many publications on the whales, dolphins, and porpoises of this region were either too technical in content or too limited in geographical area or species covered to be of use in field identification, and because conventional scientific or taxonomic groupings of the animals are often not helpful in field identification, the photographic field guide took a different approach. Instead of being placed into their scientific groups, species were grouped together on the basis of similarities in appearance during the brief encounters typical at sea. Photographs of the animals in their natural environment, supplemented by drawings and descriptions or tables distinguishing the most similar species, formed the core of the guide.

Despite deficiencies in the first effort and the inherent difficulties of positively identifying many of the cetacean species at sea, the results obtained from the programs have been encouraging. Many seafarers who had previously looked with disinterest or ignorance on the animals they encountered became good critical observers and found pleasure in the contribution they were making. The potential for the expansion of such observer programs is enormous.

Because of these initial successes and the large number of requests for packets from persons working at sea off the Atlantic coast of North America, this guide was planned. Many of the errors and deficiencies of the Pacific Guide have been corrected, and the discussions of the ranges of many of the species have been expanded with considerations of the major oceanographic factors affecting their distribution and movements. While the present volume, like the Pacific Guide, is intended as an aid to the identification of living animals at sea, new materials have been provided to aid in the identification and reporting of stranded specimens, a major source of data and study material for museums. This new dimension is expected to assist the U.S. National Museum, various regional museums, and other researchers actively collecting cetacean materials for display and study in the implementation of their stranded animal salvage programs. Through a cooperative effort of this kind, the best possible use can be made of all materials that become available.

As a part of continuing research, this guide will be revised whenever possible. Suggestions for its improvement will at all times be welcome.

* * * * *

Funds for the preparation of this guide were provided by a grant to Stephen Leatherwood from the Platforms of Opportunity Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Tiburon, Calif., Paul Sund, Coordinator.

CONTENTS

Introduction 1
Classification of cetaceans 1
Dolphin or porpoise 5
Organization of the guide 5
How to use the guide 7
To identify animals at sea 7
To identify stranded animals 7
To record and report information 7
Directory to species accounts:
Large whales:
With a dorsal fin 10
Without dorsal fin 13
Medium-sized whales:
With a dorsal fin 14
Without dorsal fin 15
Small whales, dolphins, and porpoises with a dorsal fin 16
Species accounts:
Large whales with a dorsal fin:
Blue whale 19
Fin whale 26
Sei whale 32
Bryde's whale 37
Humpback whale 40
Large whales without dorsal fin:
Bowhead whale 49
Right whale 52
Sperm whale 57
Medium-sized whales with a dorsal fin:
Minke whale 63
Northern bottlenosed whale 67
Goosebeaked whale 70
Other beaked whales 74
True's beaked whale 77
Antillean beaked whale 78
Dense-beaked whale 80
North Sea beaked whale 82
Killer whale 84
False killer whale 88
Atlantic pilot whale 91
Short-finned pilot whale 94
Grampus 96
Medium-sized whales without dorsal fin:
Beluga 99
Narwhal 102
Small whales, dolphins, and porpoises with a dorsal fin:
Atlantic spotted dolphin 104
Bridled dolphin 108
Spinner dolphin 110
Striped dolphin 113
Saddleback dolphin 116
Fraser's dolphin 120
Atlantic white-sided dolphin 123
White-beaked dolphin 126
Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin 128
Guiana dolphin 132
Rough-toothed dolphin 135
Pygmy killer whale 138
Many-toothed blackfish 142
Pygmy sperm whale 144
Dwarf sperm whale 148
Harbor porpoise 150
Acknowledgments 152
Selected bibliography 152

Appendix A, Tags on whales, dolphins, and porpoises 154

Appendix B, Recording and reporting observations of cetaceans
at sea 160

Appendix C, Stranded whales, dolphins, and porpoises; with a key
to the identification of stranded cetaceans of the western
North Atlantic 163

Appendix D, Recording and reporting data on stranded cetaceans 169

Appendix E, List of institutions to contact regarding stranded
cetaceans 171

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve,
recommend or endorse any proprietary product or proprietary material
mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to NMFS,
or to this publication furnished by NMFS, in any advertising or
sales promotion which would indicate or imply that NMFS approves,
recommends or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary
material mentioned herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to
cause directly or indirectly the advertised product to be used or
purchased because of this NMFS publication.

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic

A Guide to Their Identification

STEPHEN LEATHERWOOD,[1] DAVID K. CALDWELL,[2] and HOWARD E. WINN[3]

with special assistance by
William E. Schevill[4] and Melba C. Caldwell[2]

[Footnote 1: Biomedical Division, Undersea Sciences Department, Naval Undersea Center, San Diego, CA 92132.]

[Footnote 2: Biocommunication and Marine Mammal Research Facility, C. V. Whitney Marine Research Laboratory of the University of Florida, St. Augustine, FL 32084.]

[Footnote 3: Graduate School of Oceanography, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI 02881.]

[Footnote 4: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA 02543 and Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA 02138.]

ABSTRACT

This field guide is designed to permit observers to identify the cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) they see in the western North Atlantic, including the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the coastal waters of the United States and Canada. The animals described are grouped not by scientific relationships but by similarities in appearance in the field. Photographs of the animals in their natural environment are the main aids to identification.

A dichotomized key is provided to aid in identification of stranded cetaceans and appendices describe how and to whom to report data on live and dead cetaceans.

INTRODUCTION

All whales, dolphins, and porpoises belong to an order or major scientific group called the Cetacea by scientists. They are all mammals (air-breathing animals which have hair in at least some stage of their development, maintain a constant body temperature, bear their young alive, and nurse them for a while) which have undergone extensive changes in body form (anatomy) and function (physiology) to cope with a life spent entirely in the water. The breathing aperture(s), called a blowhole or blowholes, has (have) migrated to the top of the head to facilitate breathing while swimming; the forward appendages have become flippers; the hind appendages have nearly disappeared, they remain only as small traces of bone deeply imbedded in the muscles. Propulsion is provided by fibrous, horizontally flattened tail flukes.

Scientists recognize two suborders of living cetaceans: the whalebone whales, suborder Mysticeti, and the toothed whales, suborder Odontoceti. The two groups are separated in the following ways:

BALEEN OR WHALEBONE WHALES. These animals are called whalebone whales because when fully formed instead of teeth they have up to 800 or more plates of baleen or whalebone depending from the roof of the mouth. They use these plates to strain their food, which consists of "krill" (primarily small crustaceans) and/or small schooling fish, by taking water into the mouth and forcing it out through the overlapping fringes of the baleen plates. Baleen whales are externally distinguishable from toothed whales by having paired blowholes. There are eight species of baleen whales in the western North Atlantic, ranging in size from the minke whale (just over 30 feet [about 9.1 m])[5] to the blue whale (85 feet [25.9 m]).

[Footnote 5: Throughout this guide, measurements are given first in feet or inches, followed in parentheses by their equivalents in meters or centimeters. It is recognized that field estimates cannot be as precise as most of the conversions used.]

TOOTHED WHALES. Unlike the baleen whales, the toothed whales do have teeth after birth. The teeth vary in number from 2 to over 250, though they may sometimes be concealed beneath the gum. In addition, toothed whales have only a single blowhole. This group includes the animals commonly called dolphin or porpoise as well as some commonly called whales (for example, the sperm whale). There are currently about 30 species of toothed whales known from the western North Atlantic, ranging in maximum adult size from the common or harbor porpoise, which is approximately 5 feet (1.5 m) long, up to the sperm whale which reaches a length of 68 feet (20.7 m). Several other species which are expected to be found in this region, though they have not yet been reported, are also included in this guide.

CLASSIFICATION OF CETACEANS

In addition to the two suborders (Mysticeti and Odontoceti), the cetacean order contains numerous families, genera, and species. Each of these groupings represents a progressively more specialized division of the animals into categories on the basis of similarities in their skulls, postcranial skeletons, and external characteristics. The discipline which concerns itself with naming an animal and assigning it to its appropriate scientific category is known as taxonomy. An example of the classification of a cetacean species is shown in the following:

SCIENTIFIC CLASSIFICATION OF THE ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSED DOLPHIN

Kingdom: Animalia all animals

Phylum: Chordata having at some stage a notochord,
the precursor of the backbone

Subphylum: Vertebrata animals with backbones--fishes,
amphibians, reptiles, birds,
and mammals

Class: Mammalia animals that suckle their young

Order: Cetacea carnivorous, wholly aquatic
mammals: whales, including
dolphins and porpoises

Suborder: Odontoceti toothed whales as distinguished
from Mysticeti, the baleen whales

Family: Delphinidae dolphins

Genus: Tursiops bottlenosed dolphins

Species: truncatus Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin

Modern taxonomy had its origin with the Swedish naturalist Linnaeus, whose tenth edition of the _Systema Naturae_ in 1758 forms the official starting point. Following Linnaeus, modern scientific names consist of two words, a generic name, which has an initial capital, and a species name, which rarely does, occasionally in botany (some species names deriving from a person's name are capitalized). Both names are usually of Latin origin (sometimes Greek) and are italicized or underlined. These scientific names are of particular importance because, although common names of species often are different in different countries or even in different regions of the same country, the scientific name remains the same. For example, the right whale is universally known as _Eubalaena glacialis_ though its common names include black right whale, nordcaper, sletbag, Biscay whale, and Biscayan right whale.

Although classification of many species is still in a state of flux, the classification of western North Atlantic cetaceans followed in this guide is as follows:

Page of
synoptic account
of the species

Order Cetacea

Suborder Mysticeti--Baleen whales

Family Balaenopteridae--Rorquals

_Balaenoptera acutorostrata_ Lacepede 1804 Minke whale 63

_Balaenoptera physalus_ (Linnaeus 1758) Fin whale 26

_Balaenoptera musculus_ (Linnaeus 1758) Blue whale 19

_Balaenoptera borealis_ Lesson 1828 Sei whale 32

_Balaenoptera edeni_ Anderson 1879 Bryde's whale 37

_Megaptera novaeangliae_ (Borowski 1781) Humpback whale 40

Family Balaenidae--Right whales

_Balaena mysticetus_ Linnaeus 1758 Bowhead whale 49

_Eubalaena glacialis_ (Borowski 1781) Right whale 52

Suborder Odontoceti--Toothed whales

Family Ziphiidae

_Mesoplodon bidens_ (Sowerby 1804) North Sea
beaked whale 82

_Mesoplodon densirostris_ (Blainville in Dense-beaked
Desmarest 1817) whale 80

_Mesoplodon europaeus_ (Gervais 1855) Antillean beaked whale 78

_Mesoplodon mirus_ True 1913 True's beaked whale 77

_Ziphius cavirostris_ G. Cuvier 1823 Goosebeaked whale 70

_Hyperoodon ampullatus_ (Forster 1770) Northern bottlenosed
whale 67

Family Physeteridae

_Physeter catodon_ Linnaeus 1758 Sperm whale 57

_Kogia breviceps_ (Blainville 1838) Pygmy sperm whale 144

_Kogia simus_ (Owen 1866) Dwarf sperm whale 148

Family Monodontidae

_Monodon monoceros_ Linnaeus 1758 Narwhal 102

_Delphinapterus leucas_ (Pallas 1776) Beluga 99

Family Stenidae

_Steno bredanensis_ (G. Cuvier in Rough-toothed dolphin 135
Lesson 1828)

_Sotalia guianensis_ (P. J. van Guiana dolphin 132
Beneden 1864)

Family Delphinidae

_Peponocephala electra_ (Gray 1846) Many-toothed blackfish 142

_Feresa attenuata_ Gray 1874 Pygmy killer whale 138

_Pseudorca crassidens_ (Owen 1846) False killer whale 88

_Globicephala melaena_ (Traill 1809) Atlantic pilot whale 91

_Globicephala Gray 1846 Short-finned pilot whale 94
macrorhynchus_

_Orcinus orca_ (Linnaeus 1758) Killer whale 84

_Lagenorhynchus Gray 1846 White-beaked dolphin 126
albirostris_

_Lagenorhynchus acutus_ (Gray 1828) Atlantic white-sided
dolphin 123

_Lagenodelphis hosei_ Fraser 1956 Fraser's dolphin 120

_Tursiops truncatus_ (Montagu 1821) Bottlenosed dolphin 128

_Grampus griseus_ (G. Cuvier 1812) Grampus 96

_Stenella longirostris_ Gray 1828 Spinner dolphin 110

_Stenella frontalis_ (G. Cuvier 1829) Bridled dolphin 108

_Stenella coeruleoalba_ (Meyen 1833) Striped dolphin 113

_Stenella plagiodon_ (Cope 1866) Spotted dolphin 104

_Delphinus delphis_ Linnaeus 1758 Saddleback dolphin 116

Family Phocoenidae

_Phocoena phocoena_ (Linnaeus 1758) Harbor porpoise 150

This tentative classification follows an unpublished list by W.E. Schevill and E.M. Mitchell currently under review. The scientific names are followed by the name of the individual who named the species and the year of naming, and then by the common name most often used in the western North Atlantic.[6] It may be noted that some of the authors are in parentheses. This indicates that though the species name has remained the same since the date of naming the species has since been assigned to another genus. Because the species are not arranged in taxonomic order in this field guide, the page of the synoptic account of each is provided in the column to the right.

[Footnote 6: Most common names are based on some characteristic of the species (e.g., spotted dolphin, striped dolphin, rough-toothed dolphin); others are the names of authors of the species (e.g., True's beaked whale) or of habitats or macrohabitats which they inhabit (e.g., North Sea beaked whale and harbor porpoise); the origins of some common names, however, are less obvious (e.g., dense-beaked whale), and of less use in field references.]

DOLPHIN OR PORPOISE

There is still considerable controversy over the correct usage of the terms dolphin and porpoise. As mentioned in the preceding section, common names of any species may vary from locale to locale and even from individual to individual. Some persons argue for the use of the term porpoise for all small cetaceans. Others insist on the term dolphin. Still others either randomly use the terms or call members of the family Delphinidae dolphins and members of the family Phocoenidae porpoises. The evidence supporting any one of these positions is confusing at best and no usage of terms appears to be without problems. We see no wholly satisfactory resolution to the problem at this time. For all these reasons, we have little desire to defend our decision to follow the last of these practices in this guide, referring to all members of the family Delphinidae for which the term dolphin or porpoise appears in the common name as dolphins, and to the one member of the family Phocoenidae represented in the western North Atlantic, _Phocoena phocoena_, as the harbor porpoise. Although all cetaceans may be regarded as whales, the term "whale" most commonly applies to the larger animals. For all species treated, other common names by which they may be known are also listed.

Detailed treatment of the relative merits of the various terminologies is inappropriate here. Furthermore, it is our opinion that the usage of the terms dolphin, porpoise, and whale as part of the common names of cetaceans is largely a matter of personal preference.

ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDE

The differences between baleen and toothed whales are easy enough to see in animals washed up on the beach or maintained in a tank at a zoo or aquarium. But since an animal at sea can seldom be examined that closely, its most obvious characteristics may be its overall size, the presence or absence of a dorsal fin, its prominent coloration or markings, its general behavior, or its swimming, blowing, and diving characteristics. For that reason, regardless of their scientific relationships, all the whales, dolphins, and the one porpoise covered in the main text of this guide are divided into three groups. Those over 40 feet (12.2 m) long are discussed in the section on Large Whales, those from 13 to 40 feet (4.0 to 12.2 m) in the Medium-Sized Whale, and those less than 13 feet (4.0 m) in the Small Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoise (with a dorsal fin). There are no small whales, dolphins, or porpoises in this region without a dorsal fin. Each section is further divided into those animals with a dorsal fin and those without. From that point, animals likely to be confused in the field are grouped together and the important differences between them are discussed.

The synoptic accounts of the species are followed by five appendices: Appendix A discusses and illustrates man-made and applied tags and natural markings on cetaceans and their importance in studies of natural history. Appendix B discusses the data which are most important to record in observations of cetaceans at sea, gives examples, and provides blank sighting forms. Appendix C discusses possible causes of cetacean strandings and the manner in which stranded animals should be handled and adds a key and tables to aid in identifying stranded cetaceans. Appendix D provides guidelines for collecting data on stranded cetaceans and provides forms and specific instructions for taking standard measurements. Appendix E lists institutions to be contacted in the event of a cetacean stranding or for information.

A bibliography of useful references on cetaceans in general and cetaceans of this region in particular and a directory to species accounts are included.

HOW TO USE THE GUIDE

To Identify Animals at Sea

The three major sections of the guide (i.e., large, medium, and small whales) are preceded by a directory to species accounts, which is a summary of the most obvious characteristics of each species and in which summary statements about each characteristic are arranged in parallel order. To use the guide to identify living animals observed at sea, a person or persons should:

1. First estimate the animal's size and determine whether or not it has a dorsal fin.

2. Note also any distinctive features of body shape and coloration and observe its general behavior, including swimming, blowing, and diving characteristics. It should be noted that coloration may vary somewhat at sea, depending on light conditions and water clarity. For example, animals which appear dark gray or black at the surface or when dead may appear brown in good light or when submerged. Making a brief sketch at this point may aid in identifying the animal or in later recalling its distinctive features.

3. Using the directory, locate the section to which the animal probably belongs.

4. Then, for more detailed information, consult the section indicated. There you will find a more complete discussion of the animal's range, size, and distinctive characteristics. In addition, you will find a brief discussion distinguishing it from animals with which it is likely to be confused in the field.

* * * * *

This guide will probably work best if, in advance of attempting to use the key in the field, the reader will familiarize himself with the general outline, with characters or behaviors to note, and with the locations of the various species accounts. It will also help if he schools himself to ask a series of questions about the animal(s) he sees at the time of the encounter rather than depending on his recall at a later time (see p. 160). As we have emphasized several times in this guide, positive identification of cetaceans at sea can only occasionally be made on the basis of a single characteristic. Therefore, the greater the amount of pertinent evidence an observer obtains, the greater the likelihood he can make a reliable identification.

To Identify Stranded Animals

Stranded animals can best be identified by referring to Appendix C and its associated tables, making a preliminary determination and then consulting the species accounts in the main body of the book for verification of the identification. As noted in that appendix, if the animal is recently stranded, identification can be made using any of the externally visible characteristics described for the living species at sea. But even if the animal is in an advanced stage of decomposition, it can usually be identified by referring to the key and to the numbers and descriptions of baleen plates, for all baleen whales, and the numbers and relative lengths of ventral grooves, for all balaenopterine whales (Table 1), or to the tables on the numbers and descriptions of teeth, for toothed whales (Table 2).

To Record and Report Information

As discussed in the preface, though learning to identify the whales, dolphins, and porpoises one sees may be exciting in itself, many persons may want to participate in the accumulation of data on these interesting animals by routinely reporting their observations to scientists who are actively studying them and who can make immediate use of the information. The following may help these persons:

Suggestions for making and recording observations of cetaceans at sea and sample data forms are included in Appendix C. Similar suggestions for taking and recording data on stranded cetaceans are included in Appendix D. For both types of data, blank data forms located after the appendices may be photocopied in bulk for use in the field.

Completed data forms and all associated information for sightings at sea should be forwarded to the Platforms of Opportunity Program, National Marine Fisheries Service, Tiburon, CA 94920, or to one of the authors of this guide. From there, they will be made available to scientists actively studying the cetaceans of a given species or geographical area.

Completed data forms and all associated information for observations of stranded cetaceans should be forwarded to the Division of Mammals, U.S. National Museum, Washington, DC 20560, to one of the authors of this guide, or to one of the regional laboratories listed in Appendix E. These persons have, in turn, been encouraged to keep a free flow of information among them.

Table 1. Ranges in Numbers of Teeth in Each Upper and Lower Jaw of Western North Atlantic Odontocetes.

[P] = Page of species account
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | |Ranges in |
| | | tooth
| | | counts |
| Species | |-----+-----|
Species common name |scientific name |[P]|Upper|Lower| Remarks
--------------------+----------------+---+-----+-----+------------------------
Sperm whale |_Physeter_ | 57| 0 |18-25|Ten to sixteen upper
| _catodon_ | | | | teeth _rarely_ emerge;
| | | | | lower teeth fit into
| | | | | sockets in upper jaw.
Northern |_Hyperoodon_ | 67| 0 | 2(2)|At tip of lower jaw;
bottlenosed whale | _ampullatus_ | | | [A] | sometimes second
| | | | | pair behind first.
Goosebeaked whale |_Ziphius_ | 70| 0 | 2[A]|At tip of lower jaw.[B]
| _cavirostris_ | | | |
True's beaked whale |_Mesoplodon_ | 77| 0 | 2[A]|At tip of lower jaw.[B]
| _mirus_ | | | |
Antillean beaked |_Mesoplodon_ | 78| 0 | 2[A]|At suture of mandible.
whale | _europaeus_ | | | | One-third of way
| | | | | from tip of snout to
| | | | | gape.[B]
Dense-beaked whale |_Mesoplodon_ | 80| 0 | 2[A]|On prominences near
| _densirostris_| | | | corner of mouth;
| | | | | oriented backwards.[b]
North Sea beaked |_Mesoplodon_ | 82| 0 | 2[A]|About halfway from
whale | _bidens_ | | | | tip of snout to
| | | | | gape.[B]
Killer whale |_Orcinus orca_ | 84|10-12|10-12|Prominent; curved and
| | | | | oriented backwards
| | | | | and inwards; pointed.
False killer whale |_Pseudorca_ | 88| 8-11| 8-11|Prominent; pointed
| _crassidens_ | | | | and curved.
Atlantic pilot whale|_Globicephala_ | 91| 8-10| 8-10| -- --
| _melaena_ | | | |
Short-finned pilot |_Globicephala_ | 94| 7-9 | 7-9 | -- --
whale | _macrorhyncha_| | | |
Grampus |_Grampus_ | 96| 0 | 0-7 |Near front of jaw;
| _griseus_ | | | | may have fallen out
| | | | | in older specimens;
| | | | | sometimes teeth in
| | | | | upper jaw.
Beluga |_Delphinapterus_| 99| 8-11| 8-9 | -- --
| _leucas_ | | | |
Narwhal |_Monodon_ |102| 2 | 0[A]|One (rarely both)
| _monoceros_ | | | | grows up to 9 ft
| | | | | (2.5 m) tusk which
| | | | | has left-hand
| | | | | (sinestral) spiral.
Spotted dolphin |_Stenella_ |104|30-36|28-35| -- --
| _plagiodon_ | | | |
Bridled dolphin |_Stenella_ |108|29-34|33-36| -- --
| _frontalis_ | | | |
Spinner dolphin |_Stenella_ |110|46-65|46-65| -- --
| _longirostris_| | | |
Striped dolphin |_Stenella_ |113|43-50|43-50| -- --
| _coeruleoalba_| | | |
Saddleback dolphin |_Delphinus_ |116|40-50|40-50| -- --
| _delphis_ | | | |
Fraser's dolphin |_Lagenodelphis_ |120|38-44|38-44| -- --
| _hosei_ | | | |
Atlantic white-sided|_Lagenorhynchus_|123|30-40|30-40|Some specimens have
dolphin | _acutus_ | | | | more teeth in upper
| | | | | than in lower jaw.
White-beaked dolphin|_Lagenorhynchus_|126|22-28|22-28| -- --
| _albirostris_ | | | |
Atlantic bottlenosed|_Tursiops_ |128|20-26|18-24| -- --
dolphin | _truncatus_ | | | |
Guiana dolphin |_Sotalia_ |132|26-35|26-35| -- --
| _guianensis_ | | | |
Rough-toothed |_Steno_ |135|20-27|20-27|Crown is sometimes
dolphin | _bredanensis_ | | | | marked with many
| | | | | fine vertical
| | | | | wrinkles.
Pygmy killer whale |_Feresa_ |138| 8-13|10-13|Many specimens have.
| _attenuata_ | | | | fewer teeth on right
| | | | | than on left side.
Many-toothed |_Peponocephala_ |142|22-25|21-24| -- --
blackfish | _electra_ | | | |
Pygmy sperm whale |_Kogia_ |144| 0 |12-16|Rarely 10 or 11;
| _breviceps_ | | | | curved back and
| | | | | inwards; fit into
| | | | | sockets in upper jaw.
Dwarf sperm whale |_Kogia simus_ |148| 0-3 | 8-11|Rarely 13; curved
| | | | | back and in; sharply
| | | | | pointed; fit into
| | | | | sockets in upper jaw.
| | | | | Rarely has 1-3 upper
| | | | | teeth as well.
Harbor porpoise |_Phocoena_ |150|22-28|22-28|Spade shaped, laterally
| _phocoena_ | | | | compressed, and
| | | | | relatively small.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Footnote A: Usually erupted from gums only in adult [MALES].]

[Footnote B: May have toothpick size vestigial teeth in either jaw.]

Table 2. Body Size; Numbers, Maximum Dimensions and Descriptions of Baleen Plates; and Numbers and Relative Lengths of Ventral Grooves of W. N. Atlantic Mysticetes.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
| | | | | Maximum dimensions|
| | | | | of plates |
| | | | |-------------------|
| | | |Number | | Width |
| | | Maximum | of | Length | base |
| |Page of| body |baleen |----+----+----+----|
Species | Species |species| size[C] |plates/ | ft/| | ft/| |
common name |scientific name|account| ft(m) | side | in.| cm | in.| cm |
-------------+---------------+-------+---------+--------+----+----+----+----|
Blue whale |Balaenoptera | 19 |85 (26.0)|270-395 | 33"| 84| 12"| 30 |
| musculus | | | | | | | |
Fin whale |Balaenoptera | 26 |79 (24.0)|262-473 | 29"| 72| 12"| 30 |
| physalus | | | | | | | |
Sei whale |Balaenoptera | 32 |62 (19.0)|318-340 | 31"| 78| 15"| 39 |
| borealis | | | | | | | |
Bryde's whale|Balaenoptera | 37 |46 (14.0)|250-300?| 17"| 42| 10"| 24 |
| edeni | | | | | | | |
Humpback |Megaptera | 40 |53 (16.0)|270-400 | 24"| 60| 5"| 13 |
whale | novaeangliae | | | | | | | |
Bowhead whale|Balaena | 49 |65 (19.8)|325-360 | 14'| 414| 14"| 36 |
| mysticetus | | | | | | | |
Right whale |Eubalaena | 52 |53 (16.0)|250-390 |7.3'| 223| 12"| 30 |
| glacialis | | | | | | | |
Minke whale |Balaenoptera | 63 |31 (10.0)|300-325 | 8"| 21| 4"| 10|
| acutorostrata| | | | | | | |
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Footnote C: As stated in the Index to the species, these figures represent maximum sizes recorded for the W. N. Atlantic. For all species exploited by whaling industries' current maximum sizes will be substantially smaller than these figures (see species accounts).]

DIRECTORY TO SPECIES ACCOUNTS

LARGE WHALES

(40-85 feet [12-26 m] maximum overall length)

With a Dorsal Fin

All five species of large whales with a dorsal fin belong to the same major baleen whale group, the balaenopterid whales or rorquals. All are characterized by the presence of a series of ventral grooves, usually visible on stranded specimens and the length and number of which are diagnostic to species. In addition, all species, with the exception of the humpback whale, have at least one distinctive (though often not prominent) ridge along the head from just in front of the blowhole to near the tip of the snout. (The humpback whale, on the other hand, is distinguished by numerous knobs, some of which are located along the line of the head ridge, with others scattered on the top of the head.) In Bryde's whale, the single head ridge characteristic of the other rorquals is supplemented by two auxiliary ridges, one on each side of the main ridge.

At sea, these whales often appear very similar and must be examined carefully before they can be reliably identified.

In general, though the characteristics of behavior may vary from one encounter to the next, based on the activities in which the animal is engaged, whales in this group may be distinguished from each other on the basis of differences in 1) the size, shape, and position of the dorsal fin and the timing of its appearance on the surface relative to the animal's blow (in general, the larger the whale, the smaller the dorsal fin--the further back its position and the later its appearance on the surface after the animal's blow); 2) the height of body in the area of the dorsal fin, relative to the size of the dorsal fin, which is exposed as the animal sounds; 3) sometimes the blow rate and movement patterns; and 4) the shape and color of the head.

Despite variability in behavior by members of the same species from one encounter to the next, an observer can greatly increase the reliability of his identification by forming the habit of working systematically through a set of characteristics for the species rather than depending on any single characteristic.

[Sidenote: BLUE WHALE

_Balaenoptera musculus_

p. 19]

Body very large, up to 85 feet (25.9 m) long.[7]
Body basically bluish with mottlings of grayish white.
Baleen all black.
Head broad and nearly U-shaped, viewed from above.
Head flat in front of blowhole, viewed from side.
Dorsal fin small (to 13 inches [33 cm]), triangular to moderately
falcate, in the last one-third of back.
Distribution primarily from temperate seas to pack ice; rare in
tropics.
Distribution more northerly during summer.
Flukes occasionally raised slightly on long dive.

[Footnote 7: These figures are all near maximum sizes recorded for the North Atlantic. For all species which have historically been exploited by whale fisheries present maximum sizes may be significantly less than these figures.

It should also be noted that differences in methods of measurements often account for discrepancies in reported lengths.]

[Sidenote: FIN WHALE

_Balaenoptera physalus_

p. 26]

Body large, up to 79 feet (24 m) long.
Body mostly dark gray or brownish gray; undersides of flukes and
flippers and belly white; grayish-white chevron frequently on
back behind head.
Right lower lip white; right upper lip sometimes white; left lip
dark.
Head V-shaped, viewed from above.
Right front one-third to one-fifth of baleen plates, yellowish
white.
Other baleen bluish gray with yellowish-white stripes.
Dorsal fin to 24 inches (61 cm), slightly more than one-third
forward from tail; forms angle of less than 40 deg. with back.
Distribution extensive but not very common near pack ice and in
tropics.
Distribution more northerly during summer.
Flukes not raised on dive.

[Sidenote: SEI WHALE

_Balaenoptera borealis_

p. 32]

Body up to 62 feet (19 m) long.
Body appears shiny; dark gray on back, often with ovoid
grayish-white scars; white on front of belly; undersides of
flippers and flukes dark.
Baleen grayish or ash black with fine, light-gray bristles.
Dorsal fin to 24 inches (61 cm), strongly falcate, well more than
one-third forward from tail; forms angle of more than 40 deg. with
back.
Distribution extensive; are not very common in cold waters and
may have a greater tendency than fin whales to enter tropical
waters.
Distribution more northerly in summer.
Flukes not raised on dive.

[Sidenote: BRYDE'S WHALE

_Balaenoptera edeni_

p. 37]

Body up to 46 feet (14 m) long.
Body dark gray overall.
Head has series of three ridges from area of blowhole to snout.
Baleen slate gray with coarse dark bristles.
Dorsal fin to 18 inches (45.7 cm), falcate, well more than
one-third forward from tail, often irregularly worn on rear
margin.
Distribution primarily tropical and southern temperate.
Flukes not raised on dive.

[Sidenote: HUMPBACK WHALE

_Megaptera novaeangliae_

p. 40]

Body up to 53 feet (16.2 m) long.
Body dark gray with irregular white area on belly; flippers
white; underside of flukes often has varying amounts of white.
Head in front of blowhole flat and covered with knobs.
Baleen dark gray to black with olive-black bristles.
Dorsal fin small, quite variable in shape, usually hooked,
located on a step or hump, in last one-third of back.
Flippers very long (to nearly one-third of body length), white,
and scalloped on leading edge.
Distribution at least New England to Iceland and Greenland during
summer.
Distribution to shallow tropical banks, winter and spring.
Flukes often scalloped on trailing edges and sometimes raised on
dive.

NOTE: Because of its small adult size, usually less than 30 feet (9.1 m), another member of the rorqual family, the minke whale, is included with the medium-sized whales in this guide. Features by which it may be distinguished from all other rorquals are discussed in the species account.

Further, inasmuch as the dorsal fin of the humpback whale is highly variable in shape, positive identification may require reference to the sperm whale (p. 57), which, though the sperm whale has been classified with species without dorsal fin, has a rather distinct dorsal hump, particularly noticeable when the animal arches the back and tail to begin a long dive.

(40-65 feet [12-20 m] maximum overall length)

Without a Dorsal Fin

There are three species of large whales without a dorsal fin in the western North Atlantic Ocean. Two of these, the bowhead or Greenland whale, and its more widely distributed close relative the right whale, are baleen whales. The third, the sperm whale, is a toothed whale. The first two have relatively smooth backs without even a trace of a dorsal fin. The sperm whale has a humplike low, thick, dorsal ridge, which, from certain views, particularly when the animal is humping up to begin a dive, may be clearly visible and look like a fin. But because the profile of that hump and the knuckles which follow it are often not very prominent in this species, it has been classified with the finless big whales.

All three species are characterized by very distinctive blows or spouts. In both the bowhead and the right whales, the projection of the blow upward from two widely separated blowholes assumes a very wide V-shape with two distinct columns, which may be seen when the animals are viewed from front or back. Though this character may be visible under ideal conditions in many of the other baleen whales species as well, it is exaggerated and uniformly distinct in the bowhead and right whales and may be used as one of the primary key characters. In the sperm whale, the blow emanates from a blowhole which is displaced to the left of the head near the front and projects obliquely forward to the animal's left. This blow seen under ideal conditions positively labels a large whale as a sperm whale.

Remember, however, that wind conditions may affect the disposition and duration of the blow of any species and that a single character alone is seldom sufficient to permit positive identification.

[Sidenote: BOWHEAD WHALE

_Balaena mysticetus_

p. 49]

Body to 65 feet (19.8 m) long.[8]
Body dark; back smooth.
Chin and belly often white.
Head lacks callosities.
Baleen dark gray with gray fringes; to 12 feet (3.7 m) or more.
Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched.
Two blowholes clearly separated.
Blow projects upward in wide V-shape.
Distribution restricted to Arctic waters south to Davis Straits.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

[Footnote 8: These figures are near maximum sizes recorded for the North Atlantic. All three species have been heavily exploited by whale fisheries. Therefore maximum sizes today may be significantly less than these figures (see text).

It should also be noted that differences in methods of measurements often account for discrepancies in reported lengths.]

[Sidenote: RIGHT WHALE

_Eubalaena glacialis_

p. 52]

Body to 53 feet (16.2 m) long.
Body from dark to light gray and mottled; back smooth; chin and
belly usually white.
Head and lower jaw covered with callosities (the largest of which
is called the bonnet and is set on top of the snout).
Baleen usually dark gray with dark fringes; to 7.2 feet (2.2 m).
When animals swim, mouth agape, near surface; baleen sometimes
appears pale brownish to yellowish gray in color.
Upper jaw and lower lip strongly arched.
Two blowholes clearly separated.
Blow projects upward in wide V-shape.
Distribution extends from Iceland south at least to Florida and
reported from Texas.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

[Sidenote: SPERM WHALE

_Physeter catodon_

p. 57]

Body to 69 feet (20.9 m) long; males grow significantly larger
than females.
Body dark grayish brown to brown; wrinkled in appearance.
Back has rounded hump followed by knuckles.
Head boxlike, comprises up to 40% of body length.
From 18 to 25 functional teeth in each side of narrow lower jaw.
Single blowhole on left of head at front.
Blow projects forward obliquely from head and to left.
Distribution extends from tropics to Arctic; adult males
distributed farther north.
Flukes raised on longer dives.

MEDIUM-SIZED WHALES

(13-32 feet [4-10 m] maximum overall length)

With a Dorsal Fin

There are 11 species of medium-sized whales with a dorsal fin known from the western North Atlantic. These species, taking many diverse forms, range in maximum adult size from about 13 feet (4.0 m) (grampus) to about 33 feet (10.1 m) (the minke whale). This group includes such widely distributed and frequently encountered species as the pilot whales, false killer whales, and minke whales, and such rarely encountered and poorly known species as the various "beaked whales" (_Mesoplodon_ spp. and the goosebeaked whale).

Aside from their common inclusion within the stated size range and the presence of a dorsal fin in all species (which ranges from only a small nubbin in some of the beaked whales to a substantial 5- to 6-foot [1.5- to 1.8-m] sail on adult male killer whales), these species have no diagnostic field characteristics in common. Therefore, each is discussed in detail and is placed in the text in near proximity to those species with which it is likely to be confused in the field.

[Sidenote: MINKE WHALE

_Balaenoptera acutorostrata_

p. 63]

Body to 30 feet (9.1 m), or more, long.
Body black or dark gray; area of gray shading on each side just
in front of and below dorsal fin.
Flippers have transverse white band.
Head very sharply V-shaped viewed from above.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct; usually appears simultaneous
with blow.
Blow often low and indistinct.
Distribution polar, temperate, and tropical; frequently coastal.
Often curious about boats.
Flukes not raised on dive.

[Sidenote: NORTHERN BOTTLENOSED WHALE

_Hyperoodon ampullatus_

p. 67]

Body to 32 feet (9.8 m) long.
Body of young uniformly chocolate brown; body of adults brown
with cream or yellow blotches.
Head bulbous in adults and white in larger animals; has distinct
beak.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct, in last one-third of back.
Distribution north temperate and Arctic-offshore.
Often curious about boats.
Flukes large, rarely notched; occasionally raised on long dive.

[Sidenote: GOOSEBEAKED WHALE

_Ziphius cavirostris_

p. 70]

Body to at least 23 feet (7 m) long.
Body from dark gray or brown to rust or fawn and splotched with
white; eyes dark.
Head of large males white.
Back frequently scarred with numerous scratches, presumably tooth
marks.
Dorsal fin falcate and distinct, in last one-third of back.
Distribution primarily tropical; extends to temperate.
Flukes light beneath, sometimes shallowly notched; often raised
on dive.

[Sidenote: ALL OTHER WESTERN NORTH ATLANTIC BEAKED WHALES

_Mesoplodon_ spp.

p. 74]

Body to 16-22 feet (4.9-6.7 m) long.
Body color black to dark gray.
Back frequently scarred.
Dorsal fin position varies with species.
Distribution varies with species.
Flukes not usually distinctly notched.

[Sidenote: KILLER WHALE

_Orcinus orca_

p. 84]

Body to at least 30 feet (9.1 m) long.
Body black with sharply demarcated white belly and oval white
patch above and behind eye; gray saddle behind dorsal fin.
Body chunky.
Dorsal fin in males can be very tall, sometimes 6 feet (1.8 m).
Dorsal fin in females and immature animals up to 3 feet (0.9 m),
distinctly falcate.
Distributed from tropics to Arctic; most common in colder waters.
Often seen in shallow bays and rivers and near shore.
Flukes may be raised on dive.

[Sidenote: FALSE KILLER WHALE

_Pseudorca crassidens_

p. 88]

Body to at least 18 feet (5.5 m) long.
Body black (faint gray blaze on belly between flippers).
Body slender.
Head small, tapering.
Large prominent teeth frequently visible at sea.
Flippers have distinct hump on leading edge.
Dorsal fin to 14 inches (35.6 cm), falcate, and from rounded to
pointed on tip.
Distribution pelagic tropical to warm temperate seas.
Frequently ride bow waves.

[Sidenote: ATLANTIC PILOT WHALE

_Globicephala melaena_

p. 91]

Body to at least 22 feet (6.7 m) long.
Body black with light gray, anchor-shaped area on chest; gray
saddle sometimes seen behind dorsal fin.
Head becoming more bulbous with age, somewhat squarish in adult
males viewed from above.
Tail humped.
Flippers long (to one-fifth of body length), sickle-shaped.
Dorsal fin broad-based, falcate to flaglike, in front half of
back.
Distribution primarily north temperate--about Hatteras north.
Flukes not usually raised on dive.

[Sidenote: SHORT-FINNED PILOT WHALE

_Globicephala macrorhynchus_

p. 94]

Body to at least 17.5 feet (5.3 m) long.
Body black with indistinct light gray area on chest; saddle
behind dorsal fin.
Head becoming more bulbous with age; square in large adult males
viewed from above.
Flippers relatively short (to less than one-sixth of body
length).
Dorsal fin broad-based, falcate to flaglike, in front half of
back.
Distribution tropical and warm temperate; from about Hatteras
south.
Flukes not usually raised on dive.

[Sidenote: GRAMPUS

_Grampus griseus_

p. 96]

Body to at least 13 feet (4.0 m) long.
Body of newborn light gray; darkens with age.
Body of adults light gray or white; scarred with numerous
scratches.
Head blunted, not beaked.
Forehead has vertical crease in center.
Dorsal fin less than 15 inches (38.1 cm), rather erect and
distinct, and dark even in light adults.
Distribution tropical to temperate.
Rarely ride bow wave.

(13-16 feet [4-5 m] maximum overall length)

Without a Dorsal Fin

The only two species of medium-sized cetaceans in the western North Atlantic which have no dorsal fin, the Beluga or white whale and the Narwhal, share such limited common range, well outside the theater of normal boating traffic, that they are generally infrequently encountered.

Both species are easily identifiable when seen.

[Sidenote: BELUGA

_Delphinapterus leucas_

p. 99]

Body to 16 feet (4.9 m) long.
Body of adults all white; young slate gray.
Small row of bumps along back ridge near midpoint, sometimes dark
brown.
Distribution usually near coast from Arctic waters to St.
Lawrence Gulf and into Hudson Bay.

[Sidenote: NARWHAL

_Monodon monoceros_

p. 102]

Body to 16 feet (4.9 m) long.
Body of adult brownish with grayish spots; body of young dark
bluish gray fading to white belly.
Head small; adults may have tusks up to 9 feet long (2.7 m).
Small row of bumps along back ridge.
Distribution usually in coastal waters from Arctic waters south
to Labrador coast.

SMALL WHALES, DOLPHINS, AND PORPOISES

(less than 13 feet [4 m] maximum overall length)

With a Dorsal Fin

The species in this group are not discussed in order of length; instead the species of the genus _Stenella_ are treated together and then they and other species are placed in near proximity to those animals with which they are likely to be confused in the field.

[Sidenote: ATLANTIC SPOTTED DOLPHIN

_Stenella plagiodon_

p. 104]

Body to 7.5-8 feet (2.3-2.4 m) long.
Body dark purplish gray on back, lighter gray on sides and belly;
becomes increasingly spotted with increase in size.
Body has spinal blaze and light line from flipper to eye.
Beak white on tip.
Rides bow waves.
Distribution usually in tropical and warm temperate waters; most
common inside 100-fathom curve of continents.

[Sidenote: BRIDLED DOLPHIN

_Stenella frontalis_

p. 108]

Body to at least 7 feet (2.1 m) long.
Body dark gray on back; lighter gray on sides and belly.
Body has no spinal blaze.
Cape on top of head distinct.
Bridle: dark lines from eye to rostrum and from flippers to
corner of mouth.
Rides bow waves.
Distribution in tropical waters, primarily in West Indies.

[Sidenote: SPINNER DOLPHIN

_Stenella longirostris_

p. 110]

Body to at least 7 feet (2.1 m) long.
Body dark gray on back; tan on sides; white on belly.
Beak often long and slender, usually black above, white below.
Tip of snout and lips distinctly black.
Dorsal fin moderately falcate to triangular and very erect.
Rides bow waves.
Often jumps and spins on longitudinal axis.
Distribution in oceanic and coastal tropical waters.

[Sidenote: STRIPED DOLPHIN

_Stenella coeruleoalba_ = _Stenella styx_

p. 113]

Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.
Body dark gray or bluish gray on back; gray on sides; gray or
white on belly.
Distinctive black stripes from: 1) eye to anus, 2) eye to
flipper.
Distinctive black blaze from behind dorsal fin to side above
flipper.
Rides bow waves.
Distribution temperate, subtropical, and tropical; seldom close
to shore.

[Sidenote: SADDLEBACK DOLPHIN

_Delphinus delphis_

p. 116]

Body to 8.5 feet (2.6 m); usually less than 7.5 feet (2.3 m)
long.
Body brownish gray to black; belly and chest white; crisscross
(hourglass) pattern of yellow tan on sides.
Distinct black stripe from center of lower jaw to flipper.
Rides bow waves.
Distribution temperate and tropical; seldom close to shore.

[Sidenote: FRASER'S DOLPHIN

_Lagenoldelphis hosei_

p. 120]

Body to at least 8 feet (2.4 m) long.
Body very robust in front of dorsal fin, resembling cross between
saddleback dolphin and Atlantic white-sided dolphin.
Beak very short and indistinct.
Distinct black stripe from beak to area of anus.
Dorsal fin and flippers small.
Distribution tropical (not yet recorded in western North
Atlantic).

[Sidenote: ATLANTIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN

_Lagenorhynchus acutus_

p. 123]

Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.
Dorsal fin part gray, part black; tall and distinctly falcate.
Distinctive patch of white on side; tan or yellow coloration
below and behind dorsal fin, often visible on swimming animal.
Beak short; all dark.
Does not usually ride bow waves.
Distribution Cape Cod to southern Greenland.

[Sidenote: WHITE-BEAKED DOLPHIN

_Lagenorhynchus albirostris_

p. 126]

Body to about 10 feet (3.1 m) long.
Dorsal fin all black, tall, and distinctly falcate.
Two pale areas: one in front, another behind and below dorsal
fin; visible on swimming animal.
Beak short, sometimes brushed with white blaze.
May ride bow waves.
Distribution Newfoundland north in summer, Cape Cod north in
winter; common close to shore at Cape Cod in spring.

[Sidenote: ATLANTIC BOTTLENOSED DOLPHIN

_Tursiops truncatus_

p. 128]

Body to 12 feet (3.7 m) long.
Body dark gray on back; lighter gray on sides; belly white to
pink.
Snout robust and short.
Dorsal fin tall; back curved.
Ride bow waves; often turn head downwards or to the sides as they
do so.
Distribution temperate and tropical, usually within 20 miles of
shore (often in bays, lagoons, and larger rivers) but extending
off the continental shelves.

[Sidenote: GUIANA DOLPHIN

_Sotalia guianensis_

p. 132]

Body to approximately 5.6 feet (1.7 m) long.
Body steel blue to dark brown on back; white on belly.
Dorsal fin nearly triangular; curves only slightly backward.
Distribution in Lake Maracaibo and the rivers of Guiana and in
the nearshore coastal waters of northeastern portion of South
America.

[Sidenote: ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHIN

_Steno bredanensis_

p. 135]

Body to about 8 feet (2.4 m) long.
Body dark gray to purplish gray on back with white or pink
blotches on sides; belly white.
Body frequently shows numerous white scars.
Head tapers gradually; beak long and slender; no clear separation
of beak from forehead.
May ride bow waves.
Distribution in deep tropical waters.

[Sidenote: PYGMY KILLER WHALE

_Feresa attenuata_

p. 138]

Body to 8-9 feet (2.4-2.7 m) long.
Body black with white belly patch which may extend up sides in
area of anus.
Head rounded; no beak; lips white; lower jaw and chin may be
white.
Dorsal fin to 15 inches (38 cm) tall, falcate; located near
midpoint of back.
Distribution tropical and subtropical.

[Sidenote: MANY-TOOTHED BLACKFISH

_Peponocephala electra_

p. 142]

Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long.
Body black on back; light gray on belly.
Head rounded; no beak; underslung jaw; lips white.
Dorsal fin to 10 inches (25.4 cm), tall, distinctly back curved.
Distribution tropical (not yet reported in western North
Atlantic).

[Sidenote: PYGMY SPERM WHALE

_Kogia breviceps_

p. 144]

Body to about 11 feet (3.4 m) long.
Body dark steel gray on back; lighter gray on sides; pinkish to
white on belly (older animals speckled on belly).
Head blunt; jaw underslung; false gills or bracket marks on side
of head.
Dorsal fin small; located in last one-third of body.
Has not been reported to ride bow waves.
Distribution in tropical and temperate waters.

[Sidenote: DWARF SPERM WHALE

_Kogia simus_

p. 148]

Comments

Whales, dolphins, and porpoises of the western North AtlanticChapter I: Part 1

0%34 min left in chapter