Part 3

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]

Body to about 9 feet (2.7 m) long. Body dark steel gray on back; lighter gray on sides; pinkish to white on belly. Head blunt; jaw underslung; false gills or bracket marks on side of head. Body has two small creases on throat. Dorsal fin like that of Atlantic bottlenosed dolphin; located near midpoint of back. Has not been reported to ride bow waves. Distribution poorly known; at least from Georgia to the tropical seas.

[Sidenote: HARBOR PORPOISE

_Phocoena phocoena_

p. 150]

Body to 5 feet (1.5 m) long. Body dark brown above and white below; transition zone on sides often speckled or streaked; ventral white extends high onto side in front of dorsal fin. Head rounded; beak small and indistinct. Dorsal fin short and triangular. Distribution in shallow waters from at least Delaware north; generally found inshore; often in bays, river mouths and inlets. Does not approach boats.

SPECIES ACCOUNTS

Large Whales With a Dorsal Fin

BLUE WHALE (B)[9]

_Balaenoptera musculus_ (Linnaeus 1758)

[Footnote 9: The letter in parentheses indicates whether the species is a baleen (B) or a toothed (T) whale.]

Other Common Names

Sulphur-bottom.

Description

Blue whales are the largest living mammals. Though reports of maximum length and weight vary from one account to another, Antarctic blue whales are known to have reached lengths to 100 feet (30.5 m) and weights of over 150 tons (136,363 kg)[10] before stocks were severely depleted by whaling operations. North Atlantic blue whales may be expected to reach lengths of 80-85 feet (24.4-25.9 m). In all known populations of blue whales, females are slightly larger than males of the same age.

[Footnote 10: The largest measured specimen was "just over" 100 feet (30.5 m); the largest specimen weighed, the 150-ton individual noted above, was 89 feet (27.1 m) long.]

Viewed from above, the blue whale's rostrum is broad, flat, and nearly U-shaped (actually shaped like a Gothic arch, slightly flattened on the tip), with a single ridge extending from the raised area just in front of the blowholes towards but not quite reaching the tip of the snout.

The dorsal fin is extremely small [to only 13 inches (33 cm)] and variable in shape from nearly triangular to moderately falcate. In all cases, it is located so far back on the animal's tail stock that it is seldom visible until the animal is about to begin a dive.

Blue whales are light bluish gray overall, mottled with gray or grayish white. Some animals may have yellowish or mustard coloration, primarily on the belly, the result of the accumulation of diatoms during long stays in the cooler waters to the north. The undersides of the flippers are light grayish blue to white.

The baleen plates are all black.

Natural History Notes

The blow or "spout" is tall, to perhaps 30 feet (9.1 m), slender, vertical, and not bushy, as is the blow of humpback whales, for instance.

Although the blowing and diving patterns of blue whales may vary, depending on the speed of movement and the activity of the whale when it is encountered, they may be generally described as follows: If the animal is moving slowly, the blowhole and part of the head may still be visible when the dorsal fin breaks the surface, and the animal may settle quietly into the water without exposing the last portion of the tail stock or the tail flukes. If the animal is moving more quickly, however, or is about to begin a long dive, the blowhole disappears below the surface, a broad expanse of the back is exposed and disappears, and the dorsal fin emerges briefly just before the animal lifts its tail stock and flukes slightly above the surface before slipping out of sight.