4 

NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 444 

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of 

the Eastern North Pacific and 

Adjacent Arctic Waters 

A Guide to Their Identification 

Stephen Leatherwood, Randall R. Reeves, 

W'illiam F. Perrin, and William E. Evans 

with Appendix A on Tagging 

by Larry Hobbs 

July 1982 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

National Marine Fisheries Service 
NOAA TECHNICAL REPORTS 

National Marine Fisheries Service, Circular ~ 

The major re'rOmIOllilic, 01 Ihe National " ,lII1W II hellcs \en ell'< II \1 ,', ( I!wnllo ""<1,, C 

fishery feSOUTCC'S, h.lUnUcT,I.lIlu anti prl~ulft ntlllll.ll l)1l1i n hl' 'Ill nll(\ lind d Irlbull III 0 I l' 

resources. N~1FS IS als() chargcu \\llh the ul',dupIIIl'nt lind Impicrnl'lltlllllHl (I 1'(1,1 ",It' 

men I of dome,tlc Ii,hene, regul.IlI""', ,urH'III,,,,,c (I(lre tlr I r g nil lJn II ed <;, I, "' 

lional fi,her~ agrcell1enh allu rol"'IC\ '<'II'" .. 1'0 d" ,II C '"hlnp IIld gt 

of general interest intcfll.kJ 10 lllU l'On'l'f\dtlOIl dlld IIhHI.lgl.!l1Il'nt I', blu .. ,tI Hl 

broad areas (,)1 rc\c\uch apr'll',.\[ ill I hl~ ~crll" 1 C'l hlllll r.lrc 

series. 

NOAA lcchl1leul Rerl"t :-I'" <; ( Ifcul"".If. 'all hie fr _C In hmll d I1IJr' "rr g) "'nme 'al Ie 

a\ailable 111 c\changc for olhcr SLier I Il. dfll ICt,;hnr\,;.l pupil!.. 'liun ,....l~ nhum t... nt,; I JI Ju I \.-npi • J 

Branch, En, 'ronmental '>Cle~cc Inlonn,ll.nll ( cnter. "-1O \ \ Rock Ille \1" ZO ~Z Hec nl ( r.ular ar 

418 AnnOlaled oibliogr,'rh} 01 '0"· \t ,I~ I. ~,omonu \(lJlI//" r III/"rl/ /-r" 

siliensis. S_ <'ava/la, \. lIIamlul1I5, 01, d ,\ rc~al/\. 11\ l L Jric " I\1.I\)l'l I. 

Eugene L Na~,lmura, ,JIl<l \nn Iltmmu 11111 Ik, IT cr 14 ~ III Iff>, 

419 ~Ia"ne nLlrd anu laun,!l,f Ihe northea,ler I nlleu .all' Prel Jr(, <;m 

cod Ina Amoeb,lc By lugere l h,nee a d f"om, I\\yt:" ..I 

1979. iiI +- 56 r. ~~ Ilgs. 

420 Prelim- ar\ ~ ... \S l." )lolu!', \.l ~mmt" 

Berll1~ Sea. anu Beau on ,>ed By Jallle, I 

p., " pI. 

luI! "I" .:>' he l,u' ,I \1,1 ~ 

\l11rro\\ 1 ('IHU, "I'J'"I\J, t 1:! 

421. Lanai dC\clopment of 'halil1\\ ""tcr bk rude .:>' I. larl"nJ (I-'r 

pedia Thoractea) ""h keys 10 naupliar ''''ge<; By \\ III,ar H loin" ·t-ru .y 

1979. is + 39 p., 36 figs_. 17 labl" 

4" A revision of Ihe cat,harb, famll" ,>c,liohlnldae B, '>1C\\dr '>rnnfcr 

April 1979. \ + 152 P,. 97 figs. 

423 Marine nora and fauna 01 Ihe nonhea"cfn Un",d <, L e (ru tIe" ( 

macea. By Los Watling Apnl 979. 11' • 2, p , 15 figs 

424, Guide 10 Ihe leptcx:ephah (Elortlormcs. AngUli" ormes, and "-"Idcdnlo 

42 \1 ,10 I >n 

\c r llIudcl tl \n Jf \\ 

at-Ie 'I' IJt 

1'9 <;, nor 

I. \\aru () \0 

I,') ( ~I Ie 

I~ 

4 l,ulue I A 

Jr h ( or ,It ... !I )m 

412 

JfI 

rr df a 

l r <icr " 

P, 

<Jr 11 9 

h nJ I u,h "nu 11 

II I ' ble 

Iru; dnd 

Ih 

l2 I, 

he n. ""'do) 11\ It \\arJ 

43 r g 

(\\ -.",. 

\ \\00<1 H nf\ H lion 

.r r _de nd Joformes) By David G. Smith_ J~ ,. 1'J79., 3'! p_, q 'Ig' 

425 Marine nora and fauna of the non"easte r Untied SlalCs \n opoua 

414 0 Icol" , r I,c"e "J ~ • cr" II, al n r he I, he<; 01 It-e rder 

PIcC\(bnal'll (Telraouunt lor'll I. IIv lame ( hler Ck({)bcr 19 .. 

4:2 p PI, r,)! . 1 tl"'_ 

Cirripedia By Victor A Zullo. April 1979, iii +- 29 p. 40 fll!.\ 

426. SynopsIS of biological dala on Ihe rock uab. Cancer l"oraWs '>a, IIv 

Thomas E Bigford May 1979" + 26 p., II figs. 21 table; 

427 Ocean variability in the U.S Fi,hery Conscnalion lone, 1976 B\ 

Julien R_ Goulet, Jr. and Elizabeth D. Haynes. editors July 1979. ill +- :162 

p, 

4J~ field gUl<le u 'I ~ 

ern ",,0"'" Al .ml c (>"ean 

I g. t I!: ~. 

_ mrre -, lake In Ion : •• "PC all"" In he 1Oe<;1-

BI lo~rh I Ru o. Ja,uar~ 19 I. ' .. 51 p., 2 

4,6. <;)001"" of blologl,.!1 ua-~ on Ir gate tund. 4urtl I ard. and buliel 

un.! ~ rochel BI R,ch.·" '.J l ,"'Ja Janli~r, 19 I ,+ 6J r, 5~ fig 

labl" 
NOAA Technical Report NMFS Circular 444 

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of 

the Eastern North Pacific and 

Adjacent Arctic Waters 

A Guide to Their Identification 

Stephen Leatherwood, Randall R. Reeves, 

William F. Perrin, and William E. Evans 

with Appendix A on Tagging 

by Larry Hobbs 

July 1982 

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE 

Malcolm Baldrige, Secretary 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration 

John V. Byrne, Administrator 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

William G. Gordon, Assistant Administrator for Fisheries 
PHI 1,\( I 

The National :\larine Fisheries Service (~~!F I doe not approve, recommend or endorse any proprietar~' product or proprietarr material 

mentioned in this publication. ~o reference shall be made to ~:\!F~, or 

to this publication furnished by N~lF ,in any advertising or sales promotion which would indicate or imply that ~:\1 FS approves, recommends 

or endorses any proprietary product or proprietary material mentioned 

herein, or which has as its purpose an intent to cause directl\' or indirectly 

the advertised product to be used or purchased because of this ~~IFpublication. 

ii 
Introduction ........... . .. . ' . . . . . 

Classification of cetaceans" .. 

Dolphin, porpoise, or whale .. 

Organization of the guide 

How to use the guide . ... . .. . .. . .. . ......... . .. . 

CONTENTS 

To identify animals as sea ........... . ............... . .. . . . .................................... . 

To identify stranded animals ........... . 

To record and report information .. . . . . 

Species accounts: 

Large whales with a dorsal fin . .. . .. . .. . .. .. .. . ..................................... . ......... . 

Blue whale ..... 

Fin whale . . . . . 

Sei whale . . . . .... . .. ... . 

Bryde's whale ....... . ............................................. . 

I 

I 

6 

7 

8 

8 

8 

8 

9 

13 

23 

29 

34 

Humpback whale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 39 

Sperm whale ........... . . ............................................... .. ........... 5 1 

Large whales without a dorsal fin .. . . ... . 59 

Bowhead whale . . . .. . .. . . .. ..... . .. . ............ . ................ . ........... . .................. 60 

Right whale .. . .............. . ..... . ............................................................ ~ 

Gray whale ............................ . .. . ............. . . .................................... 72 

Medium-sized whales with a dorsal fin .......... . .. . .. . .. . .. . .. . . . 80 

Minke whale ...... . .. . .......... .. .. . .. . .. .. .................................................. . 80 

Beaked whales .. . . .. . .. . . ..... . ............................... . 87 

Baird's beaked whale ................................................... . . ....................... 88 

(Southern ?) bottlenose whale .......... . ...... . .. . . . 92 

Cuvier's beaked whale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 94 

Beaked whales of the genus M esop/odon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 98 

Hubbs' beaked whale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 99 

Stejneger's beaked whale .... . ................................................................... 102 

Blainville's beaked whale ................................................................ .. . .. ... 103 

Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale ................................................................... 107 

Hector's beaked whale .................... . ......................................... ......... .. 11 0 

Killer whale ................................................... .. .................................. I 13 

False killer whale .............. . ............................. ...... ................................ 118 

Short-finn ed pilot whale ............................................................................ 123 

Risso 's dolphin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .................................................................. 129 

Medium-sized wha les without a dorsal fin ... . ............................................ ..... ........ ..... 134 

White whale .............................................................................. ........ 134 

Narwhal ................... . ....... . ......... . ............................................... .... 137 

Small wha les, dolphins, and porpoises with a dorsal fin .... . .. . ......................................... . ..... 141 

Spotted dolphin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. . ................................. 141 

Spinner dolphin ...... . ...................... . ..... . ............................................... 148 

Striped dolphin ....................... . ................ . ........................................... 155 

Common dolphin ..... . .. . ......................................................................... 160 

Fraser's dolphin .................. . ......... . .............. . ....................................... 166 

Pacific white-sided dolphin .......................................................................... 168 

Bottlenose dolphin . . ... . .. . ... . ......................................................... ........... 173 

Rough-toothed dolphin . . .. .. .. . ... . ........ . ....................................................... 178 

Pygmy killer whale . .. ..... . .............................................................. . ...... ... 184 

Melon-headed whale ............................................................................... 188 

P ygmy sperm whale ................................................................................ 193 

Dwarf sperm whale .... . ... . ....... . .. . ................................... . .................. ...... 198 

Dall's porpoise ......... . .. . ...... .. ... .. ...... . ................................................... 200 

Harbor porpoise . ...... . .. . ........................................................................ 205 

Cochito .......................... . ........ . ..................... . ...................... .......... 208 

Small whales, dolphins, and porpoises without a dorsal fin .. .................................................. 209 

Northern right whale dolphin ........................................................................ 209 

Acknowledgments .... . .. . .. .. .......... . ................... . .......................................... .... 213 

Selected bibliograph y .. . ............................. . ...................................................... 214 

Table I .............. . . . .... . ............................................................................ 216 

Table2 .. . ... .. . .. .. . . .. ............................ . ..................................... .. ............. 217 

Appendix A , Tags on whales, dolphins, and porpo ises, by Larry Ho bbs ............................................. 218 

Appendix B, Recording and reporting o bserva tio ns of cetaceans at sea ................................ . ............ 231 

Appendix C, Stranded whales, dolphins, and porpo ises . . ... .. ... . ............................. ..... ..... ......... 234 

Appendix D, Recording and reporting data on stranded cetaceans .................................................. 237 

Appendix E, List of institutions to contact regarding stranded cetaceans ............................................. 241 

Appendix F, Li t of cetacean names in J a pa nese and Russian ...................................................... 244 

ill 
<' 

1800 

700 

U.s.s.R. 

ChukChi Sea 

51 lawrenCf> Island Gam.e" v,".g. ~ 

BerlOQ S(lIa 

;jl MaUtlf> ... I~ larld 

\... 

NORTH PACIFIC 

OCEAN 

1650 

! 

'" 

1500 

Bpaulorl Sea 

~,ooo 

U.S.A. ,. •• {OliN '" 

(ALASKA) 

. o ~ 

.~ 

Figure I.-The northern portion or the area covered by this guldt, .howlna _omt RtOaraphlclll pla,t nam __ and major bUliom cnnlour lin ... . '" 1.'1lt-..cal( map ,,' Ihb I, p~ .. annol. uf ("UN, aauraltl, dbpla) 

detailed topographic features, and we encourage the use of morr drtalled local charts In !'Kordln, pooltlon, or .lllhllna'. ""p"'lb, are ,b""n In '1Ihom, : 100 fm, • 1113 "': 1,000 rm, • I.A..~ m , (\lap b, 

Debbie Dukelow YounK, Sea World, Inc.) 
~ Capt: 

Flattery 

4~ -------t-------r----~uf'~I ----~~~-----tlj;~(J~~~l UNITED STATES 

. 

I..... ~aPomt Concepllon 

nellslandS ~ nlaB.rbara C."'O,"" CM" 5,"" CM . ~ 

San M iguel ISIS:: 0 ~ A~acapa Island 

Santa Rosa Island 

Santa8arbaralSla~d 

Sanla Nicolas Island 

San Clemente Island 

30° ~~~~:,;'~;.~~;,~;'"" ~ ==:-:-.---"V'~ c · I 't "u_'u n_ _ '" ~ ... - A ~ ...-......~ \ , 

Hawallanlll."ds 

(Leewardl) 

Nf'clt.er "",,hoa 

~ 

,0 Oahu 

Watanae Coa.!j> OIOlt.a, 

............-ran.' • .!">""'."" p"ngum BI"k Klhooll"",e f".t 

V MSW

" " 

GOI(:lo Banks 

Aey,lIag.gedo Islands 0 Socorro Island 

Claflonlsland· 

1 So ~ p",,,m,,.::::::;: ~ I . ~" I I '" ~ ,........., 

Wi' 150° 1.15° 120° 105' 90 

.. r-.-', u, 

tlaurt 2. - The ,oulhern portion of Ihe area covered by Ihls guide . Isopleth! are shown In fatboms: 100 fms 183 m; 1,000 fms 1,830 m. (Map by Debbie Dukelow Young, Sea Wo rld, Inc.) 
. Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of 

the Eastern North Pacific and Adjacent Arctic Waters 

A Guide to Their Identification 

STEPHEN LEATHERWOOD, ' RANDALL R. REEVES, ' WILLIAM F. PERRIN,) 

and WILLIAM E. EVANS' 

with Appendix A on Tagging by Larry Hobbs' 

ABSTRACT 

T his field guide is designed to permit o bservers to identif} th e cetacea ns (whales, d olphins, a nd po rpo ises) 

they see in the waters of th e easte rn North Pacific, includin g th e Gulf of Ca ~forni , Hawaii , a nd th e western A rctic of No rth America. The animals described are grouped not by scientific rela tionships but by simila rities in 

ap pearance in the field . Photographs of th e a nimals in th eir n atura l environment a re th e main a ids to identifi cation. 

Appendices describe how a nd to wh om to report d ata o n li ve a nd dead ce tacea ns a nd provide in fo rm ati o n to 

aid in ide ntification of stra nd ed cetaceans. 

INTRODUCTION 

All whales, dolphins, and porpoises belo ng to an order or 

l1 ajor scientific gro up called the Cetacea. They are mammals 

air-breathing animals which have hair in at least some stage of 

heir development, maintain a constant body temperature, bear 

heir young live, and suckle them) whose body form (anatomy) 

nd functions (ph ysiology) have been drastically modified to 

ope with a li fe spent entirely in water. The breathing apparatus, 

blowhole o r pa ir of blowholes, has migrated to the top of the 

ead to facilitate breathill g while swimming; the forward 

ppendages have become flipp ers; the hind appendages have 

early disappeared , remaining only as small bones deeply imi

edded in the muscles. Propulsion is provided by fibrou s, 

orizontall y fl attened tail flukes. 

Scientists recognize two suborders of livi ng cetaceans: the 

rhalebone (baleen) wh ales or mysticetes, suborder Mysticeti; 

r d the toothed wha les or odontocetes, subord er Odontoceti. 

' he two groups are distinguished in the following ways: 

IALEE N OR WHALEBONE WH ALES. Instead of teeth 

hese whales possess up to 800 or more plates of baleen or 

halebone, rooted in the gums of the upper jaw. They use these 

lates to strain their foo d , which consists of zooplankton and 

small schooling fish. Water is taken into the mouth and forced 

out through the overlapping frin ges o f the baleen pla tes. Some 

species feed by skimming, passin g slowly thro ugh swarms of 

relatively passive prey, engulfin g them in a smooth and deliberate fashion. Others feed by gulpin g, distending the throat to 

take in huge quantities of water and the foo d organisms it contain s, in a far more dramatic process. Ba leen \\ hales are externally distinguishable from toothed ""ha les by having paired 

blowholes. There are nine species o f baleen whales in the eastern 

North Pacifi c, ranging in maximum size from the 10 m min"e 

whale to th e 26 m blue whale. 

TOOTHED WHALES. Unlike th e baleen ""hales, the toothed 

whale have teeth after birth . The teeth vary in number from 2 

to over 250, and in females o f some pecie they remain concealed in the gum throughout life. Toothed \\ hales have a single 

blowhole . Included in this gro up are animals commonly called 

dolphins or porpoises as well as many of the \Ihales (e.g., the 

sperm whale and th e killer whale). There are currentl) about 30 

species of toothed wh ales kno\\n from the eastern 'onh 

Pacific , ranging in maximum adu lt size from the 1.5 m harbor 

porpoise to th e 21 m ma le sperm I\hale. 

CLASSIFICATION OF CETACEANS 

In addition to the two suborders (Mysticeti and Odontoceti), 

he order Cetacea is subdivided into numerous families, genera , 

nd species. Each of these groupings represents a progressively 

ore specialized division on the basis of similarities in skull, 

ostcrania l skeleton, and external characteristics. The discipline 

Hubbs Sea Wo rld Resea rch Institute, 1700 Sout h Shores Road , San Di ego, 

, A 92 109. 

, ational Fish and \\ ildlife Labo rato r). Smllh,olllan InslitulI on, L .5. 

atio nal luseum, \\ ashtn gto n, DC 20560. 

which concerns itself I\ ith naming plant, and animal and 

as ignin g appropriate scientific categories is kno\1 n a Ia:-

onomy. An example of the classification or a ceta.:ean recle I 

ShOll n in the fo ll oll ing: 

outh"e,t F"henes Center La Jotia Laboratt"I, JlIOn~ lar e ~ 

enKe, 0 A, PO Bo\ 2'\, La Jolla, l \ 920r 

-'orth"e,1 and Ala,ka Flshene (enter al,onal " r \Iamm 

lOr), ' allonal 'Ianne F"henes SenKe, ,\;O-\A, -(,(.) ,>and 1'0 nt \\a 

Seattle, \\ -\ 9 115. 
2 
igure 3 (opposite page, top).-A humpback whale with 

aired blowholes opened during respiration. The paired 

lowholes distinguish this whale as a baleen whale. The 

llash guards (raised, fleshy prominences surrounding the 

10wh~les-exaggerated during exhalation and relatively 

lattened following) are common to rorquals. (Photo 

rom Newfoundland by J. C. Norris.) 

igure 4 (opposite page, botlom).- A right whale on the 

eck of a whaling station in British Columbia. Note the 

lates of baleen (often called whalebone) suspended from 

~e roof of the mouth. The baleen Is much longer in 

~e right whales (the right and the bowhead) than in 

tber species. (Photo by G. C. Pike, courtesy 

. A. MacAskie.) 

'igure 5 (above).-A mother bottlenose dolphin and her 

alf. The single blowhole Identifies them as toothed 

'hales. (Pboto from Sea Life Park, Hawaii, by 

:. Leatherwood.) 

1igure 6 (rigbt).-The open mouth of a bottlenose 

lo\phin. Like other toothed whales, these dolphins use 

heir teeth primarily for seizing prey rather tban for chewog. The teeth of toothed whales vary in number among 

pecies from 2 to over 250 and vary greatly In 

orm. (photo courtesy of Wometco Miami Seaquarlum.) 

3 
SCIENTIFIC CLASS IFICAT ION OF THE 

NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPH IN 

Kingdom: Animalia all animals 

Phylun;: Chordata having at some stage a 

notochord, the precursor of 

the backbone 

Subphylum: Vertebrata animals with backbone,-

fishes, amphibians, reptile~, 

birds, and mammals 

Class: Mammalia animals that have hair and 

nurse their young 

Order: Cetacea carnivorous, wholly aqualic 

mammals: whales, lI1c1uding 

dolphins and porpoises 

Suborder: Odontoceti toothed whales as distinguished from My~ticeti, the 

baleen whales 

Family: Delphinidae dolphins and some small 

whales 

Genus: Lissode/pllls right whale dolphins 

Species: Lissode/pllls 

borealis northern right w hale dolphin 

Order Cetacea 

Suborder Mysticeti-Baleen whales 

Family Balaenopteridae-Rorquals 

Balaenoptera acutorostrata Lacepede, 1804 

Balaenoptera physalus (Linnaeus, 1758) 

Balaenoptera musculus (Linnaeus, 1758) 

Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828 

Balaenoptera edeni Anderson, 1878 

Megaptera novaeangliae (Borowski, 1781) 

Family Balaenidae-Right whales 

Balaena mysticetus Linnaeus, 1758 

Eubalaena glacialis (Borowski, 1781) 

Family Eschrichtidae-Gray whales 

Eschrichtius robustus Lilljeborg, 1861 

Suborder Odontoceti-Toothed whales 

Family Ziphiidae 

Mesoplodon stejnegeri True, 1885 

Modern taxonomy originated with the Swedish nat ra li ~t Lin

naeus, whose 10th edillon of the Syslema Na/urae in 1758 fo rm

the official starting point for the current applicallon of scie nt ifi 

names of species. Fo llOWing l. innaeus, modern scie ntific name

of cetaceans consist of two words, a genenc name, wh ich i

capitail/ed, and a trivial name, which is not. Both names ar

usually of Latin origll1 (sometimes reek, English, or othe

language,» and are italici/ed or underlll1ed. The SCientific nam

is often accompanied by the name of the SClenlist (author) wh

first described the speCie, and the year when he described It. I

the author and date of de'>cnpllon are 111 parenthe,es, it mean

that the species was originally de,cnbed under a different genu

than the one to \vhlch it IS presently assigned. These scientifi

names are of particular Importance because, although common 

namt s of species often vary by country or region, scientifi

names remain standard throughout the \vorld. ror example, th

bowhead whale IS universally kno\vn as Bu/aenu myslicefu

though Its common names Include (or have II1cluded) Arcti

fight \vhale, Greenland \vhale, Greenland right \.\hale, grea

polar \\ hale, and sometimes Just the whale. onstandard 

nomenclature IS particularly troublesome in the older \.\haling 

literature; it is sometimes impossible to know \\hat species I

being discussed in a given logbook or journal entry. 

Although classification 01 many species i, still tentative, w

have c.hosen the followlI1g proviSIOnal classl fication and 

nomenclature for eastern orth PaCifiC cetacean: 

Page no. 

Minke whale 80 

Fin whale 23 

Blue whale 13 

Sei whale 29 

Bryde's whale 34 

Humpback whale 39 

Bowhead whale 60 

Right whale 67 

Gray whale 72 

Stejneger's beaked whale 102 

Mesoplodon densirostris (Blain ville in Desmarest, 1817) Blainville's beaked whale 103 

Mesoplodon carlhubbsi Moore, 1963 Hubbs' beaked whale 99 

Mesoplodon ginkgodens Nishiwaki and Kamiya, 1958 Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale 107 

Mesoplodon hectori (Gray, 1871) Hector's beaked whale 110 

Ziphius cavirostris G. Cuvier, 1823 Cuvier's beaked whale 94 

Hyperoodon sp. (Southern ?) bottlenose whale 92 Berardius bairdii Stejneger, 1883 Baird 's bea ked whale 88 

Family Physeteridae 

Physeter macrocephalus Linnaeus, 1758 Sperm whale 51 

Kogia breviceps (Blain ville, 1838) Pygmy sperm whale 193 

Kogia simus (Owen, 1866) Dwarf sperm whale 198 

Family Monodontidae 

Monodon monoceros Linnaeus, 1758 Narwhal 137 

Delphinapterus leucas (pallas, 1776) White whale 134 

Family Delphinidae 

Steno bredanensis (G . Cuvier in Lesson, 1828) Ro ugh-toothed dolphin 178 Peponocephala electra (Gray, 1846) Melon-headed whale 188 

Feresa attenuata Gray, 1874 Pygmy killer whale 184 

Pseudorca crassidens (Owen , 1846) False killer whale 118 Globicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846 Short-finned pilot whale 123 Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758) Killer whale 113 Lagenorhynchus obliquidens Gill , 1865 Pacific white-sided dolphin 168 

4 
Lagenodelphis hosei Fraser, 1956 Fraser's dolphin 166 

Tursiops truncatus (Montagu, 1821) Bottlenose dolphin 173 

Grampus griseus (G. Cuvier, 1812) Risso's dolphin 129 

Stenella attenuata (Gray, 1846) Spotted dolphin 141 

Stenella longirostris (Gray, 1828) Spinner dolphin 148 

Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) Striped dolphin 155 

Delphinus delphis Linnaeus, 1758 Common dolphin 160 

Lissodelphis borealis (peale, 1848) Northern right whale dolphin 209 

Family Phocoenidae 

Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758) Harbor porpoise 205 

Phocoena sinus Norris and McFarland, 1958 Cochito 208 

Phocoenoides dalli (True, 1885) 

The names we have used for the large whales follow longstanding usage by the International Whaling Commission 

(IWC), except that the name for the sperm whale used by the 

IWC has recently been changed from Physeler calodon to P. 

macrocephalus. The scientific and common names we have used 

baleen or 

whalebone 

blowholes 

eye 

eye 

throat 

grooves pectoral fi n 

(flipper) 

Dall's porpoise 200 

for the smaller cetaceans follow a list published in 1977 by the 

I We. 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. 

tail stock 

flukes 

dorsal fin 

I 

mouth 

(gape) umbil icus 

(navel) 

mammary slits 

(pectoral fin) 

flipper 

u ro-ge n ita I 

slit 

Figure 7 .-A baleen whale (humpback whale), lop, and a toothed whale (bottlenose dolphin), bottom, showing the primary body parts referred to in the text. (Drawings 

by Larry Foster, courtesy of General Whale.) 

5 
DOLPHIN, PORPOISE, OR WHALJ<.'? 

There is still some contrmersy amI n1lsul1dcrslal1d1l1g aboul 

the correct usage of the terms dolphin ilnd porpOlsc I\s Illen 

tioned in the preceding seclion, COIll1l10n l1aI111.'<' 01 all) species 

may I'ary from locale 10 locale and clcn frolll Indilldliallo indio 

vidual. Some persons, especially scagoing pcople <'lILh <is flshcl· 

men and includlllg some U.S. SClenllsts, usc the tcrm porpoisc 

for all small celaeeans. Others, espeCially tlHlsL a"ollalcd II It h 

oceanaria and conservation organiLallom and including mo,1 

non-A merican English-spea" Illg people" l all 1110s1 111 CIll Der ~ ul 

the ramil) Delphinldae dolphins and mcmbers of Ihe lamil) 

Phocoenidae porpoises l\s II It h all Icrnaeular language I hcrL' I, 

no ull1versall) corrcci terminology, and usage I, a ll1aller 01 per -

sonal preference and the need to communicale. Wc sL'e IlU 

GENERAL CAPE PATTERN 

I 

Plus 

.. - t----+ - -+ ' 

,alisl'llion I ('Sllllil J(lIl 10 1111' plohklll III Icrlllinoillg}, l or ,on 

ICl1iL'lleconh, IH rl.'iL'r III llIan~ nll':lllher\ollhl.' l'l1llil~ IJdpllill 

IdaI.' as dolrlllrlS, .111(1 10 Ihe Ihr('c IOl.1I rII~l1Ihc" 01 Ih~ I.lfllll} 

Phocoenldae "/tn( (il'/lil f,hn( (Il "£I. f' \/1//1\, and " 11m (J(' 

IIIJIr/CI d'''1t .I, pCHJ101 CS (\llholJ,1t ,til lclol(;C,Ifl\ 111<1\ he 

rcgardcd .1 Illwlcs. thc tcrm "" h.d " 1110 I l(lllllnOllll " 

.1J1rhcd onll 10 Ihe l.tr 'cr pelle.: r lielc Me. of COUfSe, 11100n} 

COI11I1H11l 11<I1lICS IIlr IIll1 I pellC\, InLiIlOlllg ,el([.tllli I n IIsh

IIC 1I e here Ihe sl,Illdard 'I rnmoll nollllc. U ed b~ the 1\\ • the

.'). ~1.lfIne \1.lflllll,t1 OI11IJlIS Itlll, Ihe ,ilion I lannc 

I "h(,lIe~ Sef\l~e, .tud L\CI.t1 IliteflldtlUnal l n Cf\dliOn 

Ofg 11I17.1I10il . \\ l .t1 0 lome other \\10('1\ U cd lommon 

1101 IllL'S . 

I 

WHITE8Ell Y 

HAWA"A~ 

Figure 8.-Scheme for analyzing pigmentation patterns of spinner dolphins, showing how discrete components of varying strength combine to produce the 

pattern. (From Perrin 1972.) 

6 
Figure 9.-Component anal)"is of pigmentation patterns of Stene/la attenuata, J)e/phinus sp., and Tursiops truncatus using the terminolog) of Figure 8. (From 

Perrin 1972.) 

ORGANIZATION OF THE GUIDE 

The differences between baleen whales and toothed whales 

are easily distinguishable in stranded or captive animals. But 

since an animal at sea can seldom be examined closely, its most 

obvious characteristics may be overall size, the presence or 

absence of a dorsal fin, and swimming, blowing, and diving 

behavior. For that reason, regardless of their scientific relationshi ps, all the whales, dolphins, and porpoises covered in the 

main text of this guide are divided into three groups. Those over 

12 m long are discussed in the section on Large Whales, those 

from 4 m to 12 m with the Medium-Sized Whales, and those less 

than 4 m in the section on Small Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises. Each section is further divided into sections on anImals 

with a dorsal fin and animals without. Animals likely to be confused in the field are grouped together and the important differences among them are discussed. 

7 

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; it includes 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. Appendix 

F tabularizes cetacean names in Japanese and Russian. 

A bibliography of useful references on cetaceans in general 

and cetaceans of this region in particular is provided. 
HOW TO USE THE GU IDE 

To Identif) Animab at Sea 

To u;,e the gUide to Identif) 11\ ing animal, ob,erled al ,ea, the 

obsener should: 

I. First estimate the animal', ,i/e and determillc 1111c111I:r or 

not it ha, a dor,al fin. 

2. Note an) dislinclile features of bod) shape and coluralion 

and obsenc It'-. gencral bel1.l\ ior, Irll'ludlrlg ,II imming, 

blolling, and dl\ mg characteri\lles. (\)Ioration ma~ I <if) 

somellhat at sea, dependmg on light conditions and IIJler 

elarit). f or example, animal, II hlch appear dar\.. gray or 

blac\.. at the surface or Ilhen dead may appear brOIl n In 

good light or II hen submerged. \Ia\..mg a bnef \..,tdlJt 

this pomt ma) aid In Idenlil\ ing Ih, anunal or in rCl.Jiling 

It., dlstmctile feature, later. Photograph, ,an be JrllaluJblc 

In thiS regard. 

3. Consult the appropriate ,eellOn. E:xaminc thc pl1,)[ogr.lphs 

and read the discussion of the ammJI', SlIe, ge,1graphlc 

range, and distinctile characteri\lil". Be carelullo note the 

bnef discussion of specie, II ith II hich II 1', It\..dy to be confused in the field 

The information on distribution and mOlement, of mu,t 

species is presented in narratil e form I nherent in thiS approach 

is our recognition that maps cannot fairly rcpresent the JllUal 

range of mobile, pelagic species II hose sun il al strategie, arc 

tied, in ways lIe only poorly understand, to oceanographic conditIOns that lar)- 'Iithin and among season and ycar, \lap' 

have been provided only for species for II hich di'>lributlon IS 

well \...noll n because of mdirect exploitation m high profile 

fisheries (i.e., spinner dolphin, spoiled dolphm, common dolphJJ1, striped dolphin). t\.lost place name, used in the narratile 

accounts hale been included on the maps for the area, (Figs. 

1,2). 

A noted in the Preface and Ac\...nolliedgment , there are an 

increasing number of research programs that depend heal Jl y on 

lOll-altitude aerial surveys. In such surveys, cetacean, are identified and enumerated along a night path of predetermined or 

measured width. Observed densities may be extrapolated, using 

various techniques, to densities or population estimates for a 

larger area. With this nell (aerial) perspectile on cetacean come 

slightly different requirements for identification. Some pecies, 

particularly the large whales, are easier to identify from the air 

than from shipboard. Others, like most of the beaked dolphins, 

are very difficult to identify from the air. Seleral passes over a 

group of dolphins is often necessary before an opportune viell 

of lateral pigmentation or dorsal fin shape and appearance leads 

to a reliable identification. 

This guide will probably work best if, before attempting to 

use it in the field, you become familiar with the genera l outline, 

with characters and behavior to note, and with the locatio ns of 

the various species accounts. The observer should school himself 

to ask a series of questions about the animal(s) at the time of the 

encounter rather than depending on recall at a later time (see p. 

23 1). As we emphasize several times in this gu id e, positive identification of cetaceans at sea, whet her from boat or aircraft, can 

only occasionally be made on the basis of a si ngle characteristic. 

Therefore, the greater the amount of pertinent evidence an 

observer obtains, the greater the likelihood of making a reliable 

8 

idcntllicalion. It should also he remembered that a bad Idenlifl 

cation is l\orW than no identllicalloll al all. [veil highl} e 'pencnccd llb,erver, collcct many. and in somc easc~ mo\tly, "unldenliflcd" 'Ighllng~ dUring u crlll c. 

r hroughout, \IC hu\c oughl to de~crihc normal or average 

appcarUllCC'> and behalJ(H We recogni/c thaI mu(;h vanabilil} 

around Ihc,c norm'> or u\eragcs \~ill be enl:ountercd In the fJeld. 

II i, al'll Importanl III "res~ thaI cardul and thorough de cnp-

(ion, of \\ h.Jt \\a, aCluall~ \cell arc olten 01 greater value to cicnllsts th.Jn a merc a,,~uJllPtlon ahoul spe(;lcs idenllflcation. 

AdnmsllHl 01 olle' Jllahilll\ to make a positive idcnl!riculion 

hould bc sccn ,I'> ,I le~l!m()n~ not to the ob crver'., mcompetcncc but 10 hi her respcct lor a genulnd~ difficult art. 

10 Identit) Stranded Animal, 

StrJnded ummuls can bc ( he Idcntilled b) rdernng to 

\prendl\ ( and II a sOLluted table. ma"ing a rrehminary 

dClermmatllHl, and then \;on ultmg the peues al: Qunts in the 

mam blld\ 01 the bllok for \cnficatlOn of the tdentificallon. 

nu(cd JIlthat appendix, II (he animal I recent!} tranded,ldenlJIll..atlon can be IllJde USJIlg an) of the e ternall) vi Ible charJllcnslJCS de l:nbcd lor Ihc h\ing pellc at ea. But elen if the 

animal I In an adlanLcd tage 0 deLompo Ition. it can u uall} 

be Idenl! icLl tl\ referring to I) thc number and de criplion ot 

baker plUk I r all baleen \\ hall"" (Table I, r. 216), 2) the number 

and reL!tl\c lennth ul \cntral groo\e for all balaenortend 

\1 hale (Table I), or 3) the number and de I.npl!on of teeth for 

toothed \1 hale., (Table 2, p. 217): 

To Record and Report Information 

Though learmng to identil y the \\ hale. dolrhin , and rorrOI e one \ee\ can bc rel\ardmg JIl II ell. man) rerson., may 

lIant to go larther b) pa, ing on their ob enalion 10 clenti ts 

\1 ho rna) be able to ma\..e U\C of lhe mformation. 

Sample data form, and uggestiom for ma"mg and recordmg 

obscnatlom of cetaceans at sea are induded III ppendlx B. 

imJlar ,uggestlon~ for \Ior\... \1 ith stranded cetaceans are 

IIlcluded III Appendix D. For both lypes of data, blan\.. data 

forms 10Lated after the appendices may be photocopied for ue 

III the \Jeld. 

Completed data forms and all a sociated in formation for 

sighting, at ea should be forwarded to the Platforms of Opportunn} Program, onh\Iest and las\..a Fisheries Center 

National 1\ l arine ~lammal Laborator}, National1\larine Fi heries Sen ice, OA.\., 7600 and Pomt Way .E., Bldg. 32, 

Seattle, V. A 98115, or to one of the authors of thiS guide. From 

there, they \\ill be made availab le to scie ntists acti\ely studying a 

given species or geographical area. 

Completed data forms and all associated in formation for 

observations of stranded cetaceans should be forwarded to the 

Division of Mammals, U.S. National 1useum, Washington, 

D.C. 20560, to one of the authors of this guide, or to one of the 

regional laboralories listed in Appendi.\ E. 

'For well-studied species, particularly those involved in extensive fisheries 

from which large samples have been taken. tooth and baleen counts and ventral 

groove counts and descriptions may be accurate . But it is extremely important to 

keep in mind that many of the numbers in the text and tables are ba.'ed on only a 

few specimens and may not accurately reflecl the range of characters for the 

entire species. 
SPECIES ACCOUNTS 

LARGE WHALES WITH A DORSAL FIN 

(12-26 m maximum length) 

There are six species of large whales with a dorsal fin in the 

eastern North Pacific. Five of them belong to the same major 

baleen whale group, the balaenopterid whales or rorquals, and 

the sixth is the largest of the toothed whales, the sperm whale. 

All of the rorquals have a series of ventral grooves usually visible on stranded specimens. The length and number of these 

grooves are diagnostic for some species. In addition, all species 

have at least one distinct, though often not prominent, ridge 

along the head from just in front of the blowholes to near the tip 

of the snout. The humpback whale's median rostral ridge is 

obscured by numerous knobs scattered about the head, some of 

which are located along the midline. 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. Faint 

auxiliary ridges can sometimes be detected on the heads of fin 

and blue whales. Recent studies have revealed intergradation of 

a number of features of this group (e.g., ridges and baleen characteristics), which sometimes confound identification even when 

fragments of a specimen are in hand. Because of its small adult 

size, usually less than 9 m, the sixth member of the rorqual family, the minke whale, is included with the medium-sized whales 

in this guide. 

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

Observers should not feel overly disappointed about not being 

able to make a reliable identification. There i~ enough overlap in 

the behavior of these whales and in the appearance of their surfacing profiles to dictate caution in using any single characteristic for positive identification. Depending on the animal's activities, the following features may be useful in distinguishing the 

balaenopterids from one another: 1) the size, shape, and posi9 

tion 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 farther 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 which 

is exposed as the animal sounds, relative to the size of the dorsal 

fin; 3) sometimes the blow rate and movement patterns; 

and 4) the shape and color of the head. 

The sixth species, the sperm whale, is a toothed whale. It has a 

low, humplike dorsal ridge which, from certain views, particularly when the animal is humping up to begin a dive, may be 

clearly visible and look similar to a dorsal fin. At other times, 

particularly on some individuals, it is more indistinct. Because 

the profile of its hump and the knuckles along its spine are often 

prominent, the sperm whale has been classified with the large 

whales possessing a dorsal fin. 

The sperm whale has a huge head in relation to body size, and 

perhaps the most distinctive blow of all cetaceans, emanating as 

it does from a blowhole that is displaced to the left of the head 

near the front. The blow projects obliquely forward and to the 

animal's left. This blow seen under calm conditions positively 

distinguishes a large whale as a sperm whale. However, wind 

conditions may affect the disposition and duration of the blow 

of any species, and a single character alone is seldom sufficient 

to permit positive identification. 

Behavior by members of the same species often varies 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. 
.5 

~ 

";j 

r; 

0 

Q 

« 

.c 

.... 

~ 

tJ 

";j 

.c 

~ 

'" 

~ CIS 

o-l 

( 

( 

blue 

fin 

eel 

Bryde'. 

humpback 

sperm 

Figure lO.-Surfacing characteristics of "Large Whales With a Dorsal Fin ." These are typical appearances and patterns" hicb In naturt' mal ,at) consJderabl) about tbe 

norms for each species. (Drawings by Larry Foster, courtes) of General Whale.) 

10 
blue whale 

fin whale 

sei whale 

Bryde's whale 

minke whale 

humpback whale 

Figure I I.-Comparative dorsal and lateral ,ie" s of the head. of the Illargesl "hale specie. ~no"n 10 occur in ea,lern '\orth PacIfic und "e lern \r<IJ ' .. I ..... 

([)ra"ing b~ lam fO'ler. courte-' III (.rn ral \\ hal .1 

11 

c 

~ 

iil 

C 

o 

Q 

< 
bowhead whale 

right whale 

gray whale 

sperm whale 

Baird's beaked 

whale 

Figure H.-Continued. 

~ 

• -

- -- --- - --= -- -- - -",-= 

-=-----

12 
BLUE WHALE (B)6 

BaLaenoptera muscuLus (Linnaeus, 1758) 

Igure 12.-Mucb sleeker than might be expected for the largest animals In the world, blue whales are awesome power and bulk combined with streamUned grace and 

beauty. (From a painting by Larry Foster, courtesy of General Wbale.) 

Oth er Common Names 

Sulphurbottom; ballena azul (Latin America)'; shiro nagasu 

(ujira (Japanese); takerrkak (Alaska Eskimo Yupik); blyuval, 

~oluboy kit (Russian) . 

Description 

This whale is not only the largest 0 f the cetaceans, but also the 

argest living animal. The maximum size of blue \\ hales, 

attained by individuals IiI ing in the Antarctic, is about 30 m and 

• 160 t. [n the North Pacific fel' groll larger than about 26 m and 

'The letters in parentheses indicate whether the species is a baleen (B) or a 

toothed (T) whale. 

'Common names in Spanish are available for many of the species seen regularly off Latin American shores. For rarer species and ones not knov. n to range 

into Latin American waters, English common names have been translated 

literaUy . 

'Although greater sizes have been reported, the largest blue ",hale measured in 

the scientificaUy accepted manner, in a straight line from the tip of the snout to 

the notch between the tail flukes. was 29.4 m long. The largest weighed specimen. a 26.7 m female. was 145 t. The confu ion in reported lengths of thIs and 

other species stems largely from differences in measurement technique. 

13 

perhaps i 25 t. Females are larger than male ... , ell born blue 

\\ hales are generally about 7-8 m long and Ilelgh about 2 1 l. 

Viewed from abole, the blue IIha[e's rostrum IS broad, flat, 

and shaped like a Gothic arch, slightly flattened at the tip. ,\ 

single ridge e"tends from the raised area ju;t ahead of the blO\Iholes toward the tip of the rostrum. 

The paired bloll holes are protected anterIorly and latera[h by 

prominent, fleshy crests, sometime, called rla .. h guard The 

bloll is tall, slender, and lertiLal (rerhap, 9 m high), neIther 

bu.,h y as in the humpback nor \ -shaped a., In the nghl II hale 

and bOil head II hale. 

The dor.,al fin I, .. mall-to onl;. about IT' h,gh-and Ian 

able in shape, from trIangular and pOll1teo to f.J,\.ate .Jnd 

rounded at the tIp. It I'> placed \0 far back on th~ an mal-about 

three-fourths of the bod;. length-that it 1 rarel) een unlIl JU t 

before the II hale .,ubmerge, folk)lllng a blO\I. 

The blue II hale', !luke, are broad-up to one-fourth of bod\ 

length-\I ith a 'traight or light I) conCJ\ e traIlIng edge and 

median notch. The !luke are on'ellme Illt~d IIg)1tl the 

animal di\e, follolllng the la t 01.J eriC 01 hlo I The flp!,> r 

are k)ng-Io 14 lr o 01 bod) length and pOll1ted. I th a" 0\ 

leadll1g edge. 
r 

Figure 13.-Blue wbales off Brltlsb Columbia (top) and Baja California (bottom). Note the broad, rounded appearance of the head and the nattened rostrum witb a 

single , prominent median ridge (top). In the animal on tbe top, note also tbe black baleen plates, barely violible at tbe front of the sligbtly open mouth. In the animal at the 

bottom, note tbe raised areas around tbe blowholes and tbe lIgbt grayisb-white mottling on tbe back. (pbotos by R. M. Gilmore [top); K. C. Balcomb [bottom).) 

14 
a 

b 

c d 

Figure 14.-The dorsal fin of the blue wbale varies from distinctly triangular (a), to broadly rounded (b), to smootbly falcate (c), to little more tban a pointed nubbin (d). 

Regardless of its shape, however, tbe fin is always located well back on tbe body and does not usually become visible until after the animal's blow has dispersed. (photos 

by Japanese Wbales Research Institute, (mid-Pacific,) courtesy of H. Omura [a); S. Leatberwood, southern California [b); F. W. True, western North Atlantic, courtesy 

of U.S. National Museum [c); J. F. Fisb, Patton Escarpment, courtesy of NOSC [d).) 

15 
r 

1 hl' ,he,! ,llId hl'lI\ h.lll' ~~ , 11" ,til I, Inn '1ludllhll 'I 

Ihe Il)lIgl',>1 ,)1 1I\llch Il.lch I Pili I" '..11111 lu If It 'hI I P,I Ilhe 1I1~ 

1l.lIl'1 

1 Ill' b,)d I" IIghl hllil I! '1,1 (1\ ~r,dl I O~lll In ,I dl 1111 11\ C 

!!I,I\ I,) '1,1\1,11 II hill' IIll"IIIII' dl~d I h~ IIlld ride ,f lit liIp 

p<.'r' .lIl' hehl '1,1\ I h blul' :,l \I It I 1 h~ ~11l I VillI: IIIdl dll I 

h,I' ,I Il'lkml,h " Il\lIl,ud e,ll, C I'lll,ll\ til Il]c bdh III 

,,)IOrl,dul'll)lhl'p 1:' III I: III JIll m ,11111 It I lUIlII" II '1I1t 

\I h,tie, III Ihl' l"ldCI IIdlu \I htH: lit \ Il d II UlllJlI r 

,I t \I r" III 11111 II ft' 

Figure 15.-Two views of slow-moving blue whales: (top) an animal swlmmlng leisurely al Ibe surface off an Clemen Ie I land , CaIlf .. and (bollom) a bafllooned 

animal In tow by a wballng boat 'rom a shore station (now closed) In western Canada. Note In the top photo tbat tbe blowholes, marked b) tbe ra~d areas on top of tbe 

bead, are still exposed after tbe doral fin has become visible during tbe roU. In the lower photo the animal's head Is twisted sllghtl} to the left , and tb. median bead ridge is 

visible just to tbe rlgbt of tbe cannon barrel. In both photos note also tbe very small size and sbape of the dora I fin, and Its position .. ell aft on the bod). (Photos b) . 

Leatherwood [top]; R. M. GUmore [bottom].) 

16 
banks, may attract numerous single whales or pairs to the same 

general area. 

Most young are born in late' fall and win ter, after the whales 

have left their high latitude summer feeding grounds. Gestation 

is believed to last somewhat less than a year, and calves are 

weaned at about 7 months of age, having doubled their length 

and increased their weight an average of ninefold on milk that 

can be up to 50070 fat. The interbirth interval is usually 2 or 3 

years. Blue whales live to ages in excess of 25 years. 

Blue whales prey almost exclusively on small, shrimplike crustaceans known as krill, most of which are found at depths of less 

than 100 m. Off Baja California they also eat red crabs, a form 

of decapod crustacean that occurs there in dense swarms. 

There is a well-documented attack on a blue whale hy killer 

whales off Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. 

Distribution 

Movement pallerns of baleen whales generally consist 0 r poleward shi fts in spring / su m mer and shi fts to\\ard the eq ua tor in 

fall / winter. Un fort unately, however, neit her t he seasonal 

distribution nor the routes traveled by blue whales in the eastern 

North Pacific are well mapped. Whaling records indicate that 

some degree of north-south movement takes place, but in parh 

of the species' range individuals are present in unlikely months. 

There may be geographically separate stocks whose wanderings, 

viewed collectively, defy recognition of a neat migratory pattern 

for the species in the eastern North Pacific. 

Blue whales are distributed from the southern Chukchi Sea 

south at least to waters off Panama. Recently, substalllial numbers have been seen at distances of 1,300-2,800 km off Central 

Figure 16.-A fast-swimming blue whale off southern California. The animal rises rather steeply 

to the surface (a), emits a tall, vertical blow (b, c), shows its broad bluish back mottled with 

_ ~~::,1"_~~ 

~'-"~: ':j;.~ 

-~7i~-;~ 

a 

b 

c 

grayish white, and its small dorsal fin (d, e), and then dives (f). (Photos by J. F. Fish.) 

d 

e 

f 

17 
Figure n.-Rwed taU nuke\ or a dlvlna blue "half. flu"" of blue "hal are 

stralgbt 00 the rear margin, broad reJaliH to bod) .. Idth, and prKeded b a lJlil 

stock wblch Is thlcbned dOr\oventraJI), The ooh oth., lal1lt .. h.1 .. huw latl 

flukes have such a stralgbl rear edlle 

from tbe blue In a number of wa". 

Balcomb.) 

the perm .. hak'. rtldll, dbllnau hlble 

IPholo from Ihe ~onh Ilanll<: hI k ( 

America at I,H. ,0 <)0 If1 I ebrlJ.tr~, \IJrch, dnd June TIll. t; 

individuals ma, belong 10 d year round tropi ..II lod" 

In mosl year, blue \I hJIc .Ife llr~t een of! BdJ ( hI rill 

and the :'-!exlean mainland If1 r ebrUM) r hLlr dt;n II \ t thc 

moulh of the Gull of California ,md dlong the enUre \\1; t\;o t 

of Baja CalifOrnia apparent I) pca\... III \pril. om are ttll pre. 

ent there until earl\ July, The) appedr dgalll brlell, m ( lctober 

but seem to be absent bet\\cen :-:O\ember nd 1,II1UM\. Blu 

whales ha\e been ,een 111 the Gulf of ('alllorma III fall pring, 

ranging north at lea,t to the \lldrifl I land~ cdrl) 1,000 blue 

whales were \...lIled along the \\e t Loa~t of BclJa (alllorr1l<1 b~ 

Norwegian whalers In Ihe 1920'~ and 1930's, WlIller 'pring \\a 

the pnmary catching period, and effort \las IOLu cd on the I\C t 

coast between Cabo San Lucas and Cedro J land 

In southern California, sightings arc lair!) regular frolll luI) 

through October, often just outSide the Channcl Island along 

the edge of Patton Escarpment. Blue \\ hale" thought to bc Ihc 

same indiViduals, have been reported around 'an :--liguell~land 

for several weeks at a time dunng these monlh,. This may mean 

that some whales, in some years, venture little farther north than 

Point Conception. Catches off San Francisco in the 1950', ,md 

1960's occurred pnmarily in September and October and \lere 

presumably of southward migrating alllmal\. Blue II hale, 

recently have been seen In Monterey Bay in OeLember. Peab 111 

blue whale catches at British Columbia shore .,tatiom were in 

June and September, suggesting a northward movement past 

Vancouver Island in spnng and a southward shift 111 autumn. 

Three major northern summer grounds hale been 

identified: I) the eastern Gulf of Alaska, between long. 

130

0

W and 1400W; 2) the area south of the eastern Aleutians, 

between long. 1400W and 180°; and 3) the area from the far 

western Aleutians to Kamchatka, between long. 170 E and 

160

0

E. Catches in the first area peaked in July; in the second, in 

June. Tagged whales were found to move freely among the three 

areas. 

Recent observations in the northern portions of the range 

consist primarily of midsummer sightings off the southern side 

of the Aleutians. Eskimos at Gambell Village on St. Lawrence 

18 

1,1,,"d I<:pnri Ih,lI bille \\h.lle\, b CIll from Iho e \\alCf\ f

I1ll1e 1() 'C,II', ,ITl .1 alii belli' \;('/1 1/1 m.tli numb r ITI la

11111111('1, 

II ,11[1111<1 be nule.d Ihill blu \\ hillc hilVC bt;<:n ell fdr off th

( 'il I of 11l1rlhnn ( .111 I Ofilia ( I I,ll I 42 .1011 130 \\) 

\1.1\ \1 leJ'1 "lTl1<: 01 IhCI/ movellleni , Ihlll, mu 10l ur .11 n 

pda 'Il fl' ItC\ 

I he billt; \\h tic \101 bad" mcre plolled Ihro 1 ,hOUII11Ulh O

II 1.111 'c, III Iudlll Ih 1:.1 leTII orlh Pol III~, alld il h bce. m

,I \mbol of Ihc 1I<:<:d for rt; lrdlTlt Ih \I hall II' IIldu Ir) lIap 

I'll.", Ihc POPUI,lll n 01 blUt; \11 I III Ih la ICfn rth I'd If

, Clll., 10 h"1l TelUI( cd mUll) 01 Ih roulld II 10 t dur n Ih

hT t tl\O tlmd If Ihl ~cllur er Illh u nd re b ItcHd 1

UI\ 1\ l 

( :J11 /I, ( "nlu t't! \\ III! 

.. blut; 1\ I die 

I h I. 'h Ihl 1\1 \..111 

I h<: I II 1\ Ill' llllr.ul on 

II I Ill' \\ h It 

nfu J \ h 1 n holl p 23) 

111 d dl Idllle

I In \\ h 

(01 ratt II 

I ttkJ blul h 'r.l\ ab '\c L ar 'r, bo\e, \ II 

und bdo\1 bclll\\, Irequellll) ra 1 h

\ hll hc\ r n bel)lIld head 

Bait: n 

Biul h 

\1 hill' 

Ihlrd 

\I hlle 

gru, \\lIh \ello\\I"'

IrJpe, frOnt hfth 10 

f bale<:n n nght Ide 

Broad and ncar!) 

ullilorml) gra), 

haped, rroll cr, morc \ - hap d: 

flghl 10\\ r lip \\ hlle 

Dor .II hn 

~tn\...lllgl~ rnallill PfllPtlfllOI1 

10 entirc 3nll11al (to on I) I J 

m high), Inangular or fakale, 

local<:d dbout one-fourth lorII ard from lail; Il\iblc II ell 

afler blo\\. 

Pr01ll1lle1l1 and more ereLt (10 

m high): faiLale, localld 

abollt one-third fOf\lard from 

tail: u\uaJl) \ I Ible hOrll) 

after blo\l, 

urracing and 01\ ing 

Orten ,holl' head and blollholes, then broad e\pame of 

bac\..., and much later the doral fin. 

,uall) rolb higher out 01 

\I ater, part ICU larl) before 

long dl\ e, pre,entlng a 

"\lheelli\...e" ,ilhoueue: dor-

\al fin I i,ible soon afler 

bloll . 

Oiling 

Sometimes raises flu\...es 

slightly on last dive. 

Does not shall Ou\...es \lhen 

diling. 
anks, may attract numerous single whale s or pairs to the ·same 

ral area. 

Most young are born in late 'fall and winter, after th e whales 

ve left their high latitude summer feeding gro unds. Gestation 

believed to last somewhat less than a yea r, a nd calves a re 

at about 7 months of age, having doubled their length 

increased their weight an average of nin efold on milk that 

be up to 50070 fat. The interbirth int erval is usually 2 or 3 

s. Blue whales live to ages in excess of 25 yea rs. 

Blue whales prey almost exclusively o n sma ll, sh rimplike crusaceans known as krill, most 0 f which are found at depths 0 f less 

an 100 m. Off Baja California they also eat red crabs, a form 

f decapod crustacean that occurs th ere in den se swa rms. 

There is a \I ell-documented attack on a blue whale by killer 

hales off Cabo San Lucas in Baja California. 

Distribution 

Movement patterns of baleen II hale, generally comi,t 0 f poleward shifts in spring /summer a nd ,hifh to\lard the equator in 

fall / win ter. Unfortunate ly, hOI\ever, neit her the ;,ea,o nal 

di;,tribution nor the routes traveled by blue wha le;, in the ea,tern 

North Pacific are we ll mapped. Wh a lin g records indicate that 

some degree of north-south movement takes place, but in part, 

of the species' range individuals a re pre;,ent in unlikely month ;,. 

There may be geographica ll y separate ;,toc ks whose wanderings. 

viewed collectively, defy recognit ion 0 f a neal migratory pattern 

for the species in Ihe eastern North Pacific. 

Blue whales are distributed from the so uthern Chukchi Sea 

so uth at leasl to waters off Panama. Recently, ;, ub,ta ntial numbers have been see n at dista nces of 1,300-2,800 km off Central 

Figure 16.-A fast-swimming blue whale off southern CalifornIa. The animal rises rather steeply 

a 

c 

to the surface (a), emIts a tall, vertical blow (b, c), shows its broad bluish back mottled with 

grayish white, and Its smaU dorsal fin (d, e), and then dives (f). (Photos by J. F. Fish.) 

d 

e 

f 

17 
Figure 17.-Raised tall flukes of a diving blue whale. Flukes of blue whales are 

straight on the rear margin, broad relative to body width, and preceded by a tail 

stock wblcb is thickened dorsoventrally. Tbe only other large whale whose tall 

flukes bave sucb a straight rear edge Is the sperm whale, readily distinguishable 

from the blue in a number of ways. (Photo from the North Atlantic by K. C. 

Balcomb.) 

America at lat. 7°_9°N in February, March, and June. These 

individuals may belong to a year-round tropical stock. 

In most years, blue whales are first seen off Baja California 

and the Mexican mainland in February. Their density at the 

mouth of the Gulf of California and along the entire west coast 

of Baja California apparently peaks in April. Some are still present there until early July. They appear again briefly in October 

but seem to be absent between November and January. Blue 

whales have been seen in the Gulf of California in fall I spring, 

ranging north at least to the Midriff Islands. Nearly 1,000 blue 

whales were killed along the west coast of Baja California by 

Norwegian whalers in the 1920's and 1930's. Winter I spring was 

the primary catching period, and effort was focused on the west 

coast between Cabo San Lucas and Cedros Island. 

In southern California, sightings are fairly regular from July 

through October, often just outside the Channel Islands along 

the edge of Patton Escarpment. Blue whales, thought to be the 

same individuals, have been reported around San Mig uel Island 

for several weeks at a time during these months. This may mean 

that some whales, in some years, venture little farther north than 

Point Conception. Catches off San Francisco in the 1950's and 

1960's occurred primarily in September and October and were 

presumably of southward migrating animals. Blue whales 

recently have been seen in Monterey Bay in December. Peaks in 

blue whale catches at British Columbia shore stations were in 

June and September, suggesting a northward movement past 

Vancouver Island in spring and a southward shift in autumn . 

Three major northern summer gro und s h ave been 

identified: 1) the eastern Gulf of Alaska, between long. 

130 0W and 140 0W; 2) the area south of the eastern Aleutians, 

between long. 140 oW and 180°; and 3) the area from the far 

western Aleutians to Kamchatka, between long. 170 0E and 

160 0 E. Catches in the first area peaked in July; in the second, in 

June. Tagged whales were found to move freely among the three 

areas. 

Recent observations in the northern portions of the range 

consist primarily of midsummer sightings off the south ern side 

of the Aleutians. Eskimos at Gambell Village on St. Lawrence 

18 

Island report that blue whales, absent from those waters fe 

some 30 years, are again being seen in small numbers in la! 

summer. 

It should be noted that blue whales have been seen far off tr 

coast of northern California (at lat. 41 ° - 42 oN, long. 130 OW) i 

May. At least some of their mo vements, then , must occur alon 

pelagic ro utes. 

The blue whale was badly overexploited throughout much e 

its range, including the eastern North Pacific, and it has becom 

a symbol of the need for restraint by the whaling indu·stry. Har 

pily, the population of blue whales in the eastern North Pacifi 

seems to have recovered much of the ground it lost during th 

first two-thirds of this century. Several thousand are believed t 

survive . 

Can Be Confused With 

At sea blue whales can be confused wit h fin whales (p. 23 

Though the two can be difficult to distinguish from a distanct 

the following comparison should be helpful: 

Blue Whale Fin Whale 

Coloration 

Mottled bluish gray above Dark gray above, whit 

and below. below; frequently grayisr 

white chevron behind head. 

Baleen 

All black. Bluish gray with yellowisr 

white stripes; front fifth t 

third of baleen on right sid 

white. 

Head 

Broad and nearly U-shaped ; 

uniformly gray. 

Narrower, more V-shapec 

right lower lip white. 

Dorsal Fin 

Strikingly small in proportion 

to entire animal (to only 1 13 

m high); triangular or falcate; 

located about one-fourth forward from tail; visible well 

after blow. 

Prominent and more erect (t 

5/ 8 m high); falcate; locate 

about one-third forward fror 

tail; usually visible short! 

after blow. 

Surfacing and Diving 

Often shows head and blowholes, then broad expanse of 

back, and much later the dorsal fin. 

Usuall y rolls higher out 0 

water, particularly befor 

long dive, pre se nting 

"wheellike" silhouette; dO! 

sal fin visible soon afte 

blow. 

Diving 

Sometimes raises fluk es Does not show flukes whe! 

slightl y on last dive. diving. 
19 

Figure 18.-Tbree aerial views of blue whales, In tbe Gulf of California (top 

right), off San Nicbolas Island (bottom rlgbt), and in tbe Gulf of SI. 

Lawrence (left). Note tbe broad "Gotblc arcb " shape of tbe bead , tbe prominent central head ridge, tbe raised area along tbe spine bebind tbe bead , the 

broad nukes (top rigbt), and tbe mottUng beblnd the head (left). (Pbotos 

courtesy of Sea World, Inc. [top rlgbt); by J. D. Hall [bottom rigbt); by Russ 

Kinne, copyrlgbted [left.).) 
Grouping 

Usually found singly or in Occasionall y found singly o r 

pairs. in pairs, but more often in 

pods of 6 or 7. 

See also comparison of fin whale and sei whale (p. 27). 

Viewed from the air, only two large whales appear lightly 

mottled to powdery blue when at the surface-blue whales and 

sei whales. Seis do not exceed 16 m; blues often do. The sei 

whale's head is long and pointed, with the rostrum slightly 

arched, while the blue whale's head is broader, more rounded, 

and flattened-almost shelflike. In good light, the blue whale's 

head may appear uniformly dark blue, while the rest of the body 

is mottled. The region of the lungs, viewed from an aerial perspective may be slightly indented and appear to coll apse substantially upon exhalation. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead blue whales can be readily identified by 1) the large 

body size (any whale longer than 24 m is almost certainly a blue 

:,' whale); 2) the broad, flat head; 3) the inky tongue and palate 

, and the all-black baleen plates, which are usually barely more 

than twice as long as they are wide; and 4) the 55-88 ventral 

grooves which extend to the navel at the midline and become 

progressively shorter toward the flippers, 

20 

Figure 19.-NormaDy sUm of cbln , Hke aD rorqual wbales, tbls feeding blue 

whale takes on an unexpected "guppy" or "tadpolelike" appearance wben seen 

from the air. Tbe distortion Is due to expansion of tbe tbroat as tbe moutb cavity 

is fUied witb water. Similar changes in appearance are observed In otber large 

rorquals as they feed. (Photo from tbe Gulf of California by R. 

Storro-Patterson.) 

Figure 20.-A young (18 m) blue wbale under attack by kUler whales off Cabo 

San Lucas, Baja Callfomb.. Attacks by killer whaies on a number of large whales 

bave been reported , and tbougb tbe extent of predation Is unknown, tbls 

dramatic Instance grapbically demonstrates the vulnerabUlty of even tbe sea's 

largest animals to tbls supreme predator. (Pboto courtesy of Sea World, Inc.) 
Figure 21.-Two views of blue whales on the ramps of whaling stations, in Japan (top) and at Hermitage Bay, Newfoundland (bottom). Note tbe broad, flattened bead, 

the prominent central bead ridge, and the dark bluish-gray coloration, interrupted only by grayish-wbite mottllng bebind tbe bead. (pbotos b) Japanese Whales 

Research Institute, courtesy of H. Omura [top]; F. W. True, courtesy of U.S. National Museun [bottomJ.) 

21 
Figure 22.- 0ead blue "hales, harpooned and afloat off the ,tern of a faclOr),hip in lhe AnlarClil" (lOp) and on lhe decl. of a "haling ,lalion in "e,lern Canada (bottoml. 

NOle the numerou, narrow ventral grooves (from 55 10 88 or more) e,lending 10 lhe region of lhe na'el and ,omelime- be)ond. and Ihe lighl colOralion of lhe unde.-ide, 

of the flippers. (Photos b) Japanese \\hale, Re.earch In,litule, courle,) of H. Omura IlOpl: G. C. I'il.e. cOurle,) of I. .\. \13c.\,l.ie Ibottoml.1 

22 
FIN WHALE (8) 

Balaenoptera ph),salus (Linnaeus, 1758) 

her Common Names 

Finback, razorback, finner, common rorqual; ballena (or rorI) de aleta or rorcual cummun (Latin America); nagasu kuji-

(Japanese); fin va l (Russian). 

escription 

Fin whales in the North Pacific are very rarely 24 m long; a 22 

female would be exceptionally large. Females are slightly 

·ger than males. Newborn are usually about 6 m long and may 

'igh close to 2 t. 

he head of the fin whale is V-shaped, the rostrum narrow. 

Ie splash guards are prominent and there is a single median 

ad ridge. The rostrum is otherwise flat, though less so than 

~u e 23.-Surfacing fin whales off Newfoundland 

IP), Monterey, Calif., (midd le), and northwestern 

Ija CaUfornia (bottom). Whe n approached from 

e right side or viewed head on, fin whales can be 

itinguished from other large balaenopterids by the 

lite right lower lip and the flat , narrow head with a 

Igle prominent ridge originating in front of the 

~w holes and extending toward but usually not 

lching the tip of the rostrum. (Photos by K. C. 

l\comb [top\; D. Lewis [middle\; R. L. Pitman, 

rt esy of NMFS [bottom\.) 

at of the blue whale. The fin whale's cone-shaped blow 

Icends vertically for 6 m or more. 

The fin whale is a slender, streamlined animal, with a sharp 

tlge a long the spine, hence the name "razorback." 

The prominent, falcate dorsal fin can be 2IJ m tall. The angle 

Irmed by the back and forward margin of the dorsal fin usually 

less than 4D 0 . The fin is situated about two-thirds of the way 

lCk on the animal's body and usually emerges shortly after the 

,ow. The breadth of the flukes, tip to tip, is one-fifth to onemrth of body length . The trailing edge is slightly concave, and 

deep notch separates the flukes. The flippers are similar to 

lose of the blue whale but proportionately smaller. 

The 56- 100 ventral grooves extend at least as far back as the 

ave!. 

Fin whales are a uniform dark gray to brownish black on the 

ack and sides. There is none of the mottling characteristic of 

23 
Figure 24.-A group of at least five fin whales surfaclng together In waten off Britbb Columbia. In Ihe -.orth Paclfk number of Ibe<>e pod> often congregale 10 form 

loose herds of 50 or more animals on the norlbem feeding grounds. (Pholo b) G. C. Plke. court~) of I. • >,tac illr.l 

blue whales. nor IS scarring usually a\ extensi\ e a~ on sel \\ haks. 

There often is a grayish-\\ hite che\ ron on the bad.. \\ ith Its .lpCX 

at the midline and arms oriented posteriorly. Thi\ muted marking, most easily seen when \ iew ing the animal from the aIr. IS 

not always apparent. The undersides. indudmg tho. e of thc 

flukes and flippers, are \\hite. The right lo\\er itp. induding the 

mouth cavity, is white, and the white to light gray area can extend onto the upper lip and right side of the ned. m some mdi\ iduals. This feature-asymmetric head coloration-IS a reliable 

key for distinguishing the fin whale from other balaenopterids. 

The flippers may appear light blue \\ hen seen through the \\ater. 

inviting confusion \\ ith the humpbad.. 

Most of a fin whale's baleen is striped \\ ith alternate bands of 

yellow-white and dark bluish gray. Howe\er, the baleen in the 

right front one-fifth to one-third of the upper jaw is e\enl) 

white or slightly yellowish. The bristles of the baleen are finer 

than the blue whale's, and they are brownish gray to grayish 

white. Maximum length of fin whale baleen is about 70 em, 

exclusive of the 7-9 cm buried in the gum, and the width of the 

longest plates is about one-fourth to two-fifths the length. The 

number of plates per side ranges from 262 to 473. 

Natural History Notes 

Before the era of modern whaling, the cosmopolitan fin 

whale was one of the most abundant baleen whales. Its swimming speed, with bursts of up to 20 knots, kept it safe from most 

whalers until steam-propelled catcher boats were used. 

Though fin whales are sometimes found alone or in pairs, 

they more often occur in pods of 6 or 7 individuals. Feeding 

concentrations may consist of numerous pods, with as many as 

50 whales gathered in a small area. 

Winter is the reproductive season for this species, with a 

breeding peak in January and February. Young are born after a 

gestation period of about 11 months, and they nurse for about 

half a year. Although females may be capable of calving every 

other year, many have a resting year between pregnancies, giving birth at 3-year intervals. 

24 

In pring mn t fin ,\hale k;l\c thc temperate waters 10 \'h.ich 

thc) brecd and rno\e to ncher leedlOg ground at hIgher lalltudes. Thc fin w hale I onc III thc more \ er allie feeders among 

the baleen whd\t::s. pre}lOg on krill. fishc uch a herring, 

pollod.. capdin. and lantern Ii h. and occasionali) ~quid 

Fin \\ hale, dl\ e to dcpth of at least 230 m Thi b deeper than 

either blue or \CI \\ halt:: usuall} di\ e and helps e'plain difference, in urfaclOg. blo\\ 109. and dl\\ng characrenstles among 

the three species. \\ hcn mo\ tng let. urel) at the surface, fm 

whale. expo,e the dorsal fin oon after the appearance of the 

blow hole,>. Iter a deep dJ\ e they ,>urface at a teeper angle, 

blo\\. submerge the blow hole .. and then arch the bad and dorsalIm high 1I1to t he aIr before begin ntng another long dl\ e. The) 

almost ne\er Itft their Ilukes above the urface when d\\ing. 

Lnlike blue or sel whales, f1l1 whales do leap clear of the water 

occaslOnall}. When the) breach, the) usuall) reenter \\ ith a 

resounding splash. unlike min ke \\ hales. which often reenter 

smoothl) and headfirst. 

Distribution 

The \\ inter distribution of fin whale in the eastern onh 

Pacific extends at least from the Big Sur area off central California (lat. 35°30 'N) south to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California 

(lat. 22°50 'N). Within this range the) are most frequently 

observed just outside the Channel Islands. Much of the population is believed to \\ inter far offshore, as sightings have been 

reported in May south of Hawaii, in February in Kanai Channel, Hawaii, and in February at long. 138 oW directly west of 

central California. 

In summer fin whales range throughout most of the Bering 

Sea, as well as in the immediate offshore waters of North 

America as far south as southern California or central Baja 

California. They are fairly common in outer Prince William 

Sound (Hinchinbrook Entrance-Montague Island to Middleton Island) along the convoluted south coasts of the Alaska 

Peninsula, near the Aleutian Islands, and along the continental 

slope in the Bering Sea. especially near the Pribilof Islands. Tag-
Figure 25.-FIn whales off Isla Angel de la Guardia (middle) and Isla Raza (top, bottom) In the Gulf of CaHfornia, showing the raised splash guards during respiration, 

the long back, and the slightly faieate, blunt-tipped dorsal fin placed far back on the body. These whales were all traveling slowly. (Photos by P. R. Kelly [top, bottom]; 

D. W. Anderson [middle].) 

25 
a 

b 

Figure 26.-Four aerial views of fin whales, three off California (a, b, c) and one in Gonzaga Bay In tbe nortbern Gulf of California (d). otice how long and streamlined 

the bodies are and how smootbly tbe bead tapers toward tbe end of tbe rostrum. In two of the pbotos a distinct white chevron Oln be seen on the back well bebind the 

blowholes (a, b). Many fin wbales bave sucb a cbevron. In tbe animal at tbe lower right, the white right lower lip Is clearly visible. accentuated by tbe otherwise dark tones 

of body aod water. This feature, variable in Its degree of expression, Is almost always visible when fin whales are viewed from the air aod is tbe single most reliable key to 

Identification. (photos by M. Bonnell [a, cl and G. Farrens [bl, courtesy of Bureau of Land Management; S. Leatherwood [dl.) 

ging studies have demonstrated that fin whales move from 

winter (November-January) grounds off southern California to 

summer (May-July) grounds off central California, Oregon, 

and British Columbia, and into the Gulf of Alaska. Based on 

historical evidence, it was written in the 1960's that the fin whale 

was once the most abundant large baleen whale off California in 

spring and summer, with a peak of abundance in Mayor June. 

Whaling from California shore stations during the late 1950's 

and 1960's apparently reduced the fin whale stocks considerably, however, and in extensive research off Baja California and 

southern and central California during the decade beginning in 

1968, fin whales were uncommonly encountered. The species is 

now protected throughout the eastern North Pacific. The North 

Pacific population is presently estimated at about 16,000 

whales. 

Mention should be made of an apparently isolated, yearround fin whale population found inside the Gulf of California 

and ranging north to the shallow Colorado River Delta. The size 

of this stock is not known, but fin whales are commonly 

Figure 27.-A breacbing balaenopterid, probably a fin wbale tbougb possibly a 

Bryde's wbale, in tbe eastern tropical Pacific. Tbls type of behavior is much 

more common in bumpback and minke wbales. The wbale is about to land flat 

on Its back. (pboto by K. D. Sexton, courtesy of NMFS.) 

26 

observed in the upper Gulf, especially in \\ inter. Their scarcit} 

along the outer coast of Baja California suggests that there is litc 

d 
28.- Three views of a sma" fin whale stranded in Ne" England. The as)mmetrical coloration is c1earl) apparent. the "bite nteodina farther nolo Ih. r 

left side. Tbe dorsal fin fonns an angle of less than 40· with tbe back. a feature "bleb often belps distlngubb rin from I .. ha~ . (Photo to url of U t 

. if an). interchange betll een the Gul f population and [hose 111 

he open ocean. 

an Be Confused \\ ith 

rin \\ hales can be conflhed \\ ith blue \\ hales (p Ul. sel 

hales (p. 29) . and 111 the southernmoct portIon 01 their r.1'1ge. 

de', \\ hales (p. 34). The) can be di. tinguished frl)m blue 

hale, b) dl fferences 111 01 crall cok)ration. cl)lorat il)n and hape 

f the head. and sl/e. ,hape. PO,illL)n .• 111d lime L)f appearanc\: 

the dorsal fin (see p. 1<'). \\ hen een ck)sel). the) Lan be dl -

ingui,hed from Bnde ' , \\ hale b) the presence L)I a Il1gk prolllnt head ndge. compared to three in Bride' \\hale. nd b) 

he\l larger. Ie" harpl) pl)lIlted dl)r'al 1111. 1m \\hJk frequentl) hal e aU,\lh.ln head ridge, on euher Ide I th medl. n 

ridge. but thel are !!enerall\ rnu~h I pr n lI1\:nl 

Br~de ', \\ hale I in \\hale ",an be J tiP 'UI hed fr 

in rhe folk)\\ 109 \I a\ : 

(, I r 0 L nd r d 

\\ hIt ; e t nd hIgh r up 

rl~h' tho n n left 

\\ hI n r ht, r 

P 

I \\ h I 
Baleen 

Anterior one-fifth to onethird of right side white; the 

rest Itlanded \\ ith yellowish 

\\ hite and bluish gray; bristles 

grayish \\ hite. 

Ash black with a blue tinge; 

fine grayish bristles. 

Dorsal Fin 

Falcate; usually forms angle 

of less than 40° with back; 

located about one-third forward from flukes. 

Sharply pointed and falcate; 

usually forms angle of greater 

than 40° with back; located 

just more than one-third forward from tail. 

Surfacing and Preparing to Dive 

A gulping feeder that usually 

rises obliquely so top of head 

breaks surface first; after 

blowing, animal arches its 

back and rolls forward with a 

wheellike motion, exposing 

dorsal fin. 

Primarily a skimming feeder 

that usually rises to surface at 

shallow angle, exposing head 

and dorsal fin almost simultaneously; usually arches the 

back less before long dive than 

does the fin whale. 

Diving 

Blows 3-7 times or more at 

intervals of up to several minutes, then dives deeply. 

Usually blows at even intervals over long periods of time; 

often visible just below the 

surface, even during longer 

dives, causing a trail of slicks. 

The fin whale is one of the easiest of the rorquals to iden'tify 

from the air because of its strikingly asymmetrical pigmentation. 

The whiteness of the right lower lip is readily apparent, except 

when an animal is viewed from a bad angle, i.e., from the left 

side. 

It is important to stress that distinctive features among the 

large balaenopterids are very difficult to detect in the field and 

that the characteristics noted above should be used with caution. 

Identifications based solely on behavioral nuances are unreli-

~iiifii F __ ~"e o*-

figure !9,-Dead fin "hale, on :he deck of a Japane .. "haling ship in the ""orth Pacific (top) and at a shore station in Ne" foundland (bottom). In the upper photo, note 

the .') mmetrical coloration of the lo"er ja", baleen. and roof of the mouth . In the loner. note that the ,'entral groo,'es "tend past the navel. a feature shared b} fin. 

Bl")dc',. blue. and humpback "hal". (Photo> b) Japan."e ,\ hales Research Institute. courtes) of H. Omura [top): courtes) of J. G. Mead, U.S. National Museum 

)bollom) .) 

28 
able. Of the features described here, onl y the asymmetrical coloration is diagnosti c for recognizing fin whales. 

('dentification of Dead Specimens 

The most useful keys to identifying dead fin whales are I) 

the white or yellowish color of the right lower lip, right front 

baleen, and right side of the palate; 2) the striped gray and 

white color of th e rest of the baleen; 3) the 56- 100 ventral 

grooves, the longest of which reach the navel or beyond ; and4) the broad, nat , sharply pointed head with a single prominent ridge. 

Figure 30.-10 fin whales, the right front one-third to one-fiftb of the 

baleen, like the right lower jaw and lip, Is white. (Photo from New Jersey 

by R. Reeves.) 

SEI WHALE (B) 

Balaenoptera borealis Lesson, 1828 

Other Common Names 

Rudolphi's rorqual; ballena boba, rorcual de rudolphi, 

ballena boreal, rorcual negro (Latin America); iwashi kujira 

(Japanese); seyval (Russian) . 

Description 

Sei whales rarely reach lengths in excess of about 16 m in the 

North Pacific. Physically mature females captured off California averaged 15 .0 m; males, 13.7 m . At birth , sei whales are 

4.3-5 .3 m long. 

The head of this species generally is less acutely pointed than 

that of the fin whale. When viewed from the side it appears 

slightly arched with the downward turn accentuated at the tlf). 

In dorsal view, the head shape of the sei whale is intermediate 

between that of the blue whale and that of the fin whale. The 

elevated forward edges of the blowholes are less prominent than 

in the fin and blu e whales. A pronounced ridge begins at their 

apex and extends to the tip of the rostrum. The sei \\ hale's blo\\ 

is not as high as the fin whale's but is similar In shape. 

The dorsal fin is 1'4-~/J m high, strongl) falcate, and 10Lated a 

little more tran one-third of the way from caudal notch to tif) of 

rostrum, slightly farther forward than that of the fin w hale. It IS 

generally more erect than the fin \\hale's dorsal fin, although 

wide variability in dorsal fin shape for both sf)eLles make, this 

character less than absolutely reliable. The \\ idth of the fluke IS 

about one-fourth of total bod} length; their trailing edge is 

Figure 31.-ln tbese sei whales from tbe Antarctic (left) and North Pacific (rig ht), nole tbe single ridge beginningju51 in fronl of Ibe blo .. bole Ind ending Illbe lip of Ihe 

rostrum. Bryde's whales, with wbich sei wbales are likely 10 be confused in Ibe tropical and su btropical porlions of their MInge, bl .. 1"0 laxillar) ridg .... one on e Ihtr 

side of Ihis cenlral rid ge. The angle al "hieh Ihe "hale in Ihe righl phOIO i, surfacing i, much ,leeper Ihan i, u uallor ,ei "hale,. \ole:11 .. the h,hl d,,"n ... rd lurn 10 Ih 

lip of Ihe rOSlrum, a dislincl;,e fealure of (he species. (PhOlos b) o\,ahi ~hinbun Pr." lIeftl and Japane,. \\ hall'" Rc-earch In,lilul. Inchrl. hOlh l'OUrI • uf If Omura , 

29 
almost straight, apd there IS a deep notch separating the t1uke~. 

The pointed flippers are similar to thme of the I'm \\ hale, bUI 

relatively shorter. 

There are onl) 32-60 \eotral groo\e, and th<:~e tcrmindte 

about midway between the f1ipper~ and the na\el \\ hen seen. 

they prO\ide a ver) useful feature for distingul,hing the sei I rOI11 

fin, blue, and Bryde's whales. Only the mmke \\ hale has ,uch 

short ventral groO\'es. 

.'tgure 32,- TM pholo of a harp'HJned 'iorth Pacific !let 

whale demon Ira In a ke} dlrference be".een Ihe wi .. hlte 

and Ihe fin wha.le. The .1' rI hllo"'.r lip I gra}. ",hUe Ihe 

fin' .. hlte. Thil r.tlurr cln b d ctroed on Ihina anlm. 

onl) when Ihe~ Ire Ipprolched from Ihe rlghl Ide or ~~ .. td 

Ir<lm dll",I" <I'crh,.d lI'hnln til Jap~n r \1 h"l~ 

Rt l'fJnh In Iilult, ,oun~ , "I fl . Omura,} 

~CI \\ h,de arc dark gra) or blul h gray \)11 the ba\.k and Ides 

dllU OIl the po terlor portIon 1)1 the lentral urfac~. On Ihe bell>. 

there IS d regIOn 01 gra)lsh "hlte that I almo I al\la) onlined 

to the ared of lht I nlrdl groO\~ euher the flIpper nor the 

Ilu ~s .Ire "I)ue undernealh. The rtghl 100Ier lip and mouth 

la\lll, unlike tho (. 01 the fm II hale. Me ul1llorml) gra}. The 

bOlh Dilen hd a galldnthd arrearanlC duc to l • .If 1Il11111cd b) 

cllhcr Idlllpre) ur rard illL copepod (!'ulella pp.). 1 he ears 

arc gr d) Il) "hilL 

Figure 33.-Four views of swimming sei wbales. In aU, nole Ibe laU, flllcale dorsal fin. In Ibe lOP lefl pholo . nOle Iblllhe do"at rln bas appeared on the urlace" hOe the 

blowboles are stili open. Sei wbales, general!} skimmer feeders and shallo" divers, often , ho,. tbe dorsal fin and much of Ibe back for retal"e!) long periods as lbe) or· 

face 10 breatbe. (photos from off central California, courtes} of NMFS (lOp left); northeast of HI",aII b) . Obsuml (top righl. bottom rigbl}; off Japan b) \\ bale 

Research Institute, courte.) of H. Omura Ibottom leftl.) 

30 
4. T .. o r Irlordlnar} ,Ir_ 01 I Ihf .. hair nd" .. I'N 

pho'o "r~ 'Ibn 0" bpln, I" • '"f Inlmll hid n 

til 

Irom Uril"'" .rOt • 

(phol b 

, Inhulloll 
July. A summer sighting at lat. 27°N off Baja California has 

been reported. 

North-south movement along the west coast of North 

America has been documented by tag returns. An animal tagged 

off south ern California in ovember was killed off Vancouver 

I land, British Columbia, almost 4 years later in August. 

Another whale marked in the same area in June was taken 4 

year later off Washington in July. 

Due to their depletion by modern commercial whaling, sei 

\\ hale are currently protected throughout the North Pacific . 

32 

Figure 35.-A freshly dead sei wbale from tbe Pacific (top) and a stranded 

specimen tn an advanced stage of decomposition at Cape Island, S.C. (middle, 

bottom). Note that even tbougb tbe distlnctive coloration of tbe fresb specimen 

has faded on the rotttng specimen, the number and Iengtb of tbe ventral grooves 

(38-56 in number and stopptng weU sbort of tbe navel) still permit tbe specimen 

to be disttnguisbed from ftn, biue, and 8ryde's wbales, tn aU of wbicb grooves 

extend at least to tbe navel. (pbotos by Japanese Wbales Researcb Institute, 

courtesy of H. Omura [top]; J. G. Mead [middle, bottom].) 

They declined considerably after scarcely a decade of heavy 

catching, with no more than about 20,000 (compared to nearly 

50,000 in 1963) remaining in the adult population in 1974. 

Can Be Confused With 

The sei whale's smaller size and taller dorsal fin located just 

less than two-thirds of the way back from the rostrum tip should 

help avoid confusion with the blue whale (p. 13). At a distance, 

however, it is very difficult to distinguish seis from fin (p. 23) 

and Bryde's whales (p. 34). The asymmetrical coloration of the 

fin whale's head and baleen is probably the most reliable feature 

for distinguishing it from the sei whale, particularly in combination with the other features listed on p. 27-28. 

Sei whales can be distinguished from Bryde's whales only on 

close examination. The most reliable character is the single head 

ridge of the sei whale. The Bryde's whale has two additional 

ridges-one on each side of the main ridge. Generally speak ing, 

the Bryde's whale has a smaller dorsal fin, up to Y2 m high, 

sharply pointed, and often frayed on the rear margin. Also, the 
Figure 36.-Dorsal view of a sel wbale on tbe dei:k of a whaUng ship In the Nortb Pacific. Note the numerous scars on the body and the otherwise dark gray coloration of 

the back . (Photo by Japanese Whales Research Institute, courtesy of H. Omura.) 

Figure 37.-An excellent view of tbe bead of a sei whale stranded in early 1940 at Rio Gallegos, Argentina. Tbe down,.ard turn to the lip of the '0 lrum i c~arl)' Ie, 

as is the dark gray baleen. Tbe large falcate dorsal fin is visible near tbe right shoulder of the rigbtmost person. ~ole also tbe tb <I, Llil lock ~Pholo courles) of J. G. 

Mead, U.S. National Museum.} 

33 
Figure 38.-The right upper ja" of. ,ei " hale 'trunded at Cape bland, '>.C 1 h. 

baleen plates, here partl) buried in the ,and, number fro m 2 19 to 02 per , ide 

and are uniformly dark gray with fine , Ughter gray bristles. They cootinue 10 

serve as Identifying cha ra cteristics even 0 0 a badly decomp ose d 

specimen. (Photo by J. G. Mead .) 

Bryde's whale is more piscivorou than the sel \Ihale, so it dt\-

ing behavior resembles more closely that of the fin \\ haJe. 

Bryde's whales are generally smoky gray, while sei \1 hale are 

more bluish gray and often mottled. 

J hc I1lln ~C \l haiL' (p HO) I~ tnul h Ill .. d k r Ih a n th c ddu it \;1 

wha k , Ical hing 10 III In le ngth o nl y ICT) C)(ccp ll ll ~. It whit\; 

Iltppcl pakhc, arc a dl~tlngul,llIl1g leatule 

I rom thc dlr, ~CI II haiL'\ dPpcar l11()llicd ul~h, Ill uch ilke hlue 

Ilhdlc .. , dar~<:1 Ihall gla\ Ilhak~, hIli cOfl\lderi.lhlj Iightcr Ihon 

rill 111 BI)lk', \Ihak'>. [ he) Me dlsl1nglmhed Ir0111 hlue \\h,lle, 

bj tllell lTluch ~Illalkr \I/C, IIlU[e pOllltcd ro~lrulll, i.llld mudl 

mO il' pi UIll I I1l'll I dl1U alllcr1<)fI~ ~Ituated dor ,iI 1111. 

,111 111<: ea'>c 01 1111 IlhaiL'"lldd IdCI1lIII~dllon 01 CI dwle'I'> 

a Irid,~ maIler [ ICIl l' PCflCIH.CU "h'>crH;r, hiJle been kilO In to 

1111~td ~e ,el \1 hak, lor Ill.tli blue II halc,. [ he gencrait/al1nn 

about behal 1l1f, c pCClolI), tcnd to breaJ.. dO'l n "hCIl Ihe II halc 

arc bClIlg pur~ucd or IIhcn tllc} .ife prc}tng on fi h rathcr Ihan 

planJ..ton RC\\lng bluc ,1Ild IIJI \\hi.lle, can urlaLe at a halloll 

'.ln6k. c\pU'lng thc dor al 1111 a5 the~ hloll, thcn stnkmg a Ic" 

meter, under the ~urtaLe-beh,l\lor that I gcncr.lll} allnbutcd 

to S<:I II hale,. 

Identification 01 Dead ",pHimrn, 

Dead CI \\ halc~ can be con I u ed \\ nh }oung blue \\ halc , 1m 

\\h .. t1e, Br)de' "hale, and mmJ..e I\hale . The three heau 

f1uge, 01 the Bnde' \\h ~e hould bc adequate tor dl ungul htng n I eature that dl l1ngul h t:1 \\ hale I rom other rorqual 

arc I) the color of the' bakcn unttorml) a h blac~ (blue- or 

green-tinged) \\ Ilh 11I1e \\ hill' or Itght gray fringe; 2) the den-

\11) 01 bmtle~ on the baken plate\- ei \\ hale hal tng 35-60 

Iringe~ per centimeter, all other ror4ual~ le\ler; 3) the relau\e 

length 01 the \entral groo\e'i-tho e ot ei \\haks and mm J.. e 

\\hale cnding \\ell before the nUle\' and 4) the rclatilel) mall 

number 01 \entral groo\e, (3 2-60)-blue, rin~, and mo t 

min~e ha\c more, Bryde', \\hale about the ame number In 

addition, the 1m \\ hale', \lhite nght lo \\ er \tp and the mtn ke' 

\1 hite nipper band\ are di\tinc111 e. 

If the animal is not in an ad\anced .,tate 01 decompo ilion, 

the region of 1\ hite coloratIOn on the SCI \\ hale' bell) rna} al 0 

bc II ible and aid to id entification. 

BRYDE'S WHALE (B) 

Balaenoptera edeni Anderson. 1878 

Other Common Names 

Ballen a de Bryde' (Latin A m erica); nitari kujira (Japanese); 

kit Brayda (Russian). 

Description 

Maximum length for Bryde's whales is about 14 m, with 

'A necessary invention of a common name in Spanish , It is only in the last few 

years that any attempt has been made (in Chile and Peru) to distinguish Bryde's 

whales from sei whales. 

34 

females somewhat large r than males. 

In o verall appearan ce the Bryde' whale resembles closely the 

sei whale (p. 29) , though the Bryde' whale is dark smoky gray 

while the sei whale is often a galvanized blue-gray, The most distinctive field character of the Bryde's whale, and the feature 

which distinguishes it most readily from the sei whale, is the 

presence of three prominent, parallel ridges anterior to the blowholes. At least in some populations the extent of expression of 

these ridges is variable. The central ridge extends to the tip of the 

rostrum. The auxiliary ridges, which begin as slight depressions 

adjacent to the blowholes, bow along the rostrum almost 
a 

ing the tip. If the head can be examined at close range, 

st Bryde's whales can be positively identified by this characer alone. 

The dorsal fin can be about \12 m high. It is extremely falcate, 

pointed at the tip, and located about one-third forward from the 

tail. It is often irregularly notched or frayed on its rear margin. 

There are about 40-50 ventral grooves, and these extend posteriorly at least to the navel. 

The body is generally smoky gray, with no conspicuous interuptions except in some individuals that have a small region of 

lighter gray on either side just forward of the dorsal fin. 

Bryde's whale baleen is shorter and stiffer than sei whale 

baleen, with a maximum plate length of about 40 cm. The longest plates are approximately half as wide as they are tall. There is 

usually a noticeable gap at the tip of the rostrum between the 

left and right rows of baleen, which number about 255-365 

plates each. The baleen is slate gray with coarse, lighter gray 

bristles. 

There may be two kinds of Bryde's whales in the North Pacific, 

as there are off South Africa. Inadequate sampling of the population(s) in the eastern North Pacific, however, precludes any 

judgment about inshore-offshore differences here. 

Natural History Notes 

Bryde's whales do not appear to be gregarious. They are 

usually alone or in pairs, although loose feeding aggregations of 

up to seven whales have been reported. 

As a primarily tropical species, the Bryde's whale might be 

expected to have an unrestricted breeding season. Indeed, this 

has proven true for the relatively sedentary inshore population 

off South A frica. Offshore anim als, however, which presumably undertake seasonal migrations, were found to have a 

breeding peak in autumn. The reproductive cycle for individual 

Bryde's whales is believed to be little different from those of 

other balaenopterids-a year of gestation, half a year of nursing, and half a year of resting. 

Bryde's whales have been observed feeding on red crabs, an 

abundant planktonic crustacean, off Baja California, and probably take anchovies as well. Inshore Bryde's whales off South 

Africa and Japan subsist almost entirely on epipelagic schooling 

fishes, while offshore whales consume large quantities of krill as 

well as mesopelagic fishes. 

35 

Figure 39.-Four views of swimming Bryde's wbales that 

allow positive identification. The presence of prominent auxiliary head ridges can generaUy be used to identify a whale as a 

Bryde's wbale, tbough at least in some populations tbe extent 

of expression of these ridges is variable. In these photos of 

Br)'de's whales, taken off La Jolla, Calif. (a), and at lat. 

22 °26 'N, long. III °26 'W (b), at least two of the three rostral 

ridges are clearl) "isible. In those taken off Hawaii's Leeward 

Island Chain (c) and off the east coast of Islas Fernandina in 

the Galapagos (d), the right lateral ridge is barely discernible. 

(Photos by F. Morejohn lal; S. Sinclair, courtesy of NMFS 

[bl; R. L. Brownell, Jr. [e); G, M. Wellington [dl.J 

b 

c 

d 
Figure 40.-B}rde's "hales off the Galapagos Islands (top left) , at lat. 24 °13.5 't", long. 15{)"25 'E (top rigbt), and off Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela (bottom). In aD note 

the tall, falcate dorsal fin, much Ii~e that of the sei "bale. In man) Bf}de's "hales the rear margin of the dorsal fin is ragged. In the animal on the top right, note also the 

region of gra} on the ,ide!> in front of the dorsal fin. (Photos b) G. . "ellington [top leftl : S. Ohsumi [top rightl: G. di Sciara. courtes} of Hubbs-Sea ,\ orld Research 

In,titute Ibottoml.) 

The Bryde's \\ hale usuall} urfaces steeply, much like the fin 

\\ hale, \\ ith the blo\\ occurring \\ell before the dorsal fin is 

exposed. Ho\\e\er, this characteristic tS not particularly useful 

for identification purposes, since indi\ iduals have been seen to 

urface at a much hallo\\er angle reminiscent of the sei \\ hale, 

expo Ing the blowholes and dorsal fin almost simultaneousl}. 

Bryde' \\ hales are thought to breach more often than the other 

large balaenopterid \\ hales. When pursued, they generally 

underta~ e an e\'asi\ e S\\ imming course, changing directions 

unuen\ater frequentl}. Feeding Bryde's \\ hales move quickly 

and change directlon sudden I} . 

Obtribution 

ntll \ er) recent I}, \\ hen It became the onl} remaining large 

baleen whale In the orth Pacific belie\ed abundant enough to 

e plOlt, the range 01 the Bryde's \\hale \\as poorly kno\\n. 

tepped-up \\haling actl\it) ha begun to c1arif} the species' dis36 

tribution. The only record for the we t coast of the United 

States is that of an animal sighted off La Jolla, Calif. For the 

most part, the species appears to be confined to warm waters 

south of lat. 30° . It seems fairly strictly limited by the 20°C 

isotherm. Its presence has been conftrmed from lat. 26° ofD 

western Baja California, south to Cabo San Lucas, into the GulD 

of California, and outh along the lexican mainland to the 

Tn!s Man'as Islands (ca. lat. 21 ° ). Sightings in the Gulf of 

Panama, around the Galapagos, and in many equatorial regions 

far offshore suggest that Bryde's whale may be continuously distributed from Baja California to the equator. It is common 

around the mouth of the Gulf of California and penetrates the 

upper reaches of the Gulf at least in summer. There is no 

evidence that Bryde's \\ hales are strongly migratory. 

Bryde's whales are relatively abundant in summer and fall on 

the Mellish and Miluoki Banks northeast of Hawaii between lat. 

31 ° and 35 ° I and near the Midway Islands. They have also 

been hunted with some success northeast of Hawaii between lat. 

24° and 43 ° ,long. 165°E and 150 0W. There is no evidence of 
eir regular occurrence around the main Hawaii an Islands, 

though they are known to be present near the Leeward Chain. 

The current population of ~3r e's whales in the western 

rth Pacific is estimated at about 14,500. There is no estimate 

r the eastern North Pacific. 

an Be Confused With 

There is little chance of seeing a Bryde's whale off the west 

last of North America north of California. However, there is 

ery possibilit y that from Mexico south, in tropical and subtroal waters, this whale will be confused with other balaenoptetis. At a distance, it is virtually impossible for anyone other 

an a highly skilled observer, familiar with the region and used 

viewing both sei (p. 29) and Bryde's whales, to make a 

Dsitive identificatio n. The head ridges (one in sei whales, three 

Bryde 's whales) are the only reliab le feature. Generally speakg, Bryde's whales are deeper divers than sei whales, and they 

'e less likely to surface and blow at evenly spaced intervals. Figure 41.-An adult and calf Bryde's whale off Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela, In 

1979. (Photo by G. di Scia ra, court esy of Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute.) 

Figure 42.-Stranded Bryde's whales at Ft. George Island, Fla., (above) and Panacea, 

Fla., Gulf of Mexico (right). In both animals note the head shape, similar to that of the 

sel whale though lacking the pronounced downward tum to the tip of the rostrum. Note 

also the three distinct head ridges and, In the animal at the top, tbe baleen plates, up to at 

least 300 per side and dark gray wltb lighter gray bristles. (Photos courtesy of 

Marlneland of Florida [abovel; by M. B. Rank, courtesy of Wide World Photos [rightl.) 

37 
Figure 43.-A Bryde's whale stranded In 1972 on a South African beach . Note the head , sUm in profile and bearing the diagnostic auxiliary ridge, and the prominent dor 

sal fin. The mottled, or pock-marked, appearance of the skin Is due to scars left by epizoic parasites. (Photo by P. Best, courtesy of General Whale.) 

The best feature for distinguishing fin whales (p. 23) from 

Bryde's whales in, for instance, the Gulf of California, is to note 

the color of the right lower lip and right front baleen and to 

compare this to the left side. If the right side is white and the left 

grayish, the animal is almost certainly a fin whale; if both sides 

are gray or white, it is probably a sei or Bryde's whale. If the 

three head ridges are seen, the animal can usually be identified 

as a Bryde's whale. However, fin whales sometimes have faint 

auxiliary ridges similar to those found consistently on the head 

of Bryde's whales. Generally speaking, the Bryde's whale has a 

smaller, more pointed dorsal fin that is often ragged on the trailing edge. However, in both species there is enough variability in 

dorsal fin size and shape to make this an inadequate way, by 

itself, of telling them apart. 

Minke whales (p. 80) have an acutely pointed head with a 

single ridge, and a white band on each flipper. Also, they rarely 

reach 10 m in length, so only very large individuals are likely to 

be confused with Bryde's whales. 

Of the baleen whales with sharply pointed heads, Bryde's 

38 

\\hales viewed from the air can readily be distinguished from fiI 

and minke \\hales, but not from sei whales. Sei \\hales are ofter 

a mottled bluish gray, while Bryde' whales are usually an ever 

smoky gray except for the light gray zone on the sides behind thl 

flippers in some individuals. The three head ridges are visibll 

from the air only under excellent \ iewing conditions. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Stranded Bryde's whales can be positively identified by the 

three ridges along the top of the head from the area of the blow 

holes to the tip of the rostrum. All the other balaenopteric 

whales have but a single prominent ridge. If the head of , 

stranded specimen is buried in sand, is decomposed beyonc 

recognition, or is otherwise inaccessible for identification 

Bryde's whales can still be distinguished from sei whales by dif 

ferences in the relative lengths of the ventral grooves, and frorr 

both the fin whale and the sei whale by differences in the charac· 

teristics of the baleen plates (Table 2 (p . 217)). 
III \1PB \( K \\" \I L (B) 

\In:CI{1fl!rCl I/IJ\CI('ClIlr:/;<ll' (Bortn"!.I. 1 Xl) 

Figure 44.-An excellent view of tbe bead and trunk of a humpback .. bale In tbe Antarctic. ,",oteth. bump' on Ihe head and the lunK fUp~ ... In th P«tmt.1m 1.1 

while. wllh two prominent bumps and a series of smaller bumps on the forward margin. :"<ote abo th ,mali drc~ on the lip and lo ... r j.... n from b.m. In.. b 

have been shed. and the small number of barnacles still cUnglng to the upper ja". (Photo bl J. Holbrook. courte , of Hubh .a ~ orld R~.r h I Wutf I 

Other Common "Iamc~ 

Humpbacked whale. hump; ballena jorobada. yubarta or 

gubarta (Latin America); zata kujira (Japane e); aghvesliq 

(Alaska Eskimo Yupik); gorbach (Ru sian). 

De~cription 

remale humpback \\hale, gro\\ to length, l11 .Ill\[ l)\el 16 III 

and ale ,ome\\ h<ll larger than male, 13l)(h ,c'\e, reach rerrl1Jlh. 

tl\e 1113tUII(\ at about 11-12 III In length 

4.5-5.0 III k1ng. 

The bod~ of thl \I hale i, robu\[. n.lrr,)\\lOg r.lpldl\ bc!tlOd 

(he dOl .11 fin. In rwllk. the hcad l1f .1 1ll1nf dlllg \lh.I' 1 

,,1I11CIII11C alliga(l1rhke. \er~ ,lim Irl1111 the _apc lor\\ rJ In 

kcdlllg hlll11rba,'k . a, III Illan~ lllh,'r rortlu I . th thr at 

gll1l1\e, .HC l1ftcn grcat" dl\[cndcd a the anlO'al gull \\Jt r 

and (h(' fl1l1d II 'lllllain . In dlH al • 'I' .:1. thl h .Id· br ad and 

Tl11lllded. h\.. (h.ll )1 (he blue \\ h.lle. 1 h,' III dlJn h 'ad rid 

l1b"'UI 'd b~.l qllngl)llk 11\ k1ll11' . \1 .1I1\ III re flh n b 

.lIC rIC Cill l1n Il'P <'I (he head .lI1d l n Ihl 11" r J " fha I a 
Figure 45.-A sequence showing a lateral view of tbe blow and roU of two humpback whales surfacing off Oregon. Note the knobs on the top of the head (a), the 

emergence of tbe dorsal fin while tbe blowboles are stili exposed (b), the hump as the animals arch their backs to dive (c), and the flukes of the animal on the right, about 

to be Ufted from the water (d). (Photos by Clyde Harrison, courtesy of NMFS.) 

The n u kes a re often li fted hIgh into the a ir as the whale dives, 

showi ng th e slight S-curve of each n uk e's rear margin and the 

scaUoped traIli ng edge as well as the o ften \\ hit e o r "hite-nec ked 

underside. The nukes are 0 dIsti nctive a nd so frequemly 

exposed that photos of them are used to id entify individu al 

whales-a natural tag. 

HumpbaLks are baSIcall y gray to blac k. T he throat a nd chest 

have a \'anable amount of "hit e spottlIlg, streaking o r pat ching, 

and there is usually some white alo ng th e ventral midline to the 

anus. The nIppers of most \\ hales are " hite underneath , but the 

color of the upper surface varies fro m aU black to aU whit e. 

The rdati\ cl~ short baleen IS a ll blac k, with black o r olive 

bristlcs (in frcquently \\ hi t ish with grayis h-w hit e bristles). The 

longcst of th..: 270-400 ba leen plates fo und o n each side o f the 

lIpp..:r jaw ',ddom mcasure more than 80 cm, a nd they a re a bo ut 

on..:-thlrd Js \\ ide as the~ are long. 

~alu l Hisl()~ ," oles 

Humpbacks arc grcganous, often fo und in gro up o f 7- 10 

mdl\ idllal . 

\lthough conccption can occur in an) seaso n, there is a 

trung \\ intcr spring p..:ak 1Il reproductiv e aC l1\lt ~, Most calves 

MC horn m \\lntcr, aftcr slight I) less than a year o f gestation . 

1 he\ M': proh.lbl) \\eancd aftcr abou t 6 mont hs o f dependence . 

HUlllpb,l\:b Me trongl) Illigra or~ a nd appear to follo\\ 

I,m\) nMH)\\ routc, b.:t \\ cen \\ mtcr cah ing areas and ,ummer 

40 

feeding grounds. They occur very close to shore in some areas 

and appear to be quite sedentary once they arrive at their northern or southern easonal destination. 

The humpback's blow is generally 2-3 m high a nd balloonshaped or bushy. It is wide relative to its height. OccasionaUy 

two divergent columns of vapor are apparent, allowing the 

possibility of confusion \\ith right and bowhead whales. Humpbac ks are among the mo t acrobatic of cetacean, especially on 

winter ground, where they breach repeatedly and slap nippers 

or nukes on the surface, making loud reports. Humpbacks on 

the winter grounds are often encoumered with one long nipper 

rai ed into the air. 

An interestin g aspect of humpback whale behavior is the 

complica ted repertoire of " songs" ung on the winter grounds 

(recent evidence sugge t some "singing" on the ummer 

grounds as well). 

One of the most remarkable forms of behavior is called 

bubble-net feeding. In this type of feeding a humpback circle a 

school of fish from below and blow bubbles a it spiral toward 

the urface. The fish appear to be intimidated by the resultant 

" bubble net," and they form a tightly packed ball through 

\\ hich th e \\ ha le \\ims, mouth agape. The whale' throat 

becomes enormously distended to comain it giant mouthful of 

prey, and the lower jaw may move so far as to appear in jeopardy of unhinging. Krill and schooling fishes are the main tayof 

the humpback's diet. 

Humpbacks are sometimes attacked and killed by killer 

\\ hales. 

b 

d 
Distribution 

The summer grounds of humpback whales include the cool 

:emperate waters of the entire continental shelf of the North 

Pacific, from Point Conception on the American side and 

aapan on the A ian side northward as far a Bering Strait. 

I mportant feeding areas include Glacier Bay, Stephens Passage, 

Frederick Sound, and Prince William Sound on the coast of 

laska, and good numbers were found historically near the 

leutian chain. 

Three stocks are recognized in the North Pacific, based priarily on the three known wintering areas. Considerable mixing 

ay take place on t he northern feeding ground, but it has been 

postulated, v\ ith orne e\ idence, that individual whales return 

ear after year to the same wintering site. The Asian stock 

"inters around the Mariana, Bonin, and Ryukyu Islands and 

aiwan. Since marked whales from this stock have been capured in the eastern Bering Sea and near the Aleutians, they can 

e regarded as easonal inhabitants of eastern North Pacific 

vaters. Humpbacks from the Asian stock were o\erexploited by 

a 

b 

c 

d 

41 

Figure 46.-A sequence showing nuke-lifting behavior of diving humpback 

whales. Note the rippled and sligbtly S-sbaped rear margin. So distinctive Is the 

appearance of an Individual bumpback's flukes tbat they are used b} researcben 

to Identify Individual whales. (Pbotos from the nortbern Nortb Atlantic by K. 

C. Balcomb la-f); off Labalna, Maul, Hawall, by W. A. Watkins IgJ.) 

commercial whalers for more than half a century and are no\\ 

seriously depleted. 

Another winter concentration of humpbacks begm to arri\ e 

in Hawaiian waters in November and remains through ~lar(h. 

Penguin Bank and the area bounded b~ \lolokai, :-'laui, 

Kahoolawe, and Lanai are pockets of abundance This 

Hawaiiantock numbers at least several hundred \\ hale . 

The third stock winters along the coast of Baja ahlornta. 

principally around Gorda Bank, northea~t of abo an Lu",j • 

along mainland Mexico from outhern onora to Jali co, rciall} the 'vicinity of the Tres :-'Ianas Island , I~abela I land. 

Nayarit, and Banderas Bay, Jah~co. and around the off hore 

Re'villagigedo Islands. Humpba"b penetrate the Gull of 

California at lea t a far north a an Jo e I land. Thl \Ie I an 

population probabl~ include~ mOrl than 100 \\ hale. 

About 15,000 humpback "hale. arc belic\ed to ha\e b n 

present in the orth Pacific prior to I9<L. The~ \\ ere hea\ll) 

hunted from that tIme on. \\ Ilh about 1 ,. t1kd In the pen d 

of 1905-1929 alone. Toda} there are probabl) not more than 

1,000 humpbacks in the entire orth Paclll . 

e 

f 

9 
d 

a 

e 

b 

f 

c g 

Figure 47.-A series showing the extreme variability in dorsal fin shapes of humpback whales: (a) a rounded nubbin, (b) slightly falcate, (c) strongly falcate, (d) hooked 

with a pronounced hump, (e) rounded with a pronounced hump, (0 triangular with a pronounced hump, and (g) gouged and disfigured. (Photos from off Lahaina, Maui, 

Hawaii, by S. Leatherwood [a, b, c, f]; from Socorro Island by R. L. Pitman, courtesy of NMFS (d, g); from Baja California by K. C. Balcomb [e].) 

42 
ure 48.-Humpbacks are easy to Identify from tbe air by the long, winglike flippers, Ihat are usuall) aD or partl} ,.hlt •• Tb~ I~ dramllkall} tItudtd I tb •• 

ach Ihe ,urfuce 10 re, pire (lo p) o r breach (lo" .r left). AI,o. Ihe bod) " mor. rolund and Ie , ,Ireamltned Ihan Ihl"" III nIh" r .. rqll I \1 I I In t,op".1 p" 

of Ihelr range, humpbacks are f~quently found In tbe compan) of small dolpblns (Io ... r r bl). (Photos from Ha .. alI b} P. H •• orrsl.U [lOp Ittll. R. 

rlgbt). and L. M . Herman . all courtesy of L. M. Herman.) 

Be Confu~ed \\ ith 

From a diqan.:c humpba.:k II hale, ~an be .:onfu ed Ililh an~ 

ther 01 Ihe large rorqual,-blue (p. lJl. fin (p. 23), CI (I' 2Q). 

nd Br~dc', (P 3-l) .... lthl)ugh il i. hlghh Ian ble. Ihc dor .11 fill 

lo,t .:k ,el~ re,elllblc, Ih.1t l)1 thc blue Ilhale. Hl \lelcr. 1\ I 

.:ated 1 urlher fl)nl ard l)n the bl)'!\. and II gCIlC'ralll I rfl1p rOl1alcl\ larger_ Hllllll'ba.:k, di,tinglli,h thC'm ell c t rOIll Ihe 

thC'! rorqU,lh b~ their hahn II ral ing thC' nukC' high \I hC'n 

~gllll1l11g a long dill.' . .1lthl)llgh in len hallo\l lI.ller IhcI Illal 

t11 ,hl II Ihe nuke,.11 ,Ill The l)nh olh r Il)rquallh. t rt~~u! rll 

r" 1" nukC', dC,H )1' Ihe ,urfa '(' i, thl: blu IIhale, bUI 1\ 1.111 

.p 

,toe\... I l11U -h Ihld,C'r Ihan Ihe hUrT'pb 

l)11\ flukc I mLulh nd Iral hI. I 

dcel'lI n Ilhed It 

l nct r 
Figure 49.-Humpback whales are weD known for tbeir aerial displays. These individuals are about to faU back into the water after breaching. The rounded projectJon 

below the tip of the lower jaw, with its clusters of adhering barnacles, is a puzzling and distinctive feature in this species. (photos from off Baja California by x. C. 

Balcomb [top); off HawaU by D. McSweeney [bottom).) 

44 
Figure SO.-A dramatic view of a humpback whale lunging from the waters of Glacier Bay, Alaska, in an almost dolphinlike leap. Humpbacks often 

lunge in this manner during feeding passes. (Photo by R. Storro-Patterson.) 

Figure 5t.-Humpback wbales often Ue on their sides at the surface, one long rupper in tbe air. Tbey often slap tbis flexible appendage against tbe surface, creating a loud report thought to be used for communication. Tbis animal's flipper is black and 

wblte, a typical cbaracterisdc of bumpbacks in the Nortb Pacific. (photo from Baja CaUfomla by K. C. Balcomb.) 

45 
Figure 52.-A feeding bumpback wbale in Glacier Bay, Alaska, (top left) demonstrates tbe remarkable plasticity of its throat, wbicb is distended to contain an enormous 

load of water and food. Humpbacks frequently rise to tbe surface, moutb agape, amid a circle of bubbles of tbeir own making (top rigbt), engulfing fisb and krill ap· 

parently enclosed witbin the bubble net (bottom). (Photos by A. Wolman, courtesy of NMFS [top left); from soutbeastern Alaska by J. Olson [top rigbt); off San 

Nicholas Island, Calif., by J. Leckey, courtesy of NMFS [bottom).) 

46 
Figure 53.-ln tbeir usually clear tropical wintering areas bumpback wbales bave been particular!} accommodating to human dher and pbotoll",pben. 

Tbanks to a flurry of stili pbotos and motion picture films over the past half decade, the appearance of lbe humpback has become perbap better I.DO"D 

than that of any other of the world's large whales. The underwater perspective bas given us a ne .. appreciation for the urpn"ing race and buut of tbe 

bulky larger whales. The body of the humpback, as well as lbose of other rorquals. turns out to be conslderabl) slimmer and more trnmLl.ned aD ad 

been suggested by depictions of dead specimens. (Pbotos from Ha .. all b) S. 01110 ... courtes) of Gene .... Whale.) 

47 
Figure 54.-Detall of the head of a humpback wbale barpooned off Japan. Note tbe knobs along tbe top of tbe bead and on tbe lower jaw, the rounded projection near 

the tip of the lower jaw, and the wide ventral grooves. The large mass of tissue to tbe left of tbe animalls Its tongue . In tbe top photo from a Canadian wbaUng station, 

note the baleen plates, less tban 0.9 m long and dark oUve green to hlack in color. (photos by Japanese Wbales Researcb Institute, courtesy of H. Omura; J. G. Mead 

[top).) 

48 
Humpback Whale Sperm Whale 

Blow 

rojects upward from center 

of head. Usually blows 4-8 

times (2-4 times in tropics) 

before diving. 

Projects obliquely forward 

from left forward side of 

head . Usually blows many 

times (20-50 or more) before 

diving. 

Head 

Raised area around paired 

blowholes; knobs on surface. 

Blunt, long, smooth; single 

large blowhole at front of 

head, to left of midline. 

Flukes 

Often white underneath; scal- All dark; smooth, straight, 

loped rear margin; S-shaped notched rear margin. 

from fluke tip to apex of 

notch. 

Flipper 

Extremely long (to one-third 

of body length), often white 

or partly white and knobbed 

along leading edge. 

Short; paddled-shaped; all 

dark. 

Dorsal Fin (or Hump) 

Triangular to falcate fin, 

including step or hump in 

front of dorsal fin; followed 

by smooth or slightly irregular bumpy dorsal ridge. 

Low rounded hump or 

apparent fin; two-thirds of 

distance from tip of snout to 

fluke notch; followed by 

knuckles or crenulations. 

When seen at close range, humpbacks are distinguishable 

from all other whales by the knobs on the head, the long white 

(or partly white) flippers knobbed on the leading edge, the 

small dorsal fin, and the distinctively shaped flukes. 

From the air, humpbacks are easy to identify. The long flippers may either flash white or, as they are extended and 

retracted in a sinuous flying motion, provide an unmistakable 

clue to the identity of the dark broad form below. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

The most distinctive features of dead humpback whales 

are the very wide ventral grooves, 14-22 in number, extending 

to the navel; the knobs on the head and lower jaw, which are 

often the sites of numerous barnacle colonies; the long flippers 

(to nearly a third of total body length); and the distinctive 

rounded lump near the tip of the lower jaw. 

If these characteristics are not adequate, the humpback whale 

may be identified by the characteristics of its baleen, which 

numbers 270-400 plates per side. Humpback baleen is ash-black 

to olive-brown, sometimes whitish, with grayish-white bristles. 

It is relatively short (about 70 cm or less) and stiff, with coarse 

fringes. 

Figure 55.-A humpback whale on the deck of a wballng station (now closed) in western Canada. AU of tbe species' most distinctive characteristics are evident In tbls 

photograph: 1) the bump and the dorsal fin; 2) the knobs on the top of the snout; and 3) the long flipper, with numerous barnacles attached to its leading edge. (pboto 

by G. C. Ptke, courtesy of I. A. MacAskie.) 

49 
Figure 56.-Humpback whales have 14-20 broad, widely spaced ventral grooves which extend about to the navel. These grooves remain good diagnostic characters for 

considerable periods after the animal's death, as evidenced In the fresbly killed specimen from Newfoundland (top) and the badly decomposed stranded animal from New 

Jersey (bottom). (Photos from U.S. National Museum, courtesy of J. G. Mead.) 

50 
SPERM WHALE (T) 

Ph),serer macrocephalus Lin naeus, 1758 

Other Commo n Names 

Cachalot, cachalote or ballena esperma (Latin America); 

makko kujira (Japanese); kashalot (Russian). 

Description 

Males are much larger than females, occasionally reaching 

ngths of 17 m but more often about 15 m. Females rarely 

12 m. At birth sperm whales are about 3.5-5.0 m long 

weigh about 1,000 kg. 

A sperm whale is among the easiest of the large whales to 

entify at sea, even when comparatively little of the animal is 

. It has a huge head, sometimes likened to a boxcar, which 

mprises one-fourth to one-third of total body length, the proortion being considerably higher for males than females. The 

t, squarish snout may project as much as 1.5 m beyond the 

of the narrow, undershot lower jaw. The head contains the 

51 

Figure 57.-A side view of a sperm whale near the equator In tbe eastern Pacific 

showing the small dorsal fin, the large head, and the distinctive blow (above). In 

these two photos. note that the spout projects obliquely fornard from the 

blowhole. which is positioned at the left front of the head. (Photos b) H. E. 

Winn. courtesy of NMFS labove); from the West Indies b) K. O. Sexton lleft).) 

Figure 58.-ln this closeup view of two swimming sperm wbales off tbe bow of a 

researcb ship note the position of the blowhole. (photo from tbe North Pacific 

by S. Ohsuml.) 
d 

a 

b 

c f 

Figure 59.-ProfUes of a sperm wbale at the surface, clearly sbowing tbe large head (a), the humpUke dorsal fin and crenul.atlons (b, c), and tbe taU nukes, raised blgh 

above the surface as the dive begins (d-f). (Photos from the eru.tern tropical Pacific by G. Frederich.en, courte.) of NMFS.) 

52 
6O.-Proflles of a sperm whale mother and calf off Baja California. Nole Ibe generaUy wrinkled appearanct of Iht bod) behind Ibe head. (Pholo b, 

K. C. Balcomb.) 

ure 61.-Sperm wbales often sbow tbeir broad nukes as Ibey begin long dives, which may lasl over an hour and lake Ibem 10 deplh of 1.000 m or mur. Olr Ihe 

smooth rear margin and Ibe nearly triangular sbape of tbe flukes. (Pbolo from off Polnl Concepllon, Calif., b) K. C. Balcomb.) 

Ii organ, a reservoir of high-qualit~ oil like \\ a\. for 

this \\ hale has been relentlessly hunted. In adults there are 

merou short, irregular crea es on the throat. 

The single blo\\ hole is located \\ ell to the left of the midhne 

d far forward on the head. Consequently, the projection of 

small bush) blo\\ i fOf\\ ard at a sharp angle and to the left. 

nder 1':1\ arable \\ ind c nditions this feature alone may permit 

entification of , perm \\hales e\en at a considerable distance 

perm \\ hale ha\ e a dar al hump or rin. uually rounded at 

peak but sometimes triangular. located about t \\ o-thlnj of 

\\ay bad. from the front or the head. The hUli1r and crenuons following it are clearly \ isible \\ hen an animal arche It 

k on di\ing. Each f1uke is in the hape of a right triangle. 

I Ilh the hypotenuse a, the leading edge They are omellme 

lightly frayed along the tralght rear margin. but not a regutHI) a, in the humpback \\ hale tr 39, 41). The right anJ left 

1uke, of len 0\ rlap ,ltghtly at the median notch. Th' tllprer 

Ire short and paddle-,hareJ. tapering l)l1ly ,ltghth tlH\ard their 

ips. 

53 

Sperm \\ hale u ually .lppear d.Hk bro\\ m h 

po,terior to the neck often ha a Ijmcled dppC.lr 

and front of the head are olten h ht gra\ to f II III 

around the moulh, parul:ularh near Ihe .. rncr , I 

flel:ked \\ ith gra} The under Ide of th fu d pp 

If1 .. olor through nUmeTOl. hade I l>r \\ n a J ur \ 

ell born perm \1 hale art hghl gr,\ I d th 

tht (Ir I f \I \leek of hfl' 

alural Hi- Ion ull? 

fern I 

lar, t mak 

gtnerdlh hlar 

a uak>ct h rd 

I red 
Fig ure 62.-An aeria l vie .. of 21 sperm .. bale, Including two H r) )Oun a cal> Ind n er.II ... e m ,ort J pan , f .. n 'rom In IIrC"ft, the bod ) hlpe Ind the po Ito 

of tbe blowhole c1earl) d lstlnaulsh these anima ls perm .. ha lf-... (Pho to bl "ul .. n Ko ... u (ompI"" court ,of T. " Ul • • ) 

Breeding occurs at an) lime bl:l\\cen latc \\ Inter ,lIld I.ltl: UJTl' 

mer. Gestation lasts for 14-15 month and ... lh earL \\c.lned 

1\ hen about 7 m long, or at 1 :2 )eM\ 01 age. ~ em .. lIe, beLlll1le 

exuall) mature \\ hen about 9 m long, at \\ hich wnc the) art: 

thought to be 8-11 years of age. \Ialc maturc c\uall) at 12111 

and probabl~ about 10 years 01 agc, but thel do not bClolllL' 

socially mature (participate in reprodul.lion) until thc) are at 

least t\IICe as old. The intenal bc[\\een birth lor a gi\cn lemale 

is 3-5 years 

The seasonal movements 01 spcrm II hak are not a 

regimented as those of man) baleen Ilhale , :--' Iale., are morl' 

mobile than females, traveling much farther pole\\ard In sum54 

mer I hc perm \\ hdl I eJdom tound .n II Oller I than 2 

dLcp 

palll \lh,,! dlle to d plh me c 

ubmerged lor p nod I ,In hour or m rc I I 

blo\\ .InJ then, depend.ng on the len~ th 

.11 thc urfdLc 10< 0\ r 60 mmulL dnd bl II morL than ' 0 11m 

belme dll mg dg,lIn. hon r pLnod at thL urlaL and rCIIL 

bloll .trL morL u)mm n. perm" hale La" l: I) m~ unall ndt: 

al thc urla,e marl...111 arLd bdo\\ "hldl adull are ear,hmg fo 

fOLHl. \\ hen hegtrlntrlg d dilL, p..::rm \I halc u ualll IhrlHl Ih"::l 

Ilu"e high into the dlr 

Figure 63.-A smaU sperm "bale as It 

breacbes beside a research vessel in tbe 

eq uato ria l Pacific a t la t. I c30 "', long. 

88 05 ' \\ in J anu a!) 1979. Sperm "hal .. are 

oft en !>een breachin g. ", o te th e bu, h) blo\) , 

emanating from Ibe front of Ibe squarish 

bead . (photo by R. L. Pitman , courtesy 

NMFS.) 
Figure 64.-Among the great whales, only sperm whales are known to strand en masse witb any regularity. In June 1979 a large berd swam onto Florence 

Beach, Oreg .. where they stirred the participants in a nearby meeting of the American Society of Mammalogists and public sanitation officials. (Photo b} 

J. Larison, courtesy B. Mate.) 

55 
ur.65 . ',t,"nd..d) oun~ mal sperm" bale at Melbourne Beacb , Fla., (top ) ond a female adult sperm wbale on tbe deck of a whalJng ship In the North Pacific (bottllm) 'ott Ih. bul InK fo~h ad, tbe narrow, underslung lower ja .. , the white coloration around the moutb , and the wrinkled appearance of the skin. In the bottom 

phot", notr .~ 0 th. ,. hit h r~lon on tb, beU" tbe e teot of" hleh rna) be used to distinguish among various regional populations. (Photos by P. Winfield, courtesy of 

'Iorlntblnd of f lund. flOp) ; Japan .... hal" R earch Institute, courtes) of H . Omura [bottom].) 

56 
Figure 66.- Tbe tbroat and lower jaw of a sperm wbale on the deck of a 

Canadian wballng station , showing the numerous sbort throat creases, which are 

most clearly evident on adult animals. Tbougb often deemed vestigial in sperm 

wbales, tbese grooves may yet prove to be fu nctional. In recent underwater 

pbotos tbere have been bulges in the area of the grooves, suggesting a use of 

some sort. (Pboto by J. G. Mead .) 

As deep divers, sperm whales feed primarily on squid but also 

eat octopuses and a variety of fishes. Killer whales attack sperm 

wha les occasionally. Sperm whales probably live for at least 

45-60 years. Mass strandings, such as the recent widely publicized strandings in the Gulf of Cali fornia and Oregon, happen 

occasionally throughout the species' range . 

D istributio n 

~perm whales are very widely distributed in the eastern North 

Pacific. During winter they are mostly found anywhere south of 

lat. 40 oN. They are known to be fairly common over the continental slope off central California from November to April. 

Important winter sperm wha lin g grounds existed during the 19th 

century off southern Baja Califo rni a and off the west coast of 

southern Mexico. 

Sperm whaling occurred year-ro und "On the Line" (along 

the equator), on the" Panama Bay Ground," the "Galapogos 

Ground," and the "Offshore Ground." It appears, then, that 

there may be a discrete stock (or stocks) in the eastern tropical 

Pacific. The "Hawaiian Ground" was another popular yearround sperm whaling area. Sperm whales are seen in frequently 

today near the main Hawaiian Islands but are considered common in the vicinity of the Leeward Chain. 

During summer sperm whales can be found anywhere in the 

North Pacific. In recent years large catches in spring, summer, 

and autumn were made off British Columbia, within 400 km of 

shore. Some sperm whales are found in shore, e.g., in Hecate 

Strait, Dixon Entrance, and Queen Charlotte Sound. Females 

generally do not venture north of lat. 50 oN, though in warmwater years they may reach the Aleutians. Males enter the Bering Sea, where they generally are encountered singly or in pairs. 

A major summer hunting area during the 19th century was the 

" Kodiak" or "Northwest Ground," which formed a broad 

band beginning in the southwestern Bering Sea, continuing 

along the A leutians, throughout much of the Gulf of Alaska 

Figure 67.- The narrow lower jaw of a sperm wbale contains 18-25 large functional teeth, which fit into sockets in tbe upper jaw. Tbe upper jaw also contains some teetb, 

but they are imbedded and nonfunctional. (Photos from the North Pacific by Japanese Whales Research Institute, courtes) of H. Omura /leftl; from La Jolla. Calif.. 

court esy NMFS IrightJ.) 

57 
Figure 68.-The paddle-shaped flipper of a sperm whale from the ... orth 

Pacific. (Photo from Japanese \\hales Research Institute, courte) of 

H. Omura.) 

north to lat. 50 ,and e tendIng belo\l lat. 4D 

American coa~t. 

alollg the 

Mo\ement of a fel\ indi\lduab ha\l: been inferred I rom tagrecapture studie~. Three animab \\ere marl,eo ott outhern 

California In Januar). Of these, a male \la, kllleo ott northern 

California In June, one \\a~ taken olT \\ ashIn~ton III lune, and 

a female was captured in the I\estern Gulf 01 Ala,ka In Aprtl. 

Can Be Confused \\ ilh 

Sperm "hales are so dlstInCtlle, partlcularl) in head hape, 

and In the appearance and trajectory of their blo\l, that the) 

58 

,11OUld 1101 he cOlllllWd 1\llh olltcr "ltalcs. flcl\\e\(:r, Ihere I 

'ollle Pll';'lhtlil y 01 ('ollluslllg them \\lIh hUl11pha\.k \\It,de' (p

1l)), II hlclt Cdll Ita\l a spelill \\ Itdlellke hllmp. Botlt SpeLIC\ '-Irdt 

thell hacks \I hell hegllllllll' .I IOllg dl\c, r'-ll Il1g Ihe 1111 H hump

,1I1d hoth thlOlI the 1,111 Ihll--C\ high. Iltc 1110 t d' IHH.tlH dlflerel1ce, ,Ill' t,lhularl/cd Oil p 41, 41). 

I hne I '>(lIlle pos Ihtlll} 01 l;of!luslIlg the perm \lhale \\Ith 

Baird', hcakcd \I hale (p 8) [he latin ha oor\,d I trI, hut II I 

located lar balk 011 the bod} and I '1:I1erdll} OJ rl: prominent 

than tlte hump III Ihl sperm \lhalc. III .tdUillIll1, Balro', heakeo 

II hak h,I'>.l IOllg, \.}ltlldrt .11 be,lk, anu moth but hea\ll) carreo sklf!. 

\\ hCIl de .trll cell I r m the ,m, perm \I hale are ea II. Id ntllteo, P,lItILltl.lI11 IIhen thc\ raft In light rc ttrlg group, c.atchlng 

thclr breath III [Hlp,lratloll for dnother long dl\e I heir Jeep 

oiling regllllcn II lIall} ell ures thdt }OU \1111 ec them \lell. or 

not ,It 0111. I he blo\l pruJn:t lorll, ro, dnd the c treme antertor 

po i111111 of the gaplllg blo\\hole I u uall} e\ld nt [he lo"er 

J,I\\ u uallv look stark II hlle under the surface T he nuke arc 

broao rclatl\e to the b ld} and tralght on the rear margIn. I rom 

the t,lIl tock lor\l,trll the bod\ broadens. then taper fr m the 

nnk lor\laro 

Identilkation 01 Dead pClimcn 

Dcolo pcrm IIhale are unml takable. fh onl) other \\hale 

\I nh rhlrrOIl unuer lu n~ I II er ja\" arc the d\\ arl (p 19.) and 

p}!!m) (p. Il)~) perm \\hak , both of IIhllh hale oor al flO 

and both 01 \\hldl arc mailer a adult thdn e\en nellborn 

sperm . The p~'rrn \\ h'-lle' teeth are al 0 dl tmdl\ e. The~ arc 

ma I\e, blurttl} Lonllal, ,mu onl~ light" u[\eo. There are 

Ic-25 lundlonal teeth H1 eadl lo\\er JaIl. and the e fit mto 

ol..k~t In the uppcr Jail. The huge heau and the po ilion of the 

blo\\hllie arc al 0 unml takable. 
LARGE WHALES WITHOUT A DORSAL FIN 

(12-16 m maximum length) 

There are three pecies of large whale without a dorsal fin in 

1st ern North Pacific and western Arctic waters. All are baleen 

hales. The first two, the bowhead and right whales, have 

lOrmous heads and smooth backs with no dorsal fin (~ee 

igs. 11 , 69). The third, the gray whale, has a head which is 

iangular in lateral or dorsal aspect, and a distinct dorsal ridge 

ith 6-12 bumps that give the back a knuckled appearance as 

Ie animal humps up to begin a di\e. In the bowhead and right 

c ( , ' 

\ I 

) 

\ 

whales, the projection of the blow upward from two widely 

separated blowholes assumes a V-shape with two distinct columns, evide nt when the animal is viewed from front or back. 

Though other baleen whales may exhibit a V-shaped blow 

under ideal conditions, this feature is exaggerated and consistent in the bowhead and right whales and may be used as a key 

to their identification. In calm conditions the gray whale's 

low, bushy blow can appear heart-shaped. 

right whale 

bowhead 

gray 

Figure 69.-Surfacing characteristics of "Large Whales Without a Dorsal Fin." (Drawings by Larry Foster, courtesy of General Wbale.) 

59 

-

o = 

.c 

.<::: 

~ 

~ .c 

~ 
BOWHEAD WHALE (B) 

Balaena mysticetlls Linnaeu~, 1758 

Figure 70.-A bowhead blowing In the eastern Beaufort Sea. The two-pronged or V-shaped spout dlstingulsbes bowbead and right wbales from aD other species, tbougb 

under calm conditions tbe blows of humpback and gray wbales may bave two separate elements. (pboto by W. Hoek, courtesy of Environment Canada.) 

Figure 71.-The bowhead whale's "hite chin. interrupted in most cases b) a string of blad, spots, b e,idenl in the surfacing indi,iduaJ (left) and in both member; of the 

pair (right). (Photos from off Point Hope. Alaska. b) J. Lentfer.) 

60 
Other Common Names 

Greenland whale, Greenland right whale, Arctic right 

whale, great polar whale, kiralick (plus special words for age 

and sex classes, used only by the northern Alaska Eskimos); 

hokkyoku kujira (Japanese); grenlandskiy, polyarnyy kit 

(Russian). 

Description 

The bowhead whale grows to 18 m long and can weig h 

upwards of 50 t. Sexually mature females are at least 12.2 m 

long; males, 11.6 m. Newborn bowheads are 3-4.5 m long. 

The most conspicuous feature of this whale is its enormous 

head, often a third as long as the entire body. The lower jaws 

are strongly bowed . The top of the head is smooth, black, and 

without the bonnet or " rock garden" characteristic of the 

right whale (p. 67). The blowholes are widely separated, and 

the blow projects upwards in two distinct columns. Though 

the blows of other mysticetes may be similar under calm conditions this feature is exaggerated and highly characteristic in the 

bowhead and right whales. 

When viewed from the side, some swimming bowhead 

whales show a classic Loch Ness monster profile, with two 

curves to the back-one forming a triangular hillock between 

the tip of the snout and the neck, the other encompassing the 

entire back from the neck to the tail. This description may 

apply only to adults. Other bowheads, usually smaller individuals, lack the indentation behind the head , having in stead a 

single smooth contour from snout to tail. In all animals, the 

back is smooth , lacking any trace of a dorsal fin or ridge. 

The flukes, which are frequently lifted clear of the surface as 

the whale begins a long dive, are broad, tapered at the tips, 

and concave along the rear margin with a deep median notch. 

The flippers have an almost rectangular shape, unlike those of 

rorquals. 

Figure 72.-A surfacing bow bead wbale off Point Barrow, Alaska, In April 1978, sbowlng Its "Loch Ness monster" profUe. (Pboto by S. Leatberwood.) 

Figure 73.-Bowbead wbales have no dorsal fin. The back Is smootb and black, tbough often Irregularly spaced wblte or grayisb scars of unknown origin 

appear. (Pbotos from off Barrow, Alaska, by J. Lentfer.) 

61 
Figure 74.-Tbe nukes of a young male bowbead wbale captured In Osaka Ba~, Japan. Tbe flukes of bowbead are sUghtl) Inusoldal 00 tbe rear margin and p 

the tip. (pboto courtes~ Yomlurl, Osaka, Japan.) 

Figure 7S.-Aerial views of bowhead wbales In the Bering and Cbukcbi Seas: t .. o animals resting near Walnwrigbt VOIage (left) aod a single indhidual In a hole In 

sheet-Ice off Diomede Islands (right). In the animals on the left, note the smooth flnless back and the wblte chin; In tbe animal on the rlgbt, tbe double cune to the bl 

and the arcuate contour of the mouth Une. (photos by S. Leatherwood.) 

62 
Figure 76.-A remarkable pboto of a group of courting bowbead wbales in tbe Beaufort Sea, including at least one copulating pair. Many of tbe species' most distinctive 

features are clearly evident. (Pboto by B. Krogman , courtesy of NMFS.) 

Figure 77.-A female bowhead whale and her calf near Diomede Islands In 

spring of 1978. Calves like this are the hope for the future of bowhead wbales 

and for the Eskimo culture whicb has depended on them for centuries. Tbere is 

grave concern that the low population size, the low productivity (approximately 

1"10 per year verified), and continued barvest may prevent recovery and even lead 

to extinction of this last sizable stock of bowhead whales. (Photo by 

S. Leatherwood.) 

63 

Bowheads are almost completely black, except for a white 

chin patch. A string of gray or black spots often extends along 

the chin toward the tip of the lower jaw and stands out like a 

string of beads against the white chin patch. Also, there frequently is a white or light gray stripe around the narrowest 

portion of the tail stock. 

Bowhead baleen is long and springy, reaching lengths of up 

to 4.3 m. The length of the longest plate is well over 10 times 

its width. The baleen is uniformly dark gray to black, with the 

fringes slightly lighter. There are 230-360 plates per row. 

Natural History Notes 

Bowheads are found in loose herds of a few dozen on feeding 

grounds, but while traveling they show little evidence of strong 

social ties among adults. A feeding concentration of over 60 

individuals was seen near St. Matthew Island in the Bering Sea, 

March 1979. 

Reproductive data on bowhead whales are sketchy despite the 

fact that hundreds of thousands of them have been killed by 

commercial whalers. Most calves apparently are born in April or 

May, after a gestation period believed to be a year or slightly 

longer. Age at sexual maturity and the calving interval are not 
Figure 78.- View of breaching bowhead whales, includln aerial >Iew taken off Diomede 

Island, (top photo~) and an Ice-level view (bottom) from netll Barro .. , Ia ka . Migrating 

bowheads (requentl) breach, taillob, and Ue on their Ide'! qapping their nippe allm tbe 

wtlter surface. (Photo b) . Leathenoood (top photo I; G Carroll. court ) of "\if 

[bottom).) 

known, but the latter is at lea t 2 years Because of the faIlure of 

bowhead stocks to recover after being badly depleted, there 1\ 

reason to believe that their producti\ Ity, at present, i~ I ery 10\1. 

In fact, in recent research cruises and flights through much of 

the bo\\head's range, only about 11l:'0 of the animab seen Ilere 

calves of the year. 

The most obvious thing about bowhead ecolog, j., the \1 hale's 

close association with pack ice. Its seasonal movements can be 

explained primaril, on the baSI of changes In Ice condItion. 

Bowheads are slo\\ swimmers and can be approached \ ery 

closely. However, they are trongly allergic to noise during their 

spring migration. Behaviorall" bo\\ heads seem much like right 

whales, assuming many different postures at the surface and 

breaching occasionally, sometimes many times In succeSSIOn. 

Bowheads are not thought to be deep divers, although the} can 

remain underwater for at lea t 42 minutes. This capability is 

useful during migration when the distance between breathing 

spaces in the ice may be considerable. 

Swarms of small to medium-size zooplanklOn, including 

euphausiids, amphipods, copepods, mysids, and pteropods, are 

favored by bowheads. Though basically skimmers, bowheads 

are known to feed at or near the bottom in shallow areas, sometimes emerging from a dive with sand and detritus streaming 

from both sides of the mouth. Killer whales are probably the 

bowhead's only natural enemy. Its close association with ice 

makes the bowhead susceptible to accidental entrapment, crushing, or stranding. 

Distribution 

Bowhead whales are found in the Bering, Chukchi, and 

Beaufort Seas, where their precisely timed seasonal migrations 

are in concert with the retreat and advance of arctic ice. Though 

once much more abundant (perhaps 18,000 or more in 1842) 

and more wide-ranging (with catches as far southeast as the 

Pribilof Islands), the estimated 1,000-3, 000 remaining 

bowheads in the western Arctic apparently winter in the so uth -

64 

II e\tern Benng ea al ng and outh of the nad: ice edge and rn a 

fell pol\ n)u . are,! 01 permanently open \later in the otheml e 

\olid pack. 

In early pnng, the bOI\heads begin to mOle north, pa ~lng 

t Lal\fence 1\land and DIOmede I land, pnmanl} on theIr 

II estern side'>, In three or four \laIC of abundan<.e betlleen late 

1\larch and late May Recent elidence sugge h that at least pan 

of the migrating population congregate near 1. :\latthell 

I,land in early pring, beginning their northllard mOlements a 

ice conditlon\ permLl. Once through Benng StraLl, most appear 

to leer to\\ard the northeast, folloll the mo t ea terl} leads in 

the ice of the Chukchi Sea. round POInt Barroll III April or 

:'>lay, and wntinue along the near hore leads to Bank., bland 

and Prince Rupert bland. As the ice recede III summer, they 

spread south and east into Amund en Gulf. As ice beginS 10 reform and adlance in fall. they mOle lIestllard. mo'>t apparent I) 

moving clo e alongshore or along the ice edge, some reaching 

the northeast Siberian coast near Wrangel bland. before 

} ielding to the II inter ice by mOl ing gradual!} southll ard to 

falored II IIltering grounds. 

Can Be Confused \\ ith 

Although at one l1me there li as a possibility of confusing 

bowhead and right \\ hales (p. 67). IOday the right II hales are 0 

rare in the North Pacific that probably fell lenture to the northern limit of their historic range, II here the) II ould olerlap II ith 

bo\\heads. The characteristics Ii ted beloll for dead specimen 

are, in any case, adequate for distinguishing between the til 0 

species. 

Several of the balaenopterids reach far enough north in ummer- even to the edge of pack ice-to overlap in range II ith 

bowheads. However, the bowhead can be readily distinguished 

from them by the absence of a dorsal fin and, on clo e inspection, by the very different configuration of its mouth and head. 

Gray whales (p . 72) are the most common large whales in the 

Bering and Chukchi Seas in summer, and they are probably the 
Figure 79.-A view of a large bowbead killed by Eskimos at Barrow, Alaska. In addition to the characteristic shape of the mouthUne and the body size, oote the very loog 

baleen plates. (Photo courtesy of NMFS.) 

Figure 80.-A fetus takeo from a bowhead whale killed at Wainwright, Alaska, 

in 1976. Tbe abseoce of baleen io this stage of development provides a clear view 

of tbe shape of the arching lower Up aod tbe narrow, bowed rostrum. (Photo 

courtesy of Naval Arctic Researcb Laboratory, Barrow, Alaska.) 

whales most likely to be confused with bowheads. The best 

character for recognizing gray whales is the knuckled dorsal 

ridge on the posterior half of the back, usually detected as the 

whale completes its time on the surface for respiration. Gray 

whales are generally gray and barnacle-covered, in contrast to 

the bowhead's general black color and lack of encrustations. 

From the air, bowheads are easy to recognize by the rotund 

65 

black body, which tapers to a narrow tail stock and has no evidence of a dorsal fin. The white chin is often conspicuous, as is 

the white or light gray band around the tail stock when present. 

The narrow rostrum, enfolded as it is on either side by the enormously bowed lower lips, is also seen clearly from the air. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

In addition to the fact that its range overlaps only slightly with 

that of the right whale, the bowhead whale may be distinguished 

from the right whale by differences in coloration, length of longest baleen plates, and callosities. 

Bowhead Whale Right Whale 

Distribution 

Arctic distribution yearround; south to central Bering 

Sea in winter. 

Baja California north to 

coasts of Washington and 

Oregon in winter, historically 

penetrating the southern Bering Sea in summer. 

Coloration 

Black with white patch on 

front part of lower jaw, sometimes containing a series of 

Black, sometimes mottled, 

with irregular white regions on 

ventral side; yellowish to pink 
Figure 81.-Detalled views of heads of howhead whales. 

Note the high-arching upper jaw. In the right photo, note 

the white chin, spotted with black. (photos by D. R. 

Patten [ahovel; courtesy of NMFS [right). 

black spots; variable white 

areas especially on belly. 

encrustations (callosities bearing lice) on the head. 

Baleen 

230-360 per side; plates to 36 

cm at base and up to 4.3 m 

long. Dark gray or black with 

grayish fringes; anterior 

margin of some plates whitish, 

showing green iridescence in 

sunlight. 

250-390 per side; plates to 31 

cm at base and up to 2.8 m 

long. Dirty gray with blac k 

fringes; some anterior plates 

partly or completely white . 

Bonnet and Other Callosities 

Absent Present 

66 

Figure 82.-The bowhead whale's flippers, like those of the right whale , are 

broad and spatulate, unlike those of other baleen whales. (photo by W. 

Marquette , courtesy of NMFS.) 
RIGHT WHALE (B) 

Eubalaena glacialis (Borowski, 1781) 

Figure 83.-A North Pacific right whale. Note the high arching contour to the mouthline, the scalloped upper edge of tbe lower lip, and the 

callosities on tbe rostrum. (photo from Japanese Whales Research Institute, courtesy of H. Omura.) 

Other Common Names 

Black right whale, northwest whale (historical), Nordkaper 

and Biscayan right whale (applied to North Atlantic right 

whales, sometimes used by 19th century whalers for North Pacific right whales-not currently in use); ballena franca (Latin 

America); semi kujira (Japanese); yuzhnyy kit (Russian). 

Description 

Specimens more than 17 m long have been encountered, but 

few right whales grow so large. Females are larger than males. 

Length at birth is about 4.5-6.0 m. 

The head, which may be more than a fourth as long as the 

entire rotund body, has a very distinctive shape, with a narrow 

arched rostrum and bowed lower jaws. The top of the head has 

a series of callosities, the largest of which is called the bonnet, in 

front of the blowholes. Callosities are usually also present above 

the eyes, on the chin, and elsewhere on the face. Cyamid crustaceans, usually called "whale lice," live on the callosities. The 

color, which apparently comes mainly from the crustaceans, 

and extent of these growths varies with individual whales. The 

67 

paired blowholes are widely separated, resulting in a blow which 

is distinctly V-shaped. 

The right whale has no dorsal fin, and the skin on its broad 

back is free of callosities and generally free of barnacles. The 

flippers are widely splayed and relatively long, and the skin is 

stretched tautly across the arm bones, which can be traced by 

prominent ridges. The flukes have a smooth, concave rear 

margin and a deep notch between them. 

The body is usually uniformly black, although white splotches 

are common, especially on the belly, and piebald or white individuals have been observed. Some right whales are mottled. 

The baleen distinguishes this species from all others except the 

bowhead. It is long (up to 2.8 m), narrow, and springy, with 

dense but fine bristles. Its color varies from dark brownish 

through dark gray to black; although seen through the water, it 

often appears light gray to white. There are 206-268 plates per 

row. 

Natural History Notes 

It is difficult to comment on the social habits of these whales 

in the North Pacific population simply because there are so few 
Figure 84.- Right whales off Florida. Note the wide V-shaped blow characteristic of right whales. (Photos courtesy of Marineland of Florida [left); by David K

Caldwell [right).) 

Figure 85.-Closeup views of tbe heads of rlgbt wbales off nortbeastern Florida 

(lOp) and off Cape Cod . Mass., (boltom) clearl) showing lhe narrow roslrum 

and lhe bonnet. In lhe bOllom phOIO of a feeding "hale, nole lhe extremel) long 

baleen plates, cbaracterlstk or bowbead and rlgbt wbales. (Pbotos by N. Fain, 

courtesy of Marlneland of Florida [top); W. A. Watkins [boltom).) 

68 

animals remaining. Historically, large numbers of right whale

may have congregated in protected a reas a lo ng the west coas 

for winter calving and in pla nk ton-rich portions of the Gulf 0 

Alaska for summer feeding . Recentl y they have been sighte 

singly or in pairs, wit h gro ups of up to eight animals seen on 

occasion. 

The reproductive biology of right whales in the eastern N<;lrth 

Pacific has never been stud ied adequa tel y, but it is clear tha 

productivity is very low. 

Right whales do not seem to adhere to a rigid migrator~ 

schedule or to follow a well-defined route. A tendency for th

bulk of the population to move to higher latitudes in summe

and to more temperate areas in winter is evident from whalin~ 

records and the few sightings in recent years. 

Right whales are slow swimmers and are generall y not wary 0 

boats, so it is often possible to approach them closely. LikE 

sperm a nd humpback whales, they frequently throw their fluke

high into the air at the beginning of a long di ve . They often wav 

a flipper above the surface and sometimes leap clear of th

water, returning with a mighty splash . Right whales are no 

known to eat fish; their favorite prey are planktonic copepod

and eupha usiids, which they take by swimming through th( 

patchy swarms, cavernous mouth agape. Killer whales are theil 

o nly known predator. 

Distribution 

Nineteenth century whalers hunted right whales intensively on 

the " Kodiak Grounds," which comprised much of the Gulf 0 

Alaska and the so uth eastern Bering Sea. Consequently thi

region is regarded as the primary summer range of right whale

in the eastern North Pacific. A few still summer in the Gulf 0 

Alaska, but sightings there are scarce. In April 1959 two pods 0 

eight right whales each were sighted within about 30 km off th( 

Washington and Oregon coasts, and in January 1967, thre( 

whales were seen off Cape Flattery, Wash. 

Only stragglers eem to venture south of Oregon waters. 

total of three whales, each alone, was seen by whalers operatin ~ 

within 61 km of th e ce ntral California coast between 1956 anG 

1968. The sightings occurred in April and May. In addition, on 

was spotted 0 ff La Jolla, Cali f., at the end 0 f March 1955 , and 2 

pair was ob erved near Punta Abreojos, Baja California (tat 
. 

a b 

c d 

f 

9 h 

Figure 86.-Right whales frequently throw their flukes high into the air and then sUp nearly vertically beneath the surface. Note that the rear margin of the flukes in tbis species 

are smooth , lacking the frayed or scalloped appearance that so conspicuously denotes the humpback. (Photos from the western North Atlantic by K. C. Halcomb [a- g); off 

Florida, courtesy of David CaldweU [h).) 

69 
Figure 87.-Three aerilll views of a right wbale In HawaU, 

March 1978, clearly showing tbe finless back and unmlstak· 

ably narrow rostrum. (Photos by C. Baker, courtesy of M. 

Herman.) 

26 0 39 N, long. 113 040 \\), In 1\larch 1965 There i\ no hIstorical evidence that right whales Ilere eler pre'>ent m \lgniriLant 

numbers in Hawaiian waters, but one wa, seen re<.:ently in the 

channel between Maui and LanaI. 

No more than everal hundred right Ivhales are thought to 

survive in the entire orth Pacific. Since the pro~pe.:t of seemg 

them off the Ivest coast of orth America IS e\tremel} poor, 

reports of sightings, particularly II hen documented by photo· 

graphs, are of great interest to the cetological communIty. 

Figure 88.-Like its Arctic counterpart the bowhead wbale, the rlgbt wbale of1en 

breaches. In this ventral view of a whale arching away from the photograpber, 

the large spatulate flippers, in shape unique to the right whales, can be seen 

clearly. The vertical lines on tbe whale's belly are caused by splashing water; right 

whales bave no ventral grooves. (photo by R. M. GUmore.) 

70 

Can Be (onlused \\ ith 

Right Ilhale .He on I) IIkel) III he Lonlu eJ luh bOllh 

II hales (p. 60) (In the Uerlng ea) anJ grJ} II hale (p. -2) 

'>ea, then: arc really onl} 1\10 gooJ methoJ to di tingu 

betl\ecn fight anJ bOllheaJ IIhales. Fir t, thetr range do 

generally olerlap. be\.du e lirtuall} all bOil head hale g 

north by the time right II hale, rea.:h their northernmo t u 

mering area,> in the outhern Benng ea. Howeler, the dl LOI 

of a young bOil head m 0 aka Harbor, Japan. (lal. 35° 

similar to the latitude 01 an Diego) during June, indicates t 

,orne 01 erlap OCCUT',. more reliable key IS the nght II ha 

callo\nie" II hich bOIl heaJ, lack entirely. \\ hen e\ammed 

su fficlently close range to determine the absence or callosit' 

the II hlte chm of bOIl heads can u'>uall} be seen. 

Gray II hales usually hale a bushy blo\\, althoughepar 

columns of I apor can sometimes be detected. They are gener 

gray and cOlered II Ith barnacles, II hile most right II hales h 

smooth black skm e\cept for the callosities. Gray II hale, hal 

knuckled ridge along the spine behind the center of the ba 

while right II hales have nothing re embling a dorsal fin or rid 

The gray II hale's head is triangular II hen liewed dorsally or 

erally; the right whale' head is more bulky in bOlh liells. 

If only the nukes are seen a the animal dil es, right ( 

bow head) II hales can be distinguished from the other four lal 

whales exhibiting this behavior-sperm (p. 51), humpbacks 

39), grays (p. 72), and blues (p. 13)-in the following ways: 

the nuke of the right and bowhead Ilhale are broad, pointe 

the tip, concave along the rear margin with a deep medl 

notch, and uniformly dark above and below; 2) tho e of 

sperm whale are more nearly triangular; 3) those 0 f the hu 

back have a scalloped rear margin and are often variably II 

underneath; 4) those of the gray whale are similar in shap 
Figure 89.-Pacific right whales on whaling station ramps in Japan (top and right); 

see Figure 4 for the one from British Columbia. Together these photos clearly Ulustrate tbe species' most distinctive features: tbe archlog contour of tbe mouthline; 

the extremely long, narrow baleen plates, reacblog lengths of 2.8 m; tbe bonnet (tbe 

largest caliosil) al Ihe fronl of Ihe rO,lrum); and Ihe ab,ence of venlral grooves. 

(Pholos b) Japanese \\ hales Re,earch Institule, courtes) of H. Omura.) 

Figure 90.-Tbe bead of a Nortb Paclfic right wbale dead on a whaling station deck, 

showing tbe long baleen plates and some of the callosities, Includlog tbe most exten71 

sive one called the bonnet (top). Tbe lower two photos sbow, in Increasing 

degrees of magnification, the crusty, wart like bonnet and tbe tloy crustaceans ("wbale lice") tbat Infest it. (Pbotos by Japanese Wbales Researcb 

Institute, courtesy of H. Omura.) 
the right whale's but are usually broader anteropostenorly, mottled gray in color, and orten encrusted with barnacle.,; and 5) 

blue \\hale flukes are wider, broader, and less deeply notched, 

and the thick dorsal and ventral keeb on the caudal peduncle 

make the blue \\hale's tail easy to distinguish from the right 

whale''S surpri ingly narro\~ tail stock. 

Right \\hale seen from the air usually look much less 

streamlined than other large whales, except possibly the humpback and bo\\head, and their lack of a dorsal fin helps make 

identification easy. From an aenal perspective the impresSIOn of 

a narrow ro trum "pinched" on either side by the lo\\cr lips IS 

especially striking. The calloSltIcs prcsent on the narrow rostrum 

usually stand out as stark white interruptions of the otherwi;e 

all-black extenor of these whales. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead rIght whales are easy to identify by the arched rostrum 

and bowed mandIbles; the lack of a dorsal fin; the 

bonnet; the long, springy baleen (only the bo\\head's is 

longer); and the broad .,patu late flIppers. 

GRAY \\HALi'_ (B) 

Eschrichtill.\ robuSlus 1 illjeborg, 1861 

Figure 91.-A female gray whale and ber calf. (From a drawing by L. Foster, courtesy of General Wbale.) 

Other Common Names 

Summer whale (Arctic only), devilfish, mus el-digger (historical); ballena gris (Latin America); koku kujira (Japane e); 

angtuchhaq (Ala ka Eskimo Yupik); ery) kit (Russian). 

Description 

Maximum length for gray whales is about 14 m; weight, 33 t. 

Females grow somewhat larger than males. Sexual maturity in 

both sexes is attained at 11 - 12 m. Length at birth averages about 

5 m. 

The body viewed from above is tapered at both ends, the head 

appearing narro\\ Iy triangular, and the tail stock much attenuated. The long mouthline is arched slightly . There is no head 

ridge; the rostrum is covered by pits or depressions containing 

72 

small \\hi ker . The head \Ie\\ed from the side slopes sleeply 

do\\nward from the blo\\ holes. The tip of the lower ja\\ often 

protrudes beyond the upper. 

Instead of ventral grooves, like those found on the throats of 

balaenopterids, gray whales have t\\ 0 (to five) deep longitudinal 

creases on the throat. 

The back has a low hump about t\\ o-third of the \\ a) from 

the tip of the sno ut to the flukes; it is follo\\ed by a serrated 

ridge, marked by 6-12 knobs or bumps along the dorsal midline. 

These give the top of the tail tock a knuckled appearance when 

een from the side. The broad (up to 3 m wide) flukes are 

separated by a deep median notch. The rear margin of each 

fluke i generally convex. As gray whales dive at the end of a 

series of blo\\s, they often raise the flukes high above the surface. The small flippers have rounded margins and pointed tips. 

Gray \\ hales have mottled gray kin due to both natural pig-
Figure 92.-Blows of gra} whale~ from the ;ide (top) and the back 

(bollom). Gra} whale blo"'s are bush} , reaching 3-4 m in height. 

When ~e en from front or back. the partial ;eparatio n of the two col· 

umn, 01 '.por ghe, the bh)" u heart·,haped appea ran ce. (\'hol<h 

from '>an I.:nacio lagoo n, Baja California , b, .., . "''' artl and M. 1 

Jone, .) 

mentat io n a nd e,ten , tl e ,carnng lrom defunct harnacle colll 

llIe,. The d arl-. ne , 01 the bacl-.ground and the e,tent l)1 itght 

hkltc hing I al) con,iderabl~ W hen ,II imll1l11g or tdllng IU t 

heklll the ,urlace, the II hale', ba~I-. ma\ .Irrear 11l11Il)(llll~ Ilhlt 

or ,late blue to .1 \urface or aen.llllb l'f\~·r. :\ludl 01 th~' blld\, 

the head .Int! tail 111 I".lrllculal. t UI(ru let! \\ tlh l arnd~le 

Clu,ter, III llrange Ilh.lle li~'e \ile lln the e b.unal'le c lonte ,lnd 

el~'n on Iht' I-.111 1\ elL Or.ll1ge pal~he Irequeml) L'en lHl gr.n 

\\ hale, a l .1 di,lance arc cau cd hI concenlration III "lice" I h~ 

,I-.111 01 lell \oung animal I ll1or~ ulllfllrllli) dark nd b.lrna-

~·k-Ilee. IllI .1 pertl'd ..Ifter bIrth. the 1-.111 I \lnnkkd or ptll~d. 

gi\lng II ,In ,IPPL,\l,llhL' lelllllll (ent of ,I \\.Iltle lroll 

lll,11 \lh.lk b,lkell I IWlt (10 )~ ~Ill) ,lI1d tllf, "tlh 

bll t k I hL' pl,lIe . L'I \I htch there, re I ~ 

\\ h, Ie' "n 'ht-h.lI1cl ct" ,II'I mol h t ) 'rubbm " I n th b 

lor hll,d 

alural Hi Ion 01 

\ltgratlll 

a m.lI1\ .l 

c ~epl Ih e "tlh fem I 

rthern Iccdm 
I.~u" '11. 

hlo\o\ hult hJ\' 

II d I(r .. , (OIOrloillon , 

harn~ I 

Ironl fli Ih ... hlu\o\hlll (Phulu 'film I 'un~ ()JO 

I olh r,,"od I"'pl Irom 

".rll and \1. I . jnn II .. " I 

74 

.,gure 94.-The gra, "hale hll' no du"al fin. bula ,mall dor,al hump fono"ed 

b, a ,erT1lled ridge along Ihe do"al m.dllne con," IIOR of B ero", of (,. n I.nob or 

bump,. IPhulo Irllm (IIr(lnadll 1,land" Baja (ahlu," •• h' 1 ealher"ood .1 

• igure 95.- (.ra, "hale, hab.luall, rat e Ihelr flul.", follo"ing Ihe 1.,1 blo" 10 

,equente The peduncle ;, ,IOd." and ,omelim", rldged eHn 10 Ihe junclion "ilh 

Ihe nul.e,. The oflen ,carred and barnatie-<:o'ered nul.e, haH a deep median 

nOlth and Jre ,inuuu,h turHd III a ,harp po.nled lip lIelll The Ilul.e, ,omelime, are marred h, loolh ,.I.e, or arc m."on~ large thunl.,. bOlh probabh 

.. idence or encounlers "jlh killer "hales (belo,," (PhOIO' rrom an Ignacio 

Lagoon. Baja Calirornia. b, S. "artz and 1. L. Jones l!ehl: and R. lorroPallerson Ibelo" I.) 
Gray whales undertake one of the longest migrations known 

for any mammal. They parade pa t the orth American west 

coast, c lose to shore and on a predictable schedule, supportIng a 

lucrati ve and growing whale watching tourist indu try. 

Gray v\hale, are among the mo,t active large whale, at the 

water surface. They breach occa,ionall y dunng migratIOn, and 

regularly do ,0 on the v\Intering grounds. In addition, they often 

",pyhop" (orient verticall y \\ith much of the head above the 

surface) and " Iobtail" (raise the tail and slam it against the su rface) , allowing the observer a good look at the head and tail. In 

recent years numerous" friendly" whales have thrilled tourists 

abroad skiffs in the breeding lagoons. The e animals actuall y 

solicit the attentions of people, allowing themselves to be patted 

and stroked. 

A gray whale's blow is usually low (less than 3-4 m) and 

bushy , sometime, desc ribed as heart-shaped but also occasionally showin g two divergent columns of vapor (i.e., V-shaped). 

75 

Figure 96.-Pholo, of gra) "hale adull-calf pai" la"en in Scammon', Lafl.0on, 

Baja California, Ihe be,1 "no"n ollhe ,peries' ,oulhern "inler re,orl>. horn Ihe 

air. fl.ra) "hale, can be Idenlified readil) b) Ihe uniquel) lapered bod) ,hape and 

Ihe moll led gra} coloralion (lop). '\ole Ihe mud boil 'Irelching behind Ihe adult. 

A, bOllom grubbe", gra) "ha)e, arc ollcl1 >cen lea,ing Irail> of mud, parlicularl) 

al high lalilude, "here mO'1 feedinfl. occur>. (Pholo, b) R. "IOrrO-Paller,on 

Ilopl and .,. L.ealher"ood Ibolloml.) 

I\llgratll1g gray \\hales breathe at regular intervals, generally 

blov\ Ing 3 5 times at intervab of 30-50 ,econds, then lifting their 

nukes and submergIng for 3-5 minutes. The average swimming 

~peed is about 8 km per hour during southv\ard migration, and 3 

km per hour on the trip north in spring. At either end of the 

migration the V\ hales behave more erratically, ,ometimes submergIng for as long as 15 mInutes. 

FeedIng gray whales are followed by a cloud of mud, stirred 

up or ejected as they grub along the bottom for gammarid 

amphipods, which are the staple of their diet. There is orne 

evidence that gray whales feed in one area for a year and then do 

not return to it for several years, until perhaps it has renewed 

Itself. 

Killer V\ hales attack gray \\ hales V\ ith surprisIng frequency, 

and large shark may po,e a threat to calves in the enc losed 

breeding lagoons. A ne\\ born gray \\ hale \\as captured and kept 

alive for a year in a California oceananum; its subsequent return 

to the wild is believed to have been successful. 

Distribution 

The majority of the gray \\hale population is concentrated 

during January to March In three major wintering areas along 

the outer coast of Baja California: Ojo de Liebre (or 

Scammon's) Lagoon and adjacent Guerrero egro Lagoon, San 
• ~ure 97. Three ,ie"s-dorsal (Iefl). ,enlral (lOp righI), laleral (bol10m nghll of gra) "hale!. !.P) hopping in Ihe prolecled "alers of Ihe 

cal> in~ la~oons in Mnico. This beha, ior remain, une'plained, bul 

~ra) "hales do il re~ularl). (PhOIO!. b) R. "Iorro-Paller,on (lef!. lop 

ri~hll: .... "'"arlf and \1. L. Jones Ibollom righll .) 

Ign.1~io L .1£:,oon, and \\agdalena Ba) and ih adJa~e nt protected 

"aler III pa ',car \\ intenng gray \\ hales ha\ e al. 0 been found 

.1long the Ipamland \k ,\I~an ~oa't ,outh to ) a\ .1ro, and in small 

numbcr m Idc the Gulf 01 (alilorllla a lar north a~ the l\lidriff 

I l.1nd . II .Hl\ pring thc \\hales -.lream north\\ard, remainmg 

,,10 c tll ho<c C (Cpt III the Callforllla Bight, \\ here man) pas, 

• \ard )f the l h.lIlnel 1,land, \ re\\ rem am to summer III 

I ol.1tld po~ket ,don~ th.: route \\h.:r.: productivity i, adeQ,l.1tc t tJm 'h':l11 (Illr 'n'tan~.:. n.:ar th.: F arallon Island, 

,nJ \ anI: U\ cr Jnd QU~CIl C harloll': Island), but mo<,l 10110\\ 

the OJ tllll~ 01 Brill h Columbia ,md ,outhern Ala,ka 

n nh \ rll 

10 t 01 thL popul.1t')n of appll) Imatel) 12.000- 1',000 

\hak lunnd through L nm1dk PJ and into the Benng ea. 

prl III I L t horc lIntl \\ellln'lde Bn'lol BJ\. On..:e 111 the 

P rt Held II ,rll th "hale fJIl llUt III ,I broad band aerth, 

Bn t I B,n Jnd h~ d lor l.llI\.lk I land (l)r IT1 'l)mC cases Ihe 

Pr t 1101 I 11110) \ftcr PJ II1g UIl""k ll' Sl. \Luthe\\ IsIJnd 

I nllnll~ thclr JI pc ,II n nh \ .IIJ, ,1\~)ll.lIng the Illlal 

76 

areas from Nuni\ak through Norton and Kotzebue ounds as 

\\ ell a s the deeper waters of the southwe tern Bering Sea. Else-

\\ here throughout the , hallo\\ shelf "ater of the Bering and 

hukchi Seas gray v- hales are found in SPOllY concentration> 

during summer. The eastward limit of their ummer distribution 

IS usually not far east of Point Barrov-, and few move farther 

\\est than Wrangel Island, ofr the Siberian coast. 

A,> ice begins to form in northern latitudes during the rail, 

gray \\ hale, begin the <,outhbound half or their almost 20,000 

km round-trip migration, reversing the pallern outlined above. 

·\Ithough it \\as belie\ed to be near e'\tinction earl) 111 this 

cent ur), protecllon since 1946 from commercial hunting ha, 

allo\\cd the gray \\ hale to reco\cr dramaticall). It " no\\ 

belle\ed by ,orne to be ncar the carr)lT1g capa..:it) of it, habitat, 

\\ Ilh a population very near the Ic\el that e'\i,ted before comm':n:lal .:'\plollallon. A le\\ gra) \\ halcs arc killcd b) nath.:, 01 

':.t. La" renc.: Island and th.: northw.:st coast of Ala,ka, and 

RUSSian government \\haler, take 140-200 gray \\hale per year 

to satisfy sub,istence needs of iberian aborigines. 
fig ure 98.-ln San Ignacio Lagoon certain gray whales have recently shown wbat can best be interpreted as curiosity toward tbe bumans wbo come to watcb them. Occa-

;ionally a gray whale will approach a skiff closely enough to be patted, giving the visitor the thrill of a lifetime. (Photos b) S. S"artz and M. L. Jones (top): O. 

Cavagnaro. courtesy California Academ) of Sciences (bottom).) 

77 
Can Be Confused With 

The absence of a dorsal fin ma kes gray wha les easy to distingui h from other large 'h ha les excep t right (p . 67), bowhead (p . 

60), and sperm (p. 5 1) 'hhales, any of\\hich might cause co nfu -

sion \\hen seen at a distance. However, neither of the fo rmer 

two has a hump or serrated ridge on th e do rsal surface, a nd th e 

skin of both is more smooth a nd evenly colo red th a n th e gray 

78 

Figure 99.-A California gray whale calf was 

maintained in captivity at Sea World, Inc., San 

Diego, Calif., in 1972-1973. The study of this 

animal, the first baleen whale to be kept alive in 

captivity for more than a few weeks, provided 

considerable insight into the biology of gray 

whales. A bottlenose dolphin kept the gray whale 

company during her year in captivity. (Photo by 

W. F. Perrin.) 

whale's. Right whales have a conspicuous bonnet on the head 

and their overall head shape is so distinctive that it should b 

easy to distinguish from the gray whale's. 

Sperm \\hales ha ve \\rinI-.led I-.in, are uniformly gray 0 

brO\m in colo r, a nd have a single blo\\hole set at the front oftn 

head . The blow projects a t an angle forward and to the lef 

A lso, th e sperm \\ hale's rectangular head is \ ery different fron 

the gray \\ ha le's more triangular head. From the air the gra) 

Figure l00.-Head-on view of a dead gray whale in the surf 

near Camp Pendleton. Calif. ote the narro" rostrum, lined 

"ith lightl) pigmented barnacles (left). The photo belo" sho"s 

the small c)amid cru,taceans ("" hale lice") that often infesl 

barnacle colonies on the head. (Photos b) T. Hoban.) 
II hale' mottled coloration and generall) coa,tal hauIHs mahe 

rtJista hen ideIHification highl) unlihely. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Only l 110 ,pecic, hal e all II hite or yelloll i,h-I' hite bak~n, the 

mink.e (p. '0) and the gray. :\llIlhe do not e\ceed 10 m Ifl 

length, hale numerou, lentral groole,. are ba leally blaeh Illth 

II hile ~ atehe, on the tllpper, and ,el eral gray area, ,1n (he bJ~ h 

and head. and hale oler 2,'0 baleen pla(e, per Ide.llral II hale 

Illay e\ceed 10 11\ (nh1\IIllUllll1f ab,)u( 1411\) Ifl kngth. h.l\c Ill' 

I entral grool e, but rat her tIl 0 10 IiI C erea e, on the (hroal. are 

mottled gray. and hal e feller than 2,0 baleen pla(C' per Ide 

( 13, - 1 ,'0). 

Figure lOl.-C1oseup view of tbe baleen of a dud ra ,.hak. ote ho .. 

stralgbt tbe mouthllne is and bo .. sbort the br II of bal«n appear (abo'e' 

Tbe stiff. coarse bristles can be ten partlcular1) .. eU !leftl. The ara) ,.hale' 

baleen is unllonoly cream or (,or) (n color. (Photo b, T. Hoban .l 
MUHl 1-SIZI I) \\" \1 I \\ II" \ 1)0H \1. II 

IItI I.l III III I 111,,1111 II'II~lhl 

Tbl.'rl.' ,Ill' ,\I 1c,I~t 14 pl.'lI~ III 111~ IlulI1 'I/~d "IIJI \\1\1.1 

dor,al fin 1..1111\111 III lln:ur III Ihc C.1 terll Drth 1'.1~t1 I h~ ~ 

\\ hall' ... rangl.' III Ill.t IIlIUIll "dult lie Ir 'Ill "bUill 4 n (KI 

dolphin) 10 .Il'lllil 11 III (1l.1II(\' bL tl..cd \\1I,lit) I hl 'IOIiP 

indudl.'''' udl \\ Idcl\ .It Irti'utLJ .111(\ Ir~<lu~lIlh ellL \I I r J 

form .1 the plllli \\h.IIl', 1.11 L klll~r \\h lie. ,Illd 11111 k h II 

and Udl I.m:'\ c ~ollntLiLO and p(lorl~ I..no\\n pellL 

\ "'IOU bc,ll..ed \\ h. It 

tl 1\1\\11\11 B 

/la/a IIII{J((fa all,,{Jrll (ra(a I (' II d • I 04 

Figure 103.-The 'IIortb Pacific mlnke .. hale. The up,urd-s .. eeping .. hlle areas 'al") In In ten it). (Dra"lDR b) L. fo ter. court ) of General \\ bal .) 

Other Common "lames 

Lit tie pi I..ed \\ hale, sharp-headed fin ner \\ hale, le~~er rorqual, pll..e "hale, Davidson's \\hale; ballena mInl..e, ballcna 

enana or rorcual pequeno (Larin AmerIca); I..omashl I..ujlra or 

minl..u (Japanese); qung\ughaq (Ala~l..a Esl..imo Yupil..); 

malyy polosatik, minke (Russian). 

so 

'\Iale and female minl..co \\hale In Iht orlh Pacific [coach 

,c,ual marurtl~ at about 7 m III lengrh Ph~ ical malurtl~ In 

females. \\ hich are on a\ coragl.' largcor rhan male .... I all a III cod al 

about 8 m, but the) can gro\\ to bco 10 m long. ,"1.'\\ born minl..( 

\\ hales are about 2.S m long. This is rhe mallest baleen \\ hale in 

the North Pacific. 
al 11 I mu~h 

eaded flOncr .. 

The minke' dorsal fin i tall and falcate, pia d a bit I lhan 

o-thirds of the way back from the up of the ro lrum, 10 

I: arnl: p ilIOn a thaI 01 Ihl: 1:1 "hal ~lfInall tl 1111 

\J Ible IInullane u h \\1111 Ihe In , hu h IOU 

nd light" anlerlor to the na' I 

IIIl\(e "halc arc bla!';\( or dar 

n Ihe hd" and on Ihl: under Idl: 

hI: undl:r Id~ of Ih~ Ilu"~ rna b 

, t h I., n ~ I () I ,t I h 

PIUI(lU mar" 1\ ,I diagonal hand III "hll~ (In th~ UPI' r lIr 

a~~ of ca~h of thc mall, pOllllcd nIpper I he lelll Jlld 

rlelllallOIl 01 thc "hllc nll'pn oalld \ ,HIe 1111.11 IJul1I 

II"e Ih IIIl "hail:, th mll1\(~ "h Ilc mctllll h" a II hI 

hc' hlll 011 Ihl: bad: behllld Ih~ he,ld and I\H) n.: 'lOll 01 II 'Ill 

ra\ 011 ead1 "d one IU I abl" e ,llld b hilld the I1lppel 

nllther JU\I III IrlHlIl)1 alld helO\\ Ih~ dor alllll 1 h~ ~ m,1\ II: 

OIl\Pll UtHI on lime md" Idll,tI, ,lIld IIlddcct,ll'lk on Hher 

1 he hort balccn, "llId, I omcllln~ 'I 10k ,It dll ~ r,1I1 C 

,h n Ihl' "h,Ile I "'eulIl', I m I" \dlo\\ I h ,dIlle \ IIh IIII~ 

hlte bTl Ilc" I he PO\tCrtlll pl,llc\ (ur 10 h,tlf) m,l\ be bill" n 

o blad, 1 here j\ IImCllIlIe bl,I"" 

latc" 1 hl' Ion 'C I platc ,lie .1b lit 21 

Oil" 

n J I 

oIrl' 1)lIlan anllnal. (llllcll1l1 

trill\. bUI r.llcl\ Illllnd 

rOllllJ ," here .IJ\Cntltt HI (on'rc 

prill' .Ind III1lI1lCl, 

~n III p.1I 

Id fc dill' 

Blcnllng ,Ill" 11\ CllnllllU< Ihroll h )ut Ih \~Jr bUI p~.1 III 

1,IIlUM' ,1IlJ JUlie 1 he 'l' I,lll ,n p~Tlod I hdlc\cd I' be 111 Illt 

t.a~ UN •• b. * .. 11M L If 01 

In 011 11t~ MIn 01 11M bo4I. ltanclH 1 

-h*. (Pholo b R "ttl) 

Ih trlhulJl n 
Figure 100.-ln aD these minke whales, the white band on the nippers and the sharply pointed head are e>iden1. ","ote the II"'} cheHon on the back (top left); the 

of light g"'y on the sides (top right); and the absence of a conspicuous blow and the appea",nce of the prominent dorsal fin on tbe surface "bile the blo",boies are 

posed (bottom). (photos from off San Diego, Calif., hy G. E. Lingle [top left); from the .. estero Pacific b) Japane.e W hales Research Institute, courtesy of H. 

[top rightl ; from the northern West Indies b) J. Hain Ibottoml.} 

Figure 106.-Minke whales are also known as "sharp·headed finners." On these harpooned animals from the :-'orth Pacific. note tbe sharpl) pointed head and the sin 

cent",1 head ridge and, in the animal on the left, the white band on the ruppers. (Photos b) Japanese Whales Research Institute, courtesy of H. Omu",.) 

82 
... 

83 

Figure l07.-Two mlnke whales about to dive under ice at McMurdo 

Sound, Antarctica (above), and a single anlmlll trapped at Cape Crozier, In 

the Ross Sea (left). Although mlnkes do not generally venture as far into 

the ice in the western Arctic as In the eastern Arctic or the Antarctic, tbey 

are the most northeriy of the rorquai whales there. (Photos courtesy of 

Navai Photographic Center, Washington, D.C.) 

Figure l08.-A mlnke whale breaching in Prince WUllam Sound, Alaska. 

Wben this much of the animal can be seen, its identity is unmistakable. 

Minke whales often breach in this dolphlnUke manner, reentering beadfirst 

with little splash. (photo by D. Calkins.) 
Figure l09.-Underwater photos of a minke whale off Japan. The animal was harpooned and tethered to tbe vessel while it was photographed and examined by 

divers. (photos by G. Williamson, courtesy of General Whale.) 

84 
Figure llO.-Minke wbales stranded at Santa Barbara (top) and Arcata (middle, bottom), Calif. Note tbe dark back, tbe wblte-banded fUp~r, and tbe DUTO" \entraJ 

grooves ending just beblnd the flippers. Tbe darker appearance of the Arcata specimen is principally due to postmortem dukenlng. (pboto b} . And .... on ftop}; . J. 

Houck [middle , bottom} .) 

85 
• 

1'1:"" III \l.n~., "hal." .an h:".' a, man, ",325 ,hurt, Ielh)"j,h-"h.le baleen plate. per ro\\ (up 10 half Ihe po"eriormolot plate, mal be bro\\n Or black), "ilh fine 

IOh.l< hn II IPhlllil Irllm "anla lIarhuru, Cahl.. h, .,. Ande"on flopl; from Arcola. Calif., bl \\. J. Houck Ibolloml,) 

86 
During tht: \\inter, minke v\h ~ are pr e~e nt from a t ea~t 

rthern Wa~hingtoll ~outh to v"ithin :! o of th e equator. Hower, they ~ee m to be mo)t abufldant nea r th e Ca liforni a C hanel land ~. 

Minke have never been reported from the main Hawaiian 

land , but they are sometimes seen near th e Leeward Chain. 

'an Be Confu~ed With 

When ~ee n at relatively close range, mink e \~h e~ can be 

_adily di tin ui~hed from other rorquab th a t have tall, fa lcate 

or al fin (fin, p. 23; sei, p. 29; and Bryde' , p. 34) by their 

uch smaller ~ize and by their distinc ti ve \\ hit e nipper bands. 

t a di~tance, however, positive identifica tion may be difficult. 

inke wha e~ have a low , incon picu ~ blow. Like sei "'hales, 

ey frequently e\pose th e dorsa l fi n simult aneou Iy \\ith the 

low , but minke wha les hump the ta il stock higher when begining a long dive- more like fin \vh ales. 

From a distance, the minke whale can also be mi taken for 

eaked whales if only th e back and dorsal fin are seen . Its black , 

generall y unscarred skill might help di ~lInguish \[ from many 

beaked whales, who\e backs are often heavily \carred. ObVlousl), if the head i~ seen, there will be IIrrle doubt, si nce beaked 

wha les have a beak and minke whale) have a pointed, tnangular 

head. Though some regional variation III \[) e\pre))lon IS 

e\pec ted for the eastern Pacific, the \\ hite nippe r band of the 

minke \\ hale, when it can be seen, is a diagnostic character. Thi ~ 

\\ hite nipper band IS the best feature for identIf\lIlg mlllke) 

from the air. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead min ke whale are most readll) identified b) I) their 

smaU size (usually les than 9 m) ; 2) the transverse white band 

on each nipper; 3) the short yellowish-white baleen (up to half 

th e posteriormost plates may be brown or black), 231-285 plates 

per sid e, with fine v"hite bristle; and 4) the 50-70 thin ventral 

groove, ending well ahead of the navel, often just even \\ ith the 

flipper tips. 

BEAKED WHALES (T) 

~ther Common Names 

BaUena con pico (Latin America); klyuvorylye kity (Russia n). 

Group Characteristics 

This interesting and diverse, but very poorly known, grouphe family Ziphiidae-po e special problems in the North 

Pacific. Here at least three genera-BerG/'diLls, ZIp/HilS, and 

esop/odon-are represented. The presence of a fourth1-Iyperoodoll-i su pected in tropical areas well off hore . The 

mo st va ried of the genera i Mesop/odoll, of which at least five 

ell-defi ned species are kno\\ n to inhabit \\aters off the Pacific 

oast of North America: M . densiro tri , M. car/hllbb i, M. 

tejllegeri, /'vI. hectori, and ,'y[. gillkgodell . The other three 

genera a re monotypic in the North Pacific. 

All North Pacific beaked whale share some very di tinctive 

qualities, including I) a well-defined beak, with functional 

teeth in the mandib les only; 2) a single, wide, crescentic blowhole; 3) a triangular or falcate dorsal fin set well behind the 

middle of the back; 4) small nippers, \\ hich in some species fit 

into sli ght , differentially pigmented IIldentations on the 

ides; 5) a pair of crea es on the throat that converge, but 

~ua ll y do not meet, anteriorly; and 6) the lack of a regularl) 

well de\eloped median notch between the nukes. Most appear 

to remain seaward of the continental shel f. \\ here they seem to 

subsist o n a diet composed primarily of cephalopods. These 

\\ hales are either very rare in the orth Pacific or deliberately 

87 

avoid frequent contact "ith people. 1\10st of \\hat we kno\\ 

about them comes from their occaSIOna l, usually opportuni tic 

capture by wha lers, or from ~trandings. 

Since most e\ternal morphological and beha,ioral differences 

between livin g beaked "hales are either too subtle or too poorl} 

known to pro,ide ready keys to idenllficatlon, denlilion and 

skuU characteristics provide the most reliable means of di~tlllguishing members of this group. In bottlenose \\hales and 

Cuvier's beaked \\hale, there is a single pair of conical teeth at 

the tip of the mandibles, vvhich erupt III adult males and remalll 

hidden belo\\. the gum in females and young. In Baird\ beaked 

w hale, there are t\\O pairs of teeth, both near the tip of the mandibles; they are more nattened (I.e., laterally compressed) than 

conical, and erupt in adults of both se\es. All forms 01 

A/esop/odoll have a single pair 0 f laterally compressed teeth that 

pierce the gum onl) in adult males. In four recogniled "'orth 

Pacific species, these teeth are posItioned behind the ape\ of the 

mandibles, but near the POlllt at \\hi.:h the mandible, con\erge 

(the mandibular symphym). In the fifth (\/. heLlori) they art: 

positioned well in front of the s}mphvsIs. near the lip of tht: 

ja\\. ,\Jesop/odoll teeth are unique III structure. The) are tlattened and mas i\e, capped by a small. ,harp denllcle of dentllle, 

v\ hich is the tooth that \\ as pre'ent at birth. 

The species accounts that follo\\ are all too often bast:d on 

very sketch} data and should be \le\\ ed as tentatI\ e tatement 

only. particularl) \\ nh respeLl to the \/t'lup/ud(J1l specie 

Unfortunatel}, fille point, III tht: identificatIon of man} 01 the 

beaked \\ hales remalll an e,oteric pro\ inLe of museum Clenllst 

and ta\onomi ts. 
BAIRD'" BI A KI.D \\ IIA I I (I) 

IIcrt/rdiuI !J{/irclii .... Iejnl·),!l'r. IXID 

Other Common 'liame ... 

Giant bo tticno\c \\hale. North l'aLilil ·I.lllt hl'ttic HI\~ IIIl.de. 

ballena nanl de hOlclla. gr,m cakkrllil (l .ltll1 111~rll.l) : t uLili 

kUJlra. tsuchlI11bo (.l,lpanC\L): Sl·\.:rn\\ pl,l\ull ( RII 1.111) 

Desc ription 

"Reports of H.'·peroodon Or BnQrdlUi noar tho coa IS oj \1t.\1 0 or enlrul 

America would be exceptional, since both are v"tuall\' unkno .... n on tr0PI nI o· 

subtropical latitudes We apprecIate the dan~er on a IgnlOg '>paDlsh common 

names to such species, since It may tend to encourago the" Imprudent uS< Cau 

tion is especially necessary when two 'pecte ha'e Iho arne or umlar common 

names, as is true oflhe bottlenose .... hale and Baud's beaked (or the lant boule 

nose) .... hale 

11 1 III iLn 'Ill I CIIl"le ,til Il'~\\hat Jar er Ih In male I en 'Ih al 

hlrth I .l bOIIl 1(, m 

I Ilc PI\lII1I1ICllt, hu! 'Ill' lord e"(\ 1\\!lId'l bro.ld~r dnd m re 

hullwil III 111.lk ) k'r ' 1011 ," \Ilium.,,! b ak ( C 

"lid I r~he,ld I 

dl,n.l t~rl III , I 

.Ibn It 70 .. 01 "nJ IhUl m,1 

rUIIO\\ bet \eeO thtm 

I hl 1\ I '. r lllmJ b ,d 

I.!Lm m tl II II 

II · ... I! b, ond Ih upper J<1\\, 

dult 

pc Ie up to 

ho t, Irr~gu df 

m H 1 ... .10 t \ 

J. If rm I \1!1 

ler alter til 

Figure IU.-Surfaclng Bnlrd's beaked whales off Oregon. Tbe rounded, bulbous forehead is clearly seen, set off from the back by a distinct crease in the area of tbe 

blowhole. The long cylindrical beak protrudes well in front of the forebead. (pbotos by T. R. Wab!.) 

88 
ure In.-Note the long scars that cover the 

of these Baird's beaked whales. These 

usuaUy surface at a shaUow angle, showing 

back with the dorsal fin set far behind its 

. The fin generaUy rises from the back at a 

angle, has a blunted peak, and has a straight 

sUghtly concave rear margin. (photos off 

Conception, Calif., by K. C. Balcomb [top 

; at lat. 29 °N by S. Leatherwood [top right]; 

Oregon by T. R. Wahl [bottom right].) 

Figure 114.-Aerial view of a herd of at least 12 Baird's beaked whales off Japan. Even from the air the bulbous melon and the long beak, tipped by white (marking the 

positions of the protruding teeth), are clear indications that these large beaked whales are Baird's beaked wha les. (photo courtesy of T. Kasuya.) 

89 
-

Figure 115.-Baird's beaked wbales kUled by shore-based wbalers in Japan. Tbe top two photos show tbe bod} in dorsal and ventral view. Note the position of tbe dorsal 

fin, more tban two-tbirds of tbe way back from the tip of the beak. Also note the white spots along tbe ventral midline and how the flippers fold against the body. The 

middle two photos are front views of two different individuals, one witb a conspicuous pair of exposed teetb (definitely an adult) and the other witb its teetb unerupted or 

just beginning to erupt. Tbe lower set of pbotos show, starting from the left, the head in dorsal profile , tbe Incompletely convergent pair of long tbroat creases, and a 

detailed view of the two mandibular teeth, heavily infested with stalked barnacles. Note in the far left pboto bow the lower jaw extends beyond the upper, leaving the teetb 

exposed outside the closed mouth, and the shape and position of the blowhole , with the open side oriented posteriori). (All photos courtes) of H. Omura .) 

blowhole are submerged. It \ aries in shape but is usually neither 

falcate nor pointed. The flukes, which sometime are raised as 

the \\hale dives, have a nearly straight trailing edge with either a 

slight prominence or a very slight depres ion in the middle but 

usuall} no actual notch. The flippers are not tapered and have 

blunt tips. 

The color of Baird's beaked \\hale is slate gray, but may 

appear arm} bro\\n, with \\hite blotches on the undersides, particularly on the throat, between the nipper, and aro und th e 

navel. Both ,exes have many linear white scars on the body, 

some of which occur in parallel pairs. These scars are probably 

remnants of tooth rakes inflicted during fighting a nd are usually 

90 

more numerous on males. Wh en abundant, they cause the 

animal', dorsal surface to appear lighter than its true color. 

Natural Histor~ ~otes 

Record from the largely ,hore-ba,ed w halin g operations ta king this \\ hale suggest a marked degree of ,egregation of sexcs in 

the population, the male, predominating in th e catches. Pod ,ize 

is generall y from 2 to 20 (occa,ionall) up to 30) animab, \\ hi ch 

surfacc in tight formation a nd may respire synchrono usly \\ hile 

o n th e move. 

The reproductive characteristics of Baird 's beaked whale are 
not well established. The.. calving interval is probably 3. years. 

The species is long-lived, with ages of at least 3S years and 

possibly 70 or more years suggested by tooth layering. 

It is not clear whether these whales migrate in the eastern 

North Pacific, but it can be stated that they generally remain in 

offshore waters deeper than 1,000 m in all seasons and that there 

are clear peaks in their occurrence in certain areas. They have 

been observed in the southern portions of their range, off Baja 

California, in both winter and summer. 

Baird's beaked whales have been reported to be hard to 

approach, but this is not always the case. They have a low and 

indistinct blow, and when traveling quickly, roll sharply to the 

surface, sometimes exposing the flukes as they dive. When resting or traveling slowly they may stretch at the surface to expose 

head and dorsal fin simultaneously and then not raise the flukes 

when submerging. On rare occasions they have been known to 

breach, throwing one-half to three-fourths of the body clear of 

the water and reentering with a splash. 

The main prey of these whales are squid, octopus, and deepsea fishes, and they also take crustaceans, sea cucumbers, rockfish, mackerel, and sardines. One small group was observed to 

remain submerged for 42 minutes before resurfacing in almost 

the exact location where it had dived. 

Distribution 

Baird's beaked whale is native only to the North Pacific, 

where it is found primarily in offshore waters above the southern temperate zone. Its known southern limit on the eastern side 

of the North Pacific is about lat. 28°N off Baja California, and 

it has been known to strand as far north as St. l'viatthew Island 

in the Bering Sea (ca. lat. 60 0

N). Japanese \.\halers have 

reported sightings from lat. 2SoN to 30 0N in the central North 

Pacific. 

Because of its size, Baird's beaked whale has merited the 

casual attention of whaling crews in the eastern North Pacific, 

although it never was viewed as a major target species. On the 

basis of the meager whaling records and the timing and location 

of strandings, some generalizations can be made about seasonal 

distribution. There are apparent peaks in abundance off central 

California in July and October, though the species is certainly 

present off both central and northern California from June 

through October. Baird's beaked whales have been either seen 

or caught off Washington between April and October. They are 

encountered with some regularity off Vancouver Island, British 

Columbia, from May through September. There is a peak in 

abundance there in August. 

Can Be Confused With 

There is some possibility that a Baird's beaked whale might be 

mistaken for a minke whale (p. 80) at sea. However, minkes 

have a much different head shape, an erect, back-curved dorsal 

fin placed farther forward on the back (and therefore appearing 

almost sim ultaneously with the blow), and white flipper bands. 

Minke whales are frequently found near shore and over the continental borderland, while Baird's beaked whales are found 

almost exclusively near or seaward of the continental slope. 

Also, minkes tend to occur singly or in pairs; Baird's beaked 

whales, in larger groups. 

When a group of Baird's beaked whales is encountered at the 

surface, recuperating from a deep dive, they can be mistaken for 

sperm whales (p. S 1). Their dorsal fin may remain below the sur91 

Figure 116.-Flukes of a Baird's beaked whale, showing the slight median notch. 

Beaked whale flukes are unique in their lack of a consistent notch dividing the 

flukes. (photo by G. Pike, courtesy of General Whale.) 

face as they raft during a series of blows. The oblique angle of 

the sperm whale's blow and its "boxcarlike" head should in 

most cases prevent confusion, however. 

Very young Baird's beaked whales might be small enough to 

be confused with other species of beaked whales, but they are 

usually accompanied by adults large enough to make them 

distinguishable by size alone from other North Pacific beaked 

whales. 

An important consideration is that a form of bottlenose 

whale, perhaps Hyperoodon planifrons (p. 92), may be found in 

the eastern tropical Pacific. Although the ranges of these two 

genera probably do not overlap, bottlenose whales could easily 

be mistaken for Baird's beaked whale at sea if they were found 

in the same area. The dorsal fin in Hyperoodon is proportionately larger, more erect, and pointed at the peak; its forehead is 

more bulging or bluff than in Berardius. Some individuals of 

Hyperoodon have pale heads. 

When clearly viewed from the air, Baird's beaked whales are 

distinctive and easy to identify. The long beak is clearly demarcated from the broad head and body and is itself tipped \\ ith 

white at the locations where the teeth protrude. Though small 

relative to body size, their teeth are surprisingly evident in dorsal 

view, perhaps largely because their stark \\hiteness so vividly 

contrasts with the animal's body and the surrounding water. 
Identification of Dead Specimen~ 

Dead Baird's beal..ed \\hales are mo,t Iil..el) to be confused 

y\ith other beal..ed whales. The best way to distinguish them 

from, orth Pacific specimem of specie, of \lesop/udull (p. 98) 

is by I) their larger size (maximum length In \/esop/odun is 

less than 7 m); 2) their bulging forehead; 3) their long, cylindrical beal..; and 4) the presence of two large teeth at the tip of 

the lower jay\ and a smaller pair (erupted only in older animal. ) 

a fe\y centimeters behind the anterior pair. The front pair of 

teeth can be seen while the mouth is closed. In all fl\e species of 

,\tesop/odon in the orth Pacific there is only one pair of teeth, 

\\ hich remain unerupted in females; these are sit uated \\ell 

behind the tip of the lower jaIl in four of the species. Only In 

Hector\ bear-ed \\ halc (p. 110) I'> the Single pair of teeth found 

near the tip of the 10\\cI Ja\\. 

c.. U\ ier', beal..ed \\ hale (p. 94) could be con fu,ed \\ it h Baird', 

beal..ed \\hale, for It ha, a ,Ingle pair of teeth located at the tip 

oft he IO\ler ja\\. C.U\ ler', beal..ed w hales are Ie,s than 7 m long, 

ho\\e\er, and generally have a much Ie,s pronounced forehead, 

and much ,honer, Ie" well-defined beak than that of Baird\ 

beal..ed \1 hales. Th" i, particularly true of the older, larger 

animal, that are lea,t easy to distinguish on the basi of body 

\lIe alone. CUI ier', beal..ed \\ hales lacl.. the second, postenor 

pair of teeth posse,sed b) Baird' , beaked w hales, and thw teeth 

are more nearl) conical. 

(SOUTHERN ?) BOTTLEI'IOSE \\-HALE (Tl 

Hyperoodoll sp. 

Other Common '\james 

Ballena nariz de botella, gran calderon (Latin America, see 

footnote 10); minami tokkuri kujira (Japanese); butylkono 

(Russian). 

Description 

The specific identity of this whale is unkown. 0 specimens 

have been measured, but estimated lengths of animals observed 

at sea are 7-9 m. This is certainly \\ ithin the size range 0 f the two 

I..nown species In the genus, the southern bottleno e whale, H. 

p/anijrons, and the northern bottlenose \\ hale, H. ampul/alliS, 

the latter confined to the onh Atlantic. In both species, males 

are considerably larger than females, and new born are about 3 

m long at birth. 

All tha t is know n about the appearance and behavior of this 

\\ hale In the eastern Pacific comes trom se\eral sightings made 

by reliable observers In recent years. \\ e are indebted particularl) to K. C. Balcomb, \\ ho, in hiS unpublished manuscript, 

described an encounter \\ nh about 25 bottlenose \\ hale In 

August 1966. 

The forehead is extremely bulbous, sloping steeply in adults 

to a long beak. Although the tip of the lower ja\1 reaches slightl) 

anterior to that of the upper jaw, thi feature is much less pronounced in the bottlenose than in Baird's beaked "hale (p. 88). 

o apical mandibular teeth were ob erved, 0 the teeth pre umably are small and inconspicuous or concealed \\ ithin the clo ed 

mouth as they are in H. ampul/alliS and H. p/anijrons. 

The dorsal fin is strongly falcate and situated behind the middle of the back. The flukes and flippers \\ere not seen, but judging by other beaked \\hales the flukes are probably unnotched 

and the flippers relatively small. 

Figure 1 17.-1f this is aU tbat were seen of a bottlenose wbale, its identification would be uncertain. T he falcate dorsal fin , set weU back on t he body, suggests any species 

of Mesoplodon, and the minke whale and Cuvier's beaked whale could not be ruled out. Fortunately, in recorded encounters to date , tropical bottlenose wbales bave 

usuaUy appeared in fairly large groups, and at least a few individuals bave shown enough of the bead to eliminate confusio n with other species. (pboto from near tbe 

equator by K. C. Balcomb.) 

92 
lI,ti':lllllb u~,cllheu Ihe h"u~ \.01 lr ,I 110.1 ell .II1U th lorehcau 

.I~ .lUll 11 10 I1I11hcl hlO\111 on tllc IJ.ld, , hadlll 1 10 na II n tl-tc 

Ihlll.l \ d.1I "" [)I 'IllClllcd ncdJlllc dCl1Iall.!lc thl lorch IU 

PI'llll'I1I.1I11l11 110111 Ih,1I on Ihe h,ld" S"llll 1M 'e lIIul\luual 

c 11Ihll Plillcllll~ '".ll\ ,IIlU u,lIdl 111.11 ", Oil Ihl "Ill 

, lllhlll' 1\ ""(lIll • hlllli Ihl.' hllllogl 01 IhL C tWPIL". bOlik 

Illl'l.' II hale, \ ,1I III ITl , Ih.1l Ihc~ all.' I III iI.1 I Illlhclr .!ntllroplcal 

congCI1CI', Illl\lllCr, Olll'CdJl gUl">\ Ihatlhcl .Irl' 10\\ 10 111.lIlJr 

anu long-hI cu. J hCI lIlC pmbahh uccp dl1U I'rolonged dl\l;r 

that cat 'lIllid "nd pclaglc II,h. [I cllhcrL" bl1llkl1o e Ilh.tle are 

""011" 10 "pproa~h ,hip, anu to IL'l11dl11 I1C.II IhclIl I H lon' 

PCIIOU\ , J Ill: group O\1'CI I cd h) Bakomh lon 1,leu 01 dPPllI I 

l11atcl~ 2<; 111<.111 IdU.II, .lIlU IllI' In \.llmp.!l1! II IIh .t hCIU III ,Iholll 

() pilill II hale,. ')OI11L' ollhc hOliIeIHl.,l" r.!1 cU thclr hcau Cl1mplelcly cleal 01 Ihc lIalcr upon 'III lacing II hill hl.'ll1g dl.! CU, .1 

hd'.lIlOr ICI11II11\CCl1t III ,clcl,,1 olhcr hca"cu IIhale 5\1<'(11.',. II 

appc~I1CU a' though \~\lIOU' agc cla"c, "nu hOlh I.' 1.''' IICri.' 

rcplc,cnlcu 111 Ihi, pou 01 II hale,. 

Di,t ribul ion 

T hc II hale, 111 quc'lion h,IIC hccn oh'cllcu lml. I1c.!r Ihe 

Cqlkllol ITl thc cCl1tr.1I l)aclll(. '>ll1lC IhclC I' no "IH1\\n popul,1 

lion 01 hOllll.'no,c IIh,lle, In thc onh Pal'l IlL , anu Incc thc 

"1101111 nOllhcll1C\lrCllll.' ollhc ,oulhl.'l11 hOlt\cllll\l' IIh,lIc' UIlIlhulion in thc Pa(lfic 1\ al aholll 1.11. 3:1 0 ". Ihl'rc 1\ Il.'d'lll1 III 

'U'PCCI Ihat Ihl.' cquatoTial pllpulalllll1 I' UI\lICIl'. B.lklll11h·, 

\lghlll1g al 1.11. n°, IOl1g. 164 0

46 \\ II a' 011 II \ III!U I, II hldl 

\uggc'l\ th.lI Ihc,t: <1111111al, Ull 11 II Illigrall' P0\('II.lrU 111 Ihe 

hOI cal 'U111111CI. \11l1111l:r \ighling Lll:t:lIrrCU lIn 25 Ichrll,lTI .11 

( .111 II 

II Ih 

Ih 11 Ih 

.Iuult 

onlll' ,C\ \\ Ilh 

B.! d on "hat 

III/Ju(}odoll. d ad 

o I the prcp.ncd 

II n <. rI. 1111 .111 c 

the la unom\\. fli 

Figure llS.-Thls photo of bottlenose .. hale ls mo ... helpful than Ihe p ... ,lou one. ",ote tb. rounded, bulbou h .. d 011100 1 t tin 

bod) b) a depression oear Ihe blo"hole and an abrupl lightening of pi mentation . Th. faint, hu h poullr moO(' dhldull hDl. -

ore dlfncuit to detect. In the right of the photo, the hort but Hr) dblinci beak' of '''0 .nimw or. r 

tbe e whales. (Photo from nur lbe equator, 11 Augu t 1966. b) 1(, C. &olcomb .) 
CUVIER' BEAKED \\ HALE (T) 

Ziphius cfll'irostris G, CUI ier, 1823 

. '- .~ . ... . ' 

.. ' 

, .. - y .~ " 

" 

figure 119, ~n appro,imatel) 6 m Cu,ier', bea~ed .. hale stranded at La Jolla. Calif., on 12 June 1959. (Photo from the Carl L. Hubbs collection, courtes) L. Hubbs.) 

Other Common :'Iiames 

Goo\ebeak(ed) I,hale, llphlUS; zifios or baUena de Cuvier 

(I atm AmerIca); akabC:H.ujira (Japanese); kl)moryl (Russian) . 

De rription 

( U\ ler' beaked II hale are not knol\ n to groll longer than 

o.\b ut 7 m, 1 he, bewme se uall) mature at about 5.4 m. 

len'th at bi th I 2-3 m, 

fhe head 01 th' r0bu t II hale I small relatile to bod) length, 

Ith a beak horter than that of an) other beaked IIhale. The 

ad. II 11Ich can be bulbom or slightl) concave. slopes 

the abtHel i.lted. poorl) demarcated beak. \1 hich 

(11 tlllet II ith age. The mouthline is upLUrned near 

'ap , In prolile. head and mouth combine to produce an 

ppearan e lIkened to a goo ebeak. There is an indentation on 

the ba k b hllld the blm\ hole, analogous to a neck crea\e or 

no.\pc It I m t apparent III older male . 

1 he m'le pair f "OnI al teeth Me at the lip 01 the mandible , 

I h nd an be cen out Ide the do cd mouth. onl\ in 

fhe bl I\hok I 10 .Itcd \lcll fOf\lard on the head. 

nd It mit ..I bloll \I It h d lIght f,lrll ard and lelt II ard pro jectI n The bl \I hole of th and lllher be.lked II hale I II ide 

to b d\ Ill', nd the bl)ll em nallng Irom it form a 

94 

broad hort plume, 10\\ and inconspicuous compared to tho e 

of other similar-sized whale. Though the first blow after a Ion 

dive may be more di tinct, it is rarely visible for more than a fe 

hundred meters, even under good wind condition. 

On the throat are two long, anteriorly convergent crea e like 

those found in other beaked \I hale. 

The dorsal fin can lary In hape from relatively tall (to at lea 

I, m) and moothly falcate to 10\1 and triangular. It is locate 

well behind the middle of the back. The nukes are normall y not 

dl\ ided b) a distinct notch; their trailing edge is somew hat concave. 

In the ea tern North Pacific, a t lea t, coloration appear to b 

both age and ex related. Calve and juveniles are a tan or ligh 

brolln color, even reddish in bright sunlight. With age the bod 

becomes marred II ith scra tches and II hite or cream-colored ova 

blotches, e peclall) on the abdomen . First the head and neck , 

then the remainder of the body continue to lighten \lith age. 

Older female hale lighter head; o lder males rna) appear a ll 

\I hlle, particularly II hen \een from abol e. The area of demarcation betlleen the light head and the darker body is often not \1 ell 

deli ned and consists of several brushlike mtrusiom of light Into 

the dark field as a "Llllll strap" and eye markin gs. The e\tent 

and con figuration of the \I hlleness IS e\tremely variable. The 

,\':in darken, immediatel) after death. so stranded specimem arc 

likel) to appear basically gray or black. 
Figure l2O.-Cuvier's beaked whales near Clipperton Island (top) and tbe Galapagos, Ecuador (bottom). The head in this species tends to lighten with 

age and becomes white in large anintals, particularly 

males. The blow, visible in the lower photo, is usually low, inconspicuous, and oriented slightly forward 

and to the left. (Photos by K. Sexton, courtesy of 

NMFS [top); G. Wellington [bottom).) 

Figure 121.-Cuvier's beaked whales are rarely seen 

and recognized at sea. Although any of these photos 

alone would be inadequate for showing what they 

look like. the three together give some idea. The 

body of smaller animals has a brownish cast; there is 

a nOlieeable lightening to the anterior part of the 

batk and head as individuals age, particularl} males 

(top). (Photos from Galapagos Islands, by G. 

Wellington.) 

95 
atuml Hi!,t r~ ote. 

\ er) fe\\ at- ea ob enation, 01 thl' 'pecle~ ha\e been 

de ~n,beJ, 0 \er) little I ~no\\n about 't habit, or beha\ ior. 

Old male apparent I) are ,ometime found alo ne, but tigh t 

group 01 3 10 Indi\ Idual , including at lea t one adu lt male , a re 

u uall) reported, 

The I.' art: pelac:k aeature \\ ho e ~ea.,ona l mo\ement , a re no t 

\\ell ~no\\n tranding In \\inter at relat)\el) h igh latitudes ugge t that a regular north- outh pattern of migration ma) not 

hold for thi peLie 

u\ler' bea~ed \\ hale ... pre) mo.,tl) on ,quid an d deep\\ ater 

Ii he and are probabl) deep d)\ er,. \\ hen begi nnin g a lo ng 

dl\e, the tail nu~e are often lilted high abO\e the , urface , IndlLatin!! an almo t \ertiLal de,cent. Similarl), .,urfacln g aOima ls 

often \ III be een deep, heading ,tralght up\\ard to\\ a rd th e ~urlaLe. In a fe\\ protracted obsenation" gro ups \\ hich \\ere 

thought to consi.,t of onl) a fe\\ animab e\panded from fi\ e t

eight a., other animal, 'urfacing as de,cribed abO\e, joine

a nimab alread) re'>ling at the ,urface. 

-\ \ igorou' ,,\ 1111 mer , the e \\ hale, frequentl) e\po<.,e th

enure head and chin a ... the) run, rolling high and arching <,leerl

be fo re long di\ 1." . Occa'lOnall) the) \\ III appear une\pectedl

nea r a \ e,'el and , eem ,tart led b) It, pre,ence. A fter a serie, 0 

respir a tion , bet \\ een ,hallo\\ ... ubmergence" the entire pod \\ i

,ound a nd not be o b, ened again. 

Distribution 

earl) all that \\ e ~no\\ about the di.,tribution of eU\ ier'

ea d \\ hale in the eastern North Paci fic come ... from st rand

109 ,of \\ hich mo re than 40 ha\e been documented for the \\e 

Fig ure 122.- A beaked .. hale , probabb a Cu\ier's beaked .. hale, 

jumping near a research \esse I off north"estern Baja California. 

The size and position of the dorsal fin are characteristic, as are the 

head shape and short flippen.. Such a high-profile ,ie" of this 

species ;" rare, since it is " al') of boats and rna) dh e for 30 minutes 

or more. (Photo b) . Leath ernood .l 

Figure 123.-An adult mate Cuvler's beaked whale stranded in nortbern Californ ia. It bas the usual white head and throat blaze and the oval splotches and 

UDear scars on the bod) that are typical of older individuals. The two teeth, visible at the tip of the lower Jaw, erupt only In adult males and may he exposed 

outside the closed mouth . (Photo by W. J. Houck.) 

96 
coast of North America, and from a few dozen reliab le sighting 

reports. Judging by th ese, the species is co ntinuously distributed 

from th e ,>o uth ern Bering Sea l)Quth to the equator, and it may 

be the mo '>t abu ndant beaked whale in the region . 

The nort hernmost reco rd a re from the ,\estern Aleutian 

Islands, and these include both winter and summer occurrences. 

Strandings have taken place in \\ inter at the Queen Charlotte 

Islands of British Columbia and in winter and spring on Vancouver Island. 

Strandings o n th e U.S. west coast show no convincing trends, 

either in terms of their seaso nality or the age and sex of individuals involved. There a re records for both the Pacific coast of 

Baja California and inside the Gulf of California. Observers on 

tuna boats and aboard aircraft have seen Cuvier's beaked 

whales in the pelagic eastern tropical Paci fic, and sightings near 

the Galapagos demonstrate that their range extends all the \Yay 

to the equator. Most records are from pelagic waters, and 

sightings are rare in continental shelf regions of California and 

Baja California even w here survey effort has been extensive. 

The species is present, but apparently rare, in Hawaiian \\aters. 

Figure 124.-The head (top), throat and lower jaw (bottom) of a female Cuvier's 

beaked whale stranded in Mar}land . No te the upcurved mouthline, the complete 

absence of teeth , and the coloration. (Photos by J. G. Mead.) 

97 

Can Be Confused With 

Cuvier's beaked whale grows larger than all other beaked 

whales in the eastern North Pacific with the exception of Baird's 

beaked whale (p. 88) [and perhaps the bottlenose whale (p. 92)]. 

Smaller Cuvier's beaked whales might be confused with any of 

the whales of the genus Mesop/odon; but older individuals are 

strikingly lighter, at least on the head, grading toward all white 

in appearance. In general, Cuvier's beaked whales tend to be 

more active and demonstrative than any species of Mesop/odon. 

There are only two other cetaceans in the eastern North Pacific 

which are so white-the smaller Risso's dolphin (p. 129) which 

rarely exceeds 4 m in length and the arctic white whale (p. 134) 

that rarely exceeds 5 m. One record of a "beluga" from temperate waters off central California was almost certainly of a misidentified Cuvier's beaked whale. From the air, the size, body 

shape, and coloration of Cuvier's beaked whale permit positive 

identification. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Of the beaked whales known to occur in the eastern North 

Pacific, only the largest three (Baird's beaked, p. 88, bottlenose, 

p. 92, and Cuvier's beaked, p. 94, whales) have teeth at the tip 

of the lower jaw. The first two have long cylindrical beaks while 

that of Cuvier's beaked whale is far less distinct. Further, 

Baird's beaked whale has a second pair of teeth behind the first 

which mayor may not be exposed. 

Hector's beaked "hale has a pair of mandibular teeth near 

but slightly behind the tip of the jaw . As in other forms of 

Mesop!odol7, the teeth of Hector's beaked "hale are flattened 

rather than conical; "hen examined closely, they should prevent 

confusion with Cmier's beaked whale. 

When they are small and superficially toothless, or in an 

advanced state of decomposition, Cuvier's beaked whales can 

be difficult to distinguish from other beaked "hales. Museum 

preparation and examination of the skull and teeth may be 

required. Fresh specimens, particularly larger adult males, may 

be at least tentatively identified by the features illustrated in the 

figures. 

Figure US.-A closeup of the flukes of a Cuvler's beaked whale stranded In 

La Jolla, Calif. Like other beaked whales, this species does not have a distinct 

median notch on the rear edge of the flukes. (photo by W. F. Perrin, courtesy 

of NMFS.) 
a 

c 

BEAKED WHALES OF THE GENUS fl,IESOPLODO,\' (T) 

l\1esop/odolJ spp. 

Other Common Names 

Mesoplodonts; remnezyby (Russian). 

Description 

In addition to the Baird's beaked whale (p. 88), the (southern ?) bottlenose whale (p. 92), and Cuvier's beaked ~\ hale (p. 94), 

there are five currently recognized beaked whales of the genus 

Mesop/odolJ v\ hich have been een in the area covered by this 

guide. The five whales of thi genus about which we knov\ 

enough to include accounts in this guide are very rarely seen at 

sea, and most of what we have written comes from descriptions 

of beached dead pecin,ens. Therefore, statements concerning 

range should be interpreted with caution, since they are based 

on little more than inference from locations of stranding. 

Information on appearance and habits in the \vild is equally 

suspect, derived as it is from descriptions of a handful of brief 

encounters. 

The infrequency with which these beaked ~\hales are met at 

sea may renect their rarity, or it may be simply an artifact of 

their behavioral characteristics, such as I) a lo~~ inconspicuous 

blow, 2) a\ oidance of ships and or 3) distributIon in small 

group5 in offshore areas well outside the normal boating lanes. 

Experienced observers \vorking in the temperate eastern orth 

Pacific have reported fewer than a dOLen confirmed encounters 

with these animals in over 25 years of research. Observers 

involved in an e\tensive seasonal survey program in va t 

stretche of the eastern tropical Pacific have added about 30 

more sightings in about 10 years of research. Though ubtle differences in range, habitat preferences, behavior, color patterns, 

and dorsal fin shape and position may, when better understood, 

be helpful in narro\\ ing the choices among li~ ing animals seen at 

sea, these \\ hales w ill probably contin ue to be e\tremely difficult 

to distinguish from one another during the une\pected and 

alway too brief sightings that are typical. 

Behaviorally, members of the A/esop/odol1 group are 

lethargic and sluggish at the surface compared to mo t cetaceans. If they breach, lobtail, or spyhop, they must do it very infrequently, since no one ~vho has seen them in the \vild has noted 

anything more spectacular than their bobbing to the surface and 

rolling out of sight. 

Although some attempt has been made in the species accounts 

to describe their coloratIon, it is probably best not to use color 

as a key to their identification (e\cept, perhaps, in the case of 

Hubbs' beaked \\hale). Variability in lighting conditions, 

Figure 126.-Four views of a pair of unidentified beaked wbales of tbe genus Mesop/odon, possibly Hector's beaked whales, seen off CataUna Island, caUf. Note tbe 

dolphinUke appearance of the beak and melon in profile (a, b) and the small head, the robust bod) and the barel) ,isible blo" (b). The bod) "a;, mottled bro"nish gra) (c) 

"ith numerous long narro" scars (d). (Photos b) D. Ljungblad, courtes) of NO C.) 

98 
observer perception, and probabl y indi vidual ar "ln g~ dictate~ 

caution. Robert Pitman (in letter), an ob ... erver I\ho ha~ had 

several encounters with th em in the ea'>tern orlh Pacific, 

shared the following description I\ith us: "The \1esop(odul1 

pecic ... are medium brown , but sometimes olive broIl n or even 

gray. They sometimes have the large I\hite spots that Liphll/\ 

often shows, and sometime sca rrin g is evi dent bUL never LO the 

extent 0 f an extremely scarred Ziphius. Any whiLe area ...... een 

dorsa ll y are limited to the tip of Lhe rostrum, around the gape, 

and on or above the melon." 

1 he problem of a -)et unrdenllhcd pc I dd 

group's In erLJtdhlltl). I'nf1l.IIl, for 111 tJn"t, r I.lled the f 

Ing. "Ther ... I that \!elOp(o(/o/l III the \ atcr If \ pul 

(:"vle\ico) that ha the bl~ "llIle die\[ n e tend1l1 I 

ml!lon po tl!f1o\cl1lralh on ea h Id I he re t f Ihe.: dl1lm I I 

darl-. (almo<'[ hlad) 0 that thl pall rn I 

\\ hen in ,,:hool., Ihls pattern llll:lJr onl\ In Ihe.: I.lr 'cr (111.11 

anlmab, \\hill' Ihl! II! t .rppe.lr to hL bron" br "n .. 

HUBBS' BEAKED \\-HALE (Tl 

Mesop(odon carfhubbsi Moore, 1963 

Other Common Names 

B::tUena de Hubbs (Latin America); Hubbs' oogiha "ujira 

(Japane e); remnezu b Hubbsa (Russian). 

Description 

Although virtu a ll y all that is known about the physical 

appearance of this \I ha le comes from ob ervations of less than a 

sco re 0 r stranded individuals, Hubbs' bea"ed 1\ hale I, one of the 

be t known forms in its genus. The description herem (as well as 

those for other Mesop(odol1 species) is largely based on a paper 

by J . G. Mead, W. A. Walker, and W. J. H 0UC" (in prep.). 

Maxim um size is about 5.3 m and 1,500 kg. There is no 

known difference in maximum size betlleen males and females. 

A rough estimate of ize at birth is 2.5 m. 

The body is similar to those in other species of \-!esop(odol1, 

best described as spindle-shaped, Ivith a small head and narro\\ 

tail stoc k. The forehead slopes onto a prominent bea\.., and 

there is no crease ~eparating the t\lO. Adult males hale aver) 

distinctive elevat ed prominence on top of the head Just anterior 

to the large, crescentic bloll hole; thb raised area, II hlch I'> II hite, 

can be liJ...ened to a cap or beanie. The mouthline of adult males 

is interrupted on each side at about midlength b) a rai ... ed area of 

the lOll r j aIl , out of II hich a substantial, laterall~ compres'ted 

tooth protrudes through the gum. The upper por110n of the 

tooth i, exposed to a lariable degree. It I'> II,>ible outSide the 

closed mouth and therefore is properly referred to a at u. \.. In 

females and jUleniles the teeth arc buneu In the gU111. In female 

and young male, the mouthline fOr111\ a noti.::eable Sl11usoidal 

( - haped) curle. '\ pair of long, allleriorl~ conlagelll .::rca es is 

pre,ent on the throat. 

The dorsal fin, a, III other ,pe.::ies of \!L'wplt·dol/. I Iluateu 

111.'11 behinu the 1111UPOillt t)f the bad. It IS fakatL anu reache J 

height of 22-_3 un in Juults, The tllprers are rltlrt)rll\.Hlateil 

small. and the~ fit Illtt) "Ilirpa po.::"ets," 'lrght d ... pr ... 1l1n 11l 

the bou~ Ilall 11l1111 ... dJ.lIel~ beh111d the p<)lnl llt Ihelr 111 "rl1lm. 

The tlu"es are .::hara.::ten ll.::all~ U1111ll1,lllU 

Hubb,' beaJ...ed II hale i, \.)n ... tlf thl.' 11.'11 <)111 InJ thdl cJ.II b 

rl.'.::ogni/ed at sea (111J.k' onl\). Thl.' \..n III II Idlllllfi,al1 n \I 

the II atel I' Ihe pIgm ... nlJ.lIl)n pall rn l)n till' hl'ad In dudlllon I 

the \\hlle "car" on th ... aJull m.k·, head. th" dnter! r half f 

lhe bea" 1\ Ilhlle. Although the (ontra I I~ .1ppdrcnth Ie \llld 

on female\ and Juvenile" th ... \ too hal\.' a rel.ll1\el> pale r trum 

and fronl hall' of the 10\\l.'r ja\\. J:1,(\\hllC (111 the hod, m.de 

are uniforml) dJr\.. gra) to hlad, \\hrlc female h.r\L m. r"cdh 

lighter sides and belli"',. Auult male are hca\ 11 .. .ured, 

espcclall} on the Ilanb. Linear Ldr up 10 :! m lon', oft II In 

ing, "hile ,mailer 0la1 and pLJnLlatc '>l..IIS dlC \oIrl 11 h tlrl 

buted to biles by (ooJ...le-(utter sh.lr\.. III lamp C\ , ,111<1 hmel1l 

by barnacles or para 11IC cop pod, .il1d PUll lure b\ the te th 

of other males. Scarrll1g 011 lemal alld un anlf1ldl I I 

extensive. 

Natural H~tor) "'otes 

Vcr} !rule i, \..nol\ n ah ul the blolog or h,lbll I Hubb • 

,h). deepdll lng, and rd.IlI\c1 III 

d ... ep L11\ ers. the I.' beJ.\..ed \\ h.lk dpparentl d1l1 pnm nl n 

m ... ,opelagIL I I hand Qllld 

Dbtribution 

The I;nll\l n dl lrrbullon 

e elu Ilel} on tralldll1g rCl:ord , 

a ftord J. rdlahle 1I1Jl. 

ernnlll t slrandll1g (l urred \.In th 

JU t lPp<l Ill.' th n rthern tlJ:' I \ 

-I . 1 hi I b hey d t be 
Figure 127.-A dead male Hubbs' beaked whale from central 

California. Note the extensive linear scarring over much of the 

body, apparently caused by teeth of other males. The 

characteristic white convexity immediately in front of the 

broad, semicircular blowhole, and the white beak with a 

massive flattened tusk, are also evident. Note that the denticle 

at the summit of the tusk is situated slightly behind the front 

edge of the tooth. (photos by W. Williams, courtesy of 

R. T. Orr.) 

100 
inOuence or south of the latter',. If this i, true, then the pattern 

of reported stranding, ma) be an accurate repre'>entation of the 

pecies'di,tribution. 

Can Be Confused With 

Four other beaked whale, or the genus I\lelop/o(/Oll overlap 

in range with Hubbs' beaked whale: Stejneger's beaked II hale 

(p. 102), Blainville's beaked \-\-hale (p. 103), the ginkgo-lOothed 

beaked \-\-hale (p. 107), and Hector's beaked Ilhale (p. 110). 

Females and young individuals are very difficult or impossible to 

identify to the species level at sea. Males on the other hand 

should be relatively easy to distinguish when examined at close 

range. The raised white "cap" and partly white beak are unique 

to M. car/hubbsi, at least when compared to other orth Pacific 

Mesop/odon species. 

The two teeth in four species of ,\,fesop/odol1 so far described 

in the North Pacific rest well behind the tip of the lower jaIl, so 

their positioning in males will not be a particularly useful key to 

identi fication at sea. Only in Hector's beaked whale are the 

teeth near the tip of the lower jaw. 

Cuvier's beaked whale (p. 94) often has a good deal or \-\-hite 

on the head, but its lack of a long beak and its rather steep rorehead, which is sometimes slightly concave in front of the blowhole, should make it fairly easy lO tell apart from Hubbs' 

beaked whale. 

The dorsal fin of Hubbs' beaked whale is similar in shape and 

positioning to the minke whale's (p. 80), so at a distance these 

two whales might be confused. At closer range, however, they 

are easy to tell apart. Minkes have a triangular rostrum with a 

sharp median ridge; their flippers each have a conspicuou \-\-hite 

band on them; and their ski n has little or none of the scarring 

characteristic of Hubbs' beaked whales. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

In addition to the features mentioned above, with a specimen 

at hand, the attitude, size and shape of the teeth and their position in the jaw can be useful in separating Hubbs' beaked IIhale 

from its North Pacific congeners. The apex of the tooth In \1. 

carlhubbsi is placed just behind the tooth's anterIor edge. In \1. 

slejnegeri, its closest lookalike, the apex is in line with the 

tooth's front edge. The less massive teeth of \I. gink,f!,oriel/I 

have centrally situated apices, as do the narrower but thider 

teeth of M. densiroslris, whose teeth tilt forward noticeabl,. 

The teeth of M. heclOri are triangular in side viell, with a ,>omewhat convex anterior edge, and they are placed Ilell ahead of the 

posterior boundary of the mandibular symphysl . 

Museum preparation is often necessary to make a PO,>illl e 

identification of females and juveniles, In II hich the teeth arc 

concealed beneath the gum line. 

Figure 128.-A female Hubbs' bleaked .. hale ,Iranded in San Diego. (alif. In female. Ih. 

counlour of Ihe moulhline b much less cuned Ihan in mal"" lacking Ihe hIgh promine"", 

"hkh in males house Ihe leelh (lop); Ihe don.al fin i. small. 10 aled in Ihe laller Ihird of Ihe 

bod) and slightl} faicale (middle); Ihe flukes are nOI nOlched (bolloml. I PhOIO' b} J. (, 

Mead.) 

101 
STEJ:'IiEGER'S BEAKED'" HALE (T) 

\1esop/odoll srejllegeri True, 1885 

a 

b c 

d 

e 

102 
Other Common Names 

Berin g Sea beaked wh a le , 'sabert ooth ed wha le; ball ena de 

Stejneger (Latin America); oogiha kujira (J apa nese); remnezub 

Stejnegera (Russia n). 

Description 

Maximum size for males a nd females is pro bably close to 5.3 

m. Newborn len gth is no t known . 

In body form Stejneger's bea ked whale is li tt le different from 

others of its genus. It bas a long, well-defi ned beak, a fa lcate 

dor al fin placed we ll behind midback, usua ll y no med ia n notch 

between th e fluk es, small flipp ers, a nd a pair of throat creases, 

The two mandibula r teeth in m ales eru pt well outside the gum 

and a ppear, in do rsa l view, to pinch or co nstrict the upper jaw. 

These teeth a re roo ted behind th e mand ib ular symphysis; they 

tilt fo rward slightly a nd emerge fro m very prominent arches 

which begin well behind th e tip of th e beak on eit her ide of the 

lower jaw. The fro nt edges of the fl a ttened teeth are often worn, 

The denticle o n eac h is very near the anterior edge of the tooth. 

The a rched conto ur of the lower lip is not nearl y so striking in 

fema le a nd juveniles, a nd their teet h are unerupted. 

Few of th ese wha les have been seen and recognized alive, so 

the colo r p a ttern is not well known, Li ke several other poorly 

known beaked wha les, th is specie has been described mostly 

from lo ng-dead specimens whic h have dar kened and lost definiFigure 129.-Several useful views of a decomposed adult male 

Stejneger's beaked whale from Homer, Alaska. Note the slightly fra yed 

but otherwise straight trailing edge of the nukes (a), which lack a median 

notch, and the dorsal fin , placed well bebind the center of the back (b), 

The teeth, one on each side, erupt only in adult males (c). The two large 

tusklike teetb are oriented slightly forward and slant inward (d). Note 

tbat the denticle is on a line with the front edge of the tooth 

(e). (Photos by F. H. Fay, eourte~y of J. G. Mead.) 

tion in zones of coloration after death. Ho\\ever, ,ome fre,hl) 

stranded individuals were grayi h bro\\n on the back and lIghter 

o n the belly, with striking light brush marl-., e\tel1llll1g up the 

sides behind the head, at the ned, and around the mouth. 

Adults generally have many oval \\ hile scar; on the Ilanl-., and in 

the genital region, and males are co\ered \\ ith linear ,car\, 

apparently from fighting. 

Natural Histo r) No tes 

Nothing is I-.nown about the natural history of thiS ;pecie,. 

D istribution 

Virtually all that is known about the distribution of 

Stejneger's beaked w hale come from stranding records. These 

suggest that it i endemic to the subarctic and cold temperate 

North Pacific. It inhabits much of the southern Bering Sea, 

ranging south to the northern Sea of Japan in the west and to 

Monterey, Calif., in the east. Slrandings are most common on 

the shores of the Aleutian Islands. 

Can Be Confused Wit h 

The most common ziphiid be ides Stejneger' beaked whale 

in much of its range is Cuvier's beaked whale (p. 94). Its abbreviated beak should distinguish it in the field from Stejneger's 

beaked whale. In stranded specimens, the long, contoured 

mouth line, with flattened mandibular teeth exposed far behll1d 

the tip of the beak, should also make Stejneger's beal-.ed whale 

easy to distinguish from Cuvier's beaked whale. The on 1) other 

Mesoplodol7 species regularly found inside the I-.nO\\I1 range of 

Stejneger's beaked whale is Hubbs' beaked \\hale, v\hich ranges 

as far north as British Columbia Male Hubbs' beal-.ed \\hales 

have a characteristic white "beanie" on the forehead in front of 

the blowhole. Such a prominence is lading entirely in 

Stejneger's beaked whale. Females and jU\'eniles are verI difficu lt to identify prior to museum preparation and examination 

by a speci(llist. 

BLAIN VILLE'S BEAKED WHALE 

Mesop/odon densirostris (Blain ville in Desma rest, 1817) 

Other Common Names 

Dense-beaked whale, tropical beaked whale; ballena de Blainville (La tin America); kob uh a kujira (Japanese); remnezub 

Blainvillya (Russia n). 

Description 

Full y grown Bla in ville's beaked \\ hales are 4.5-5.0 m long. 

Size at birth is unk nO\\ n . 

This spindle-shaped whale has a 10\\, non bulging forehead 

that gently slopes o nto a long, prominent beak. The area in 

front of th e blo who le is marked by a slight depre ion, which 

103 

gives the rostrum a flattened appearance. The long mouthhne 

has a distinctive shape, marked as it is b) a promll1ent arch 

toward the corners, beginning well before the angle of the gape 

on each side. These rises, vvhich bear the t\\O laterally compre -

sed teeth, one on each side, give a pecuhar high, an:hing contour 

to the mouth, particularl) in adult male.,. 

The flippers are small (one-eleventh to one-tenth 01 bod, 

length) and originate in the lighter color of the underside The 

dorsal fin's shape varies from small and tnangular to moder 

ately falcate and pointed on the tip. It I ituated behind the 

midpoint of the bacl-.. The \\ Idth of the Iluke 1 one- 1 th to 

one-fifth the bod) length; omellmes there i a I,~ht median 

con\ exit) on the rear margin but almost ne\ er a notch. 
B\;.l1nl ille'~ beaked 1\ ha les a re gray on th e back, lightening 

tOllard th\; abdomen. ~.J es in particular have grayish-white or 

pin k blotche, Cler much 0 f the bod y, a nd a nimals of both sexes 

are usualh ,cratched and scarred. Ma les appear to be more 

h<.:alll) '>carred than females, and they o ften have large white or 

reddish patches on the head. The nippers a re lighter than the 

bad... 1 he tlukes are dar k abole and light below . 

..... a lu ral Hislof) :-"oles 

L Ike it'> longener'>, Blalnl il le's beaked II hale proba bly lives in 

slll..J1I l'..Jnd, 01 Ie,s than 10 indilidua ls. It is sh) and emits very 

indiqinet bloll s, II hich make it d ifficult to pot and follow. 

"'dll iduals ob,ened at sea ha l e appeared to be slow-swimming, 

allli 'he\ dilLd lor rcnolh longer than 20 minut es. E. W. Shallenberger repPrt<.:d that as Blalnlille's bea ked wha les surface to 

breelthe. "thel roll gra(ci"ull) but the rostr um leaves th e vlater 

Ilr t .:lI1d t hen ,lap, dOlI n all k II ardl) ." Squ id i, a k nOlln food 

I'cn I hL L II hak, h,n e bcen knOll n to str a nd sin gly, 

(!11tlIme;: alII C 

DI Irlhu lio n 

\!ti101l'1 111 gdlnal llwrc II ide!) distnbuted th a n a n) o th er 

I] 'cuu, I fl)ll1 currentl) ,1\ ailable record, Bla ind I h< Ie appedl Il) be rel.!tll ely uncommo n along 

Hth \l11eflcd. It has bcen ,>ugge,ted th a t II i., 

• \lIng. 122 25 \\) i, 

()rth \ mCrle,ln Ile,1 ella I 

n III' to hellC IldnJed l)11 \l id \\a) Isla nd 

1 III "'II ,II1.!.1I1 m.l 

I t rUM\ '11 tbe KaU,ll l h,lIlll cl , ntl l)1l 

104 

Figure 130.-An adult female Blainville's beaked whale stranded at Cape 

Hatteras, N.C. The bottom pboto of the same animal clearly shows the 

V-shaped throat creases and the flippers fitted snugly against tbe 

body. (Pbotos by J. G. Mead.) 

Can Be Confused With 

Sightings that provide a close look at the head of an adult 

male may allol\ field identification. The contour of the mouth 

and the massive, forward tilting teeth that erupt from the arching prominences near the corners of the mouth, together with 

the l1attened forehead, can aid in identification. There is little 

hope of recognizing females and young that are unaccompanied 

by an adult male, since the) have no exposed teeth and have less 

prominent ri,es at the corner, of the mouth. 

Blallll ilk', beaked II hale, are likely to be confused II ith other 

I\hale ... 01 the genu, \felOp/udoll (p. 98) and CUlier', beaked 

Ilhale (p . 94) throughout their range, and with the bottlenose 

II hale (p . 92) near the equator. The latter should be distinguishable b~ It, steep. more bulging forehead and straightlllouthline; 

and (ulier's beaked I\halc b~ It, much Illore steeply ,loping 

forehead, 1\ hi..:h appear, slight Iy conl'ale or scooped 1\ hen 

Ilelled laterall), and it ... ,horter beal.. . Iso, In both the bottleno C II hale ,lIld eUllef' , hcal..cd II hale the crurted teeth of 

adult male, arc al the lip 01 the 101\er Jail. 
Figure 131.-A group of five or six beaked wbales, probably 

Blalnvllle's beaked whales, encountered at Pokal Bay, 

Oahu, HawaII. The animals were very shy and had low Indistinct blows, making them difficult to spot and follow (a). As 

they surfaced, the~' frequently bucked their heads and 

slapped their chin, again,t the ,urface (b, upper animal; c!. 

The) did not rabe their flul." "hen de.cending for a long 

dhe. The light lo"er ja" and arching contour of the 

mouthline are e,ident (d.e!. (Photos b) E. ~hallenberger.) 

Figure 132.-1n this male Blalnville's beaked .. hale that 

stranded alive In Florida, the broad, symmetrical blowhole is 

well Illustrated , as Is the pecuUar sbape of the moutb . Tbe 

depression in front of the blo"hole and bet"een the raised 

"cheeks" is helpful in field identification of this 

species. (Photo b~ . A . Huck, courtes) of Marineland of 

Florida.) 

105 

b 

d 

e 
106 

figure 133 . - four ,it,., 01 I I.mlle Bllin,IlI' bt~ktd .. hll 

. trlnd.d In centrll Cilifornia . Th Indl,lduII' mo I trlkinR lta'urt 

" the pOlk I -dotted Ippelr~net 01 It kin , The 0'11 .. hltt ar 

eo.erlnR much Df the anlmll ' bod} art b I "d to be elu td b~ Ib, 

teeth 01 eD,,~le (uller " hark ( tnO (H ome othtr kind 01 

eplLok or plr .. Ilk I h. Tht ntent 01 elrrlnR on thl femll< ml) be 

abnormll. (Photo In "'1 , 'hbher.) 
Identification of Dead Specimens 

Bla inville's beaked wha le is ident ifiable on the basis of the 

prominences in the lower jaw, the massive, forward-tilting teeth 

(exposed only in adult males), and the flattened forehead. The 

two teeth, one of which rests at the summit of each prominence 

on the sides of the mouth , are concealed throughout life in 

females. Museum preparation may therefore be necessary to 

identify females and young males. 

GINKGO-TOOTHED BEAKED WHALE (T) 

Mesop/odon ginkgodens Nishiwaki and Kamiya, 1958 

Oth er Commo n Names 

J apanese beaked whale; ichoha kujira (Japanese); 

ginkozubyy remnezub (Russian). 

Desc rip tio n 

Ginkgo-toothed beaked whales are known to reach at least 5 

m in length and about 1,500 kg in weight. The species is too 

poorly known to say more about ize range. 

The spindle-shaped body resembles those of other species in 

the genus. The head is characterized by a smoothly sloping forehead and a prominent beak. There is no crease between beak 

and head. The mouth line curves abruptly upward about halfway 

back from the tip of the snout, then continue, directly back 

toward the eye, forming a characteristic raised area in each 

lower jaw. A single tooth is situated on top and to the front of 

the raised area. The shape 0 f its two flattened teeth, which erupt 

through the gum line only in adult males, gave the species its 

name, for they resemble the leaf of a ginkgo tree. The ginkgo 

tree is common in Japan, where the first specimens of M. 

ginkgodens were found and described. 

T he large, symmetrical, crescentic blowhole is situated at the 

middle of the top of the head, and the convergent pair of throat 

creases typical 0 f beaked whales is present below. 

The appendages are little different from those of other forms 

of Mesop/odon. The flippers are small (only one-ninth to onetenth of body length). The dorsal fin in all specimens examined 

to date has been falcate or triangular and placed well behind the 

midd le of the back. The one well-photographed specimen from 

the west coast of North America, described below, had an 

~xtremely hooked falcate fin. The flukes usually have no median 

notch. 

Generally body color has been described as black, although 

no live specimens have been examined, so perhaps some of the 

darkness should be attributed to postmortem changes. In any 

case, the belly is said to be noticeably lighter than the rest of the 

body and is marked in most cases by many oval white scars that 

extend onto the sides. The head and lower jaw of one eastern 

Pacific female specimen was light brownish gray. The side of the 

head and the area toward the flippers were blotched. Females 

are aid to have rather light-colored heads. 

107 

Natural Histor) Notes 

Nothing is known abou t the biology or behavior of this 

species. 

Distribution 

The only records of this whale's occurrence, mostly strandings, come from the warm temperate and tropical North Pacific 

and Indian Oceans. It appears to be more common in the we tern Pacific than anywhere else. The only published records are 

for the eastern North Pacific of a female that came ashore at Del 

Mar, a few kilometers north of San Diego, Calif., in June 1954, 

and a skull found on Malarrimo Beach near the mouth of Ojo 

de Liebre (Scammon's) Lagoon, Baja California, in December 

1980. 

Can Be Confused With 

At sea, the ginkgo-toothed beaked whale is likely to be confused with any of its congeners. However, the flattened or 

depressed area ahead of the blowhole in M. densirosfris (p. 103) 

and the white mound on the forehead of M. car/hubbSI (p. 99) 

males should allow them to be distinguished from ginkgotoothed beaked whales of any age or sex. Also, female and 

young specimens of Hubbs' beaked whale apparently have 

whitish, or at least noticeably lightened, beaks. Male ginkgotoothed beaked whales appear to be less heavily scarred than 

males of other North Pacific pecies of Afesoplodon, except 

perhaps M. densirosfris. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Museum preparation may well be nece sary to distinguish 

dead ginkgo-toothed beaked w hales from their congeners, particularly when the specimens are females or juveniles. I f an individual's teeth are erupted (i.e., if the animal is an adult male), It 

may be possible to distingui h it from AI. carlhubbsi and \1 

sfejnegeri in that the apex of its tooth IS centrally located, 

whereas the apex is displaced anteriorly in the other (\,\0 species. 

Also, in adult male ginkgo-toothed beaked \\ hales apparently 

only the very tips of the teeth erupt, \\hile much more of the 

tooth is exposed in males of the other four orth Pacific 'reCle~ 

of .\fesoplodon. The teeth 111 .\1. denslrosfm are mULh more 

massive than in .\1. ginkgodefls. In \1. heCloTi the triangular 

teeth occur well in front of the mandibular ,>ymphY\I'>. 
a 

10 
134 (opposite page and above).-A male ginkgo·toothed beaked whale on a Japanese beach. Note that the rather small dorsal fin is located well behind the center 

back (a). The teeth, which erupt only in adult males and have barely emerged in this individual, rest at the front upper edge of the raised area of the lower jaw (b). 

lower jaw extends beyond the upper. Note the convergent pair of throat creases (c). The white blotching, particularly extensive in the anogenital region, is typical. 

tos by T. Kasuya.) 

next page).-A female ginkgo-toothed beaked whale stranded af Del Mar, Calif. , in 1954. (Photos courtesy of J. C. Mead, U.S. National 

109 
Figure 13S.-Continued. 

HECTOR'S BEAKED WHALE (T) 

Mesoplodon hectori (Gra}, 1871) 

Other Common Names 

Ballena de Hector (Latin America); remnezub Hectora 

(Russian). 

Description 

The occurrence of this species in the North Pacific became 

known to science as recently as 1980. We are indebted to James 

G . Mead for allowing us to read his description of Hector's 

110 

beaked whale prior to it publication and for pro\iding tl 

photographs. 

The dimensions of Hector's beaked \\ hale are probably n 

appreciably different from those of its congeners. A 390 

male and a 443 cm female stranded on southern Calforn 

beaches were phy ically mature. A 210 cm calf stranded in tl 

same vicinity as and within 2-3 weeks of the adult female. 

Several living animals ob ened at sea and tentatively iden 

fied as Hector's beaked whales had relatively short beak, "I 
Mesop/odon standards" (Mead in press). The two mandibular 

teeth, which erupt through the gum only in adult males. are situated near the tip 0 f r he jaw. Their exposed portion is, according 

to Mead, shaped like "an equilateral triangle, with the anterior 

edge slightly convex." In the 390 cm male mentioned above, the 

teeth were 23 mm from the tip of the jal\, and tlte height of the 

teeth beginning at the gumline was 33 mm. 

Coloration, ba ed on the tlVO North American specimens that 

have been examined soon enough after death to ma\...e out an} 

detail, is basically dark above and light belo\\. The liling 

animals mentioned abo\·e, tentatively identified as belonging to 

this species, were, according to l\1ead, "dark gra~ -bro\1 n above 

and pale gray on the chin and 10\\ er ja\\." Adult males have 

white under ide of the nukes. and there can be a \\ hite area 

111 

Figure 136.- ide vie,. of lhe adult mal He<:lor· 

beaked whale lbal "ashed onlO lhe bucb al 

Carlsbad, CaUf.. on 9 eplember 1978. !Ioole Ih 

small flipper and Ibe I}pical \f~Joplodon hud 

shape. One of lhe lbroal creases Is .. idenl d pile 

Ibe poor condillon of Ihe carcass. (Photo b) 

J. G. Mead.) 

Figure 137.-Three views of tbe bead of lbe adult 

male Hector's beaked whale. In side view (lero note 

tbat there Is no rise in Ihe contour of tbe mouthUne 

where lbe tootb erupts and that the tootb Is shaped 

like an equilateral triangle. In dorsal vie,. (middle) 

tbe crescentic blowhole is apparent. The material atlacbed to tbe rigbt toolh. seen in botb the dorsal 

(middle) and venlral (right) views. consists of three 

stalked barnacles. Conchoderma auricum. In the 

ventral view (right) the lhroat creases cbaracterblic 

of aU the beaked whales are seen to con>e'1te 

anteriorly. (Photos by J. G. Mead.) 

around the umbilicus. \1ead reponed that the adult male he 

e"\amined had "dark lines radiatJI1g out from the tall t L\... .. on 

the ventral urface of the !luKe, Scarring I pre ent on the 

flan\...s of adult males. including long lJI1~ar loolh rahe and O\a. 

splotches. 

Natural Histor} ~otes 

The living animals menlloned above \\ere Ighted III pair In 

the t\\ 0 instance, menlloned by lead, one memb r of a h pair 

approachedthe,ightJI1g\e eLOb\lou differ n mlhee lenl 

of scarring sugge,ted to \lead that at lea t one of Ih e pair 

consisted of a male and a female_ 
Figure 138.-This pecuUar head-on view of the mouth of the adult male Hector's 

beaked whale Is useful for demonstrating the orientation of the single pair of 

mandibular teeth. They are situated farther forward In the jaw In tbls species 

tban tbey are In any otber Mesopiodon known to Inhabit the "Iorth 

Pacific. (Photo by J. G. Mead.) 

The fe\\ stomach contents examined to date Indicate that 

Hector' beaked whales eat squid. 

Distribution 

Hector's beaked whale was kno\\n until recently only from 

specimens stranded In the Southern Hemisphere south of lat. 

30 S. The localities of these strandings-Ne\\ Zealand, 

Falkland Islands, Tasmania, South A frica, and Tierra del 

Fuego-suggest a circumpolar distribution for the species. 

At present, Northern Hemisphere records exist only for the 

eastern North Pacific, north of lat. 30 e . There have been four 

strandings in southern California (during the months of May, 

September, and December), plus the two sightings (identification tentative)-one near Catalina Island at lat. 33 °18 'N, long. 

117 °50 'Won 30 July; the other, 50-75 miles west 0 f San Diego 

on 9 September. 

Can Be Confused With 

Due to the placement of the teeth near the front of the lower 

jaw, Hector's beaked whale might be confused with Cuvier's 

112 

figure l39 .-Although the do",al fin rna, '3r) con,iderabl) in .. hape among 

ondhidual Heclor, bea\..ed "hal .... Ihal of Ihe adull male plclured here i, probabl) I'pical. (Pholo b, J. C. \1ead.) 

beaked \\ hale (p. 94) a well as \\ nh other forms of Alesop/odull . 

The po~sibilit} of confusIon \\ nh Cuvier's beaked \\ hale may be 

espeCIally good becau e of the relatively short beak of Hector's 

beaked \\ hale. Adult Cm ler' beaked w hales are noticeably 

larger (5.4-7 m) than Hector's beaked \\hales (4.5 m or Ie ). 

,\temp/udoll heclon IS the onl) member of its genus InhabltIng the North Pacific in \\ hlch the teeth are situated far forward in the lower ja\\, \\ ell ahead of the mandibular symphysis. 

This characteri tic, e\ ident only in adult males \\ hose teeth have 

erupted, may in some instances aid in identification at ea. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Female and young specimens should be brought to the attention of a specialist, as it \\ ill be very difficult for the layman to 

make a positive identification. If the erupted teeth of an adult 

male Mesop/odoll are found to be near the tip of the ja\\, then it 

is reasonable to suspect M. heclon. However, until more i 

known about how to distinguish the different specie in thi 

genus on the basis of external characters, identification of 

specimens of any age or either sex needs to be confirmed by a 

specialist. 
KILLER WHALE (T) 

Orcinus orca (Linnaeus, 1758) 

140.-A killer wbale at Sea World, San Diego, Calif. Note tbe distinctive coloration of tbe species: white on tbe throat, beUy, and anus, and on both sides above 

tbe anus. Note also the distinctive white eye patch often visible on animals at sea. (photo by R. Reeves.) 

Common Names 

Orca (including Latin America), blackfish, grampus (anti-

; shachi or sakamata (Japanese); mesungesak (Alaska 

Yupik); kosatka (Russian). 

Males grow to 9.5 m and at least 8 t. Few are larger than 

8 m. Females are significantly smaller, rarely growing to 

ore than 7 m and 4 t, and they are considerably less robust in 

rm. Newborn are 2.1 -2.4 m long and weigh about 180 kg. 

The snout is conical, with a blunt, indistinct beak. 

The most conspicuous external feature of this whale is the 

ent dorsal fin situated in the middle of the back. 

the blow is often seen (and heard) as a single explosive 

ff of vapor, the dorsal fin can often be seen from as great a 

as the blow. In adult males it is extremely erect and can 

as much as 1.8 m tall. It usually is close to being an isosceles 

, with a height of two or more times the length of the 

Females and juveniles have a much more modest dorsal fin 

is often moderately falcate and less than 1 m tall. Even in 

113 

females and young animals, however, the dorsal fin is taller than 

in most similar-sized cetaceans. 

The large flippers are also distinctive, shaped like broad, 

rounded paddles. When killer whales breach or spyhop, the flippers are noticeable. The flukes are concave on the rear margin 

and often pointed on the tips. They are separated by a deep 

median notch. 

The killer whale's coloration is a striking combination of 

black-and-white, with sharp demarcation between light and 

dark zones. There is a large, oval white patch on the side of the 

head just above and behind the eye. The entire chin and throat 

are white; this white area continues posteriorly along the ventral 

midline, narrowing as it passes between the flippers. Behind the 

navel this white stripe branches into three prongs, one extending 

onto each flank and the other continuing along the ventral midline past the anus. Most animals have a light gray saddle marking just behind the dorsal fin. The size, shape, and intensity of 

the white zones and the saddle vary among regions. In calves, 

the white areas are often tan to lemon yellow. The undersides of 

the flukes are usually white. All-black and all-white individuals 

have been seen. 
Figure 141.-Tbe differences between dorsal fins of adult male killer wbales and 

those of females and immatures are clearly illustrated in tbese pbotos from off 

San Juan Island, Wasb. Adult males bave an erect dorsal fin tbat may be more 

than 1.8 m tall, wbile the fins of females and immature males are falcate and less 

tban 0.9 m tall, falcate, and pointed attbe tip. Note tbe pronounced saddle and 

the ~bile eye patcb. (Pbotos by R. Reeves [top); K. C. Balcomb [bottom).) 

Natura) History Notes 

Killer \\ hales travel in pods of a fe\\ to 25 or 30 individuals; 

occasionally several such groups coalesce to form herds of more 

than 100. Pods of killer whales appear to have integrity over 

time. They frequently include members of both sexes and 

members of different age classes. A system for visually recognizing known individuals in repeated encounters has recently been 

developed, and this technique promises to provide greater 

insight on \Vhat appear to be complex, stable associations. Killer 

whale populations from five major geographic areas of the 

world can be readily distinguished on the basis of acoustic characteristics. Dialect differences in sounds produced by killer 

whales \Vithin a given region, suggested by preliminary studies in 

Puget Sound and off British Columbia, may eventually be used 

to recognize pods from recordings alone. 

The reproductive biology of this species is not well understood. Gestation lasts for 13-16 months, and most calves are 

born in autumn. The period of calf dependency is prolonged, 

Figure 142.-Klller whales bave 10-12 prominentteetb, curved 

sllgbtly backward and Inward, on each side of eacb 

Jaw. (Photo from Point Mugu, CaUf., by S. Leatherwood.) 

and the lrlterblfth intenal i\ probabl~ well in e\cess of 2 years. 

L .lhe m.l) remalll I\lth their mother, for as much as 10 years. 

In malll Mea, I-.iller \\ halc~ are pre,ent year-round, and local 

re'ldent !'lld, Me recogniled \Io\t or their movements seem to 

be rddt d to Illlld 3\.lllabllit). 

Killer II halt-" Me e'\trunel} fa,t \II immer\. capable of 

re.ldllng p ed 01 ~5 I-. not or more. The) are also actile at the 

114 

urface, frequently breaching and spyhopping. 

Cooperative group hunting by killer whales is perhaps their 

most spectacular characteristic. In addition to fish of man 

species and birds, they are kno\V n to prey on many kinds 0 

marine mammals in the eastern North Pacific, from harbor porpoises to blue \Vhales. It is probably fair to say that at one time 

or another I-.iller \\ hales prey on every species of pinniped and 
Figure 143.-Killer whales often come very close to shore. In the<>e photo> Ihe) are ho .. n in t"o 

characteristic attitudes- breaching (above, top left) and Sp}hoppinR (bOllom Idt). (Photo from 

Pugel Sound by K. C. Balcomb [above, bOllom left); from an Beollo Island, b) \\ ... "ama"" 

[top left).) 

baleen whale in the region. 

The killer whale's reputation has been and continues to be a 

source of controversy. Documented attacks on boats are rare 

and have usually been provoked (by harpoonin g or attempts to 

capture). In some areas fishermen resent the competition they 

~et from killer whales for commercially important fish (e.g., 

~almon) or marine mammals (e.g., northern fur ,eals). Their 

maintenance and training in capti. it) have given killer vv hales a 

sizable following of people who \\ould protect them from an~ 

kind of capture. At the same time, their \'ery '1opularil} makes 

the \\hales attractive to business interests, \\ hose recent attempts 

/ 

115 

Figure 144.-A kUitr .. hal !lop) palroUinK 'tf'} near 

shore off Punta orte, Chubut. 'rKenlln., .. here a pod 

of southern <ea Uon hudd~, apparenl], af.1 oul of 

reacb Tbe -.ea lion tn tbe boll m photo .. a 001 0 lu k • 

beiog auacked and pr umabl ealen b a ~ Irr .. hair 

"bieb ne.rI) beached I If 10 ma~e Ihe LIII In lh.. lrm 

'ortb Pacific. !.iller .. hair are freQuenth found near p 

n'pl'd roul..<rie. (!'holo In II (, \\ ur .. )lOp) co rt 

.. r Huhh - ~a \\orld I{ nh In !,IUIl' )bollom I fl) 
Figure 145.-This dramatic photo leaves little doubt of the killer whale 's awesome predatory potential. Tbe young blue whale was corralled for bours and beld at the surface by a pack of killer whales, wbile individual killer whales cbarged in to tear away chunks of flesh . The incident ended when the kl\ler whales abandoned tbe badly 

injured blue whale. (Photos from off Cabo San Lucas, Baja California, Mexico, courtesy of Sea World, Inc.) 

to capture killer whales in the inside waters of Washington and 

British Columbia for display purposes have been fru strated by 

the \v hales' passionate defenders. 

Whatever one's feelings about killer whales, their power a nd 

unpredictability command respect and those who dive with them 

or attempt close approach in small, unpowered craft are taking 

an unh.nown fiSh.. 

Distribution 

Killer whales are very widely di tributed in the eastern North 

Pacific, from the Chukchi Sea so uth to the equator. North of 

Bering Strait they are not common , a nd most of them probably 

move sout h through the Strait ahead of newly forming winter 

ice, to return only after break up the following summer. Killer 

\vhales range year-round throughout much of the Bering Sea. 

The} are said to be common at the Pribilof Isla nds during spring 

and fall, \\ hen pinniped pre} is easily available, and they are 

abundant near much of the A leutian Chain. The Pacific coast of 

the Alash.a Peninsula, Prince William Sound in the Gulf of 

A laska, and the Strait of Georgia in Briti h Columbia are areas 

\vhere killer v.hales are common. Most of the enclosed waters 

around Vancouver Island and in and adjacent to Puget Sound 

116 

are prime killer whale habitat. As two Canadian scientists (Pike 

and MacAskie 1969) wrote a decade ago: "The killer whale is 

abundant in coastal waters of Briti h Columbia. By reason of it 

temerity in frequenting productive spo rt and commercial salmon fishing areas, it is better known to local residents than is any 

other species of whale." The same could be said about Washington waters. In both areas they are present year-round, often 

timing local movements to coincide with major runs of salmon. 

They are said to be most common in Puget Sound during late 

summer and in November. 

Along the coast of California killer whales are often sighted 

well out to sea, but they frequently move into the kelp bed and 

into bays and inlets as well. Along the coast of Baja California, 

particularly near island seal rookeries, they are abundant, and 

they are known to enter the Gulf of California. Recent ob ervations from tuna boats in the eastern tropical Pacific indicate that 

killer whales can be encountered virtually anywhere between 

Cabo San Lucas and the Galapagos and west to long. l40 oW. 

Records are rare from the vicinity of Hawaii. 

Although there may be a seasonal shift to the south in winter, 

the year-round presence of some killer whales makes it worth 

looking for them at all seaso ns throughout their entire range, 

from the ice edge to the equator. 
:an Be Confused With 

Because of its very distincti~e dorsal fin, body shape , and 

oloration, the killer whale is not likely to be confused 'With any 

r whale when it is examined at close range or when an adult 

is present in the group. Pods of females and juve niles, 

, can be confused with false killer whales (p. 11 8) or 

dolphins (p. 129). The killer whale can be 

from the false killer whale by the followin g difKiller \\ hale I al,~ Killl'r \\ hale 

Chun!..y. SlenJer. 

BoJ~ Color 

Black ,\ ith ~ hite on belly, 

flank, and head. 

All blae!.., ,\ ith ,ome gra\ Oil 

bell~: heaJ rerhar\ lightl) 

lighter on top. 

146.-KiIler whales pursuing (top), herding (bottom left), and later closing in to eat (bottom right) a harbor porpoise off San Juan Island . \\ash . The whale apparplayed with the porpoise for over 30 minutes, lifting it out of the water and forcing It back and forth among members of the group before finall} eating il. Although 

often argued that kUler whales prefer fish, vlrtuaUy no species of marine mammal escapes predation . (Photos by C. A. GoebeL) 

11 ~ 
Dor al Fin 

\ ery tall and ered in adult 

male; tall and moderatel~ 

fal ·c In female and Immature . 

'horter, lender, falcate, 

Head Shape 

Broad and conIcal \\ Ith a Tapered and slender, 

~hort. blunt beak 

Flipper Shape 

Paddle- hared; nearl~ as ;\Ioderately long, wit h eharaeIlldL a long. teristic hump near middle of 

forward edge. 

Lenglh 

fo at lea t 9 m. To at lea t 5.5 m. 

dult RI so's dolphins have a tall dor al fin (to 38 em) \1 hich 

mIght be ~lIgge~tlve of female and young killer Ilhaies. Ri so' 

dolphll1 , hOllever, have much lighter coloration than do killer 

Illtale • from ,late gra} to nearl, \Ihite, and larger individuals 

are COl ered II it h ,era tche, and 01 al scars. On close e'\aminati

the) can be furt her distingul'.hed from "iller \\ hales b) a crea

on the front of the head th at di\ ides the melon into tllO distin

,eLtiom. Finall) , Ri"o', dolphins are much smaller than kill 

\1 hales, gro\1 ing to onl) a bout 4 m long. Historicall), the "ill 

\\ hale ha, often been called "grampus, " and this has generat 

el'en more con fusio n \1 ith Risso' , dolphin, II hose scienti 

name is Grampus ~riseus and II hich is It elf frequently cal 

"gramp us." 

The much sma ller Dall' porpoise i often identified 

untrained obseners as a " ba by killer \\ hale." Its black 

\\ hite pigment ation pa tlern , tho ugh arranged differentl), 

reminiscent of th e kill er II hale's. In addition to its small 

(ma'\imum length 2.2 m), Da ll 's porpoise has a small triangu 

dorsal fin, and its s\\imming mOl ements are often quick 

jerk). 

When I iewed fro m the a ir, th e stark contrasts of 1\ hite 

patch , fla nk patch) and gray (saddle) on black, the body 

and the tall distineti\ e dorsal fin make killer \1 hales unmista 

able. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead killer \1 hales sho uld be easy to identify by th e 

body, the dist inctive color markings, and in la rger animals t

tall dorsal fin. Killer II hales have 10- 12 large, prominent 

on each side of the upper and lo wer jaws. 

FALSE KILLER WHALE (T) 

Pseudorca crassidens (O\\en, 1846) 

Other Common '\ames 

Orca lal a (l atm merica); 0\.:1 gondo kujira (Japanese); 

mal .I or chorna)d ko,at"a (Rus Ian). 

l' cription 

~tale fal e kIller "hJIcs range up to 6 m long and can weigh 

60 k f ~mal are mall r, not u uall) e'\ceeding 5 m long. 

\ bo n d e .Ire J.bout t m long 

1 h b ld I lon' and lender, II ilh .I narroll head that tapers 

I: Ih Ir,)J1 Ihl:, rea 01 the blo I hole t,)\lard the rounded beak. 

,t- m ulhhn 

11 

figure 147.-Thls photo of a false kUler whale on the bow of a research 

,o uth o j Btrrnuda l! 'rah , no Ii'" Ihun hwr kc~ realun,',. I he hlpcrcd 

Jnd Ih e pecullarh , hap cd Iltpp,·r. ,,;th it- lrOO~ or hump ulon~ Ihe lor"urd 

are II~ clher d'J)(nll,I'l. In udd,tllJn , the dO"JI fin "",II hehond the midp(I, nl 

Ih, hal~ . On Ih" ond",duJI Iherl "u lhe"onl;~,' olu,. 01 Io ght J:rJI or "h 

hehond th, ell', II'hol" 01 II I . \I,nn .1 
Figure 148.-ln tbis unusual bead-on view, a pod of false killer whales appears to be cbarging toward the photograpber. Tbere Is a double neck crease on tbe middle 

animal. Note tbe erect dorsal fin, a fe. 'ure which should help avoid confusion with pilot wbales. (Photo by K. C. Bakomb.) 

Figure 149.-Three slow-moving false killer whales in Arikawa Bal . Japan. No tice ho" far back on (he bod) lhe dorsal fin is situated. lea, ing little po sibilit} of mistaking these "blackfish" for pilot whales. Unlike pilot whales, false killer whales lack a saddle of gray behind the fin, and though the head may appear slightly lighter than 

the rest of the hody, these whales usuaUy appear to be uniformly black when observed at sea. (Photo courtesy of T. Kasuya.) 

119 
Dorsal Fin 

Very tall and erect in adult Shorter, slender, falcate. 

males; tall and moderately 

falcate in females and immatures. 

Head Shape 

Broad and conical \\ ith a Tapered and slender. 

short, blunt beak. 

Flipper Shape 

Paddle-shaped; nearly as Moderately long, with charac-

\\ide a long. teristic hump near middle of 

forward edge. 

Length 

To at least 9 m. To at lea t 5.5 m. 

Adult Risso's dolphins have a tall dorsal fin (to 38 cm) which 

might be suggestive of female and young killer whales. Risso's 

dolphins, however, have much lighter coloration than do killer 

whales, from slate gray to nearly white, and larger individuals 

are covered \\ llh ,cratches and oval scar,. On close e\aminallo

the) can be further di,tmgulshed from killer \\hale by a crea

on the front of the head that di\ ides the melon into t \\0 distinc

,eCllom. Finally, Ris,>o's dolphins are much smaller than kille

\\ hales, grow ing to onl) about 4 m long. Historically, the kill

\\ hale has often been called "grampus," and this has generate

even more con fusion w llh Risso's dolphin, \\ hose scientif

name i. Crull/pUS gmeus and \\ hlch IS it elf frequently calle

"grampus. " 

The much smaller Dall's porpoise is often identified b

untrained obsef\ers as a "baby killer \\ hale." Its black an

white pigmentation pattern, though arranged differently, 

reminiscent of the killer \\hale's. In addition to its mall siz

(ma\imum length 2.2 m), Dall' porpoise ha a small triangula

dorsal fin, and its swimming movements are often quick an

jerky. 

When \ iew ed from the air, the stark contrasts of white (ey

patch, flank patch) and gray (addle) on black, the bod} siz

and the tall distmcti\e dorsal fin make killer w hales unmistak

able. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead killer w hales should be ea } to identify by the robu

body, the distinctive color markings, and in larger animals th

tall dor al fin. Killer \\ hales have 10-12 large, prominent teet

on each side of the upper and lower jaws. 

FALSE KILLER WHALE (T) 

Pseudorca crassidens (Owen, 1846) 

Other Common Names 

Orca falsa (Latin America); oki gondo kujira (Japanese); 

malaya or chornaya kosatka (Russian). 

Description 

~1ale false killer whales range up to 6 m long and can weigh 

1,360 kg. Females are smaller, not usually exceeding 5 m long. 

ewborn calves are about 1.8 m long. 

The body is long and slender, with a narro\\ head that tapers 

gently from the area of the blowhole toward the rounded beak. 

The mouth line is long and traight; there is no demarcation 

between head and beak. The dorsal fin, situated slightly behind 

the midpoint of the back, is tall, falcate, and with either a 

rounded or a pointed peak. The shape of the fin is extremely 

variable. The flipper, situated far forward on the side, are long 

and have a distinCll\e broad hump, or crook, re ulting in an 

S-shaped front margin. This flipper configuration i diagnostic 

for the species. The flukes are pointed at the tips. 

These \\ hale are basically all black except for a gray anchorshaped patch bet\\een the flippers. This patch varies from barely 

\ isible to light grayish \\ hite, similar to but generally fainter than 

that of the pilot whale (p. 123). The head often appear lighter 

than the re t of the bod). 

118 

Figure 147.-This photo of a false killer whale on the bow of a research 

.outh of Bermuda demonstrates no less th an four ke) features. The tapered 

and th e peculiarl) shaped flipper, "ith its crook or hump along the for"ard 

are together diagnostic. In add itio n, th e dor>al fin ;, "ell behind the midpoint 

the back. On this indi> idual there is a cheHonlike blaze of light gra) or "hi 

behind the e)e. (Photo b) H. E. \\ inn .) 
148.-ln Ihls unusual head-on view. a pod of false killer wbales appears 10 be cha'1!ing lo .. ard Ih. pholoKraphrr I h r a double nr-c~ cr 

animal. Nole Ihe erecl dorsal fin. a ff lure "hich should help a'old confu,"on .. ilh PIIOI .. h.""'. (PhniO b I( (. Ra omb, 

i{(lIre 1~9 .-1 hree ,I()"-mo"n~ fai,e ~llIer "hale, on "ri~u"a Ra). Japan "nlon' hm' lar har~ un Ih, hud, II" dur ullon I 

Ihese "blackflsh" for pllOI whales. l nlike pllol whales. falst killer .. hales lack a addle of Rra) behind Ih. fon, and Ihou 

reSI of Ihe bod). Ihese "hales usuaU} appear 10 be uniforml) black "hen ob-.ened at ~ •. 

II 

on I r Idd 
atura! Histor) "I,otes 

False killer \\ hales are highl) social, sometimes occurring in 

herds of \\ ell over 500 animals, though smaller herds of a few 

dozen' appear more common. Pairs and small groups are sometimes encountered as well. They are not knO\\ n to be segregated 

In an)eason or area by se\. or age. 

The reproductive biology has not been studied, but calves 

appear to be born at an) time of the year. 

Seasonal movements are not known. One of the most puzzling aspects of thi \\ hale's behavior is its proclivity for strandIng in \ery large numbers. One school of at least 835 individuals 

IS kno\\TI to ha\e stranded en masse. Thi tendency may have a 

significant effect on populations, since the animals appear rare 

to begIn \\ith, Judging b) the infrequency of observations. 

False killer whales readily approach vessels to investigate or 

bo\\ ride, at which time their large prominent teeth can sometime~ be seen. They also are known to leap clear of the water, 

characteristically turning on the side and flexing, to reenter with 

a huge splash. 

Fal~e killer whales prey mainly on squid and large pelagic 

fishes, including dolphinfish, or "mahi-mahi," off Hawaii and 

yello\\ fin tuna and bonita off Cali fomia. They have been 

observed eating porpoises a the latter are released from tuna 

purse seines In the eastern tropical Pacific. They are suspected of 

robbIng from tuna longlines, a practice which makes them especially unpopular with the Japanese fishermen. This behavior 

extends to taking fish from sport fishing lines in numerous 

areas, and it sometimes results in their being shot by irate 

anglers. 

The specie has adapted well to captivity in Japan and the 

United States, \\ here it is a popular but uncommon display 

animal 

Figure lSO.-Running false killer "hales frequentl} 

afford the obsoner a good look at lheir extremely 

tapered head" and sometimes even their distinctive 

fIippef'. (Photo. from the eastern tropical Pacific 

b) J. lambert [top! and R. L. Pitman [middle, 

bOllom! ) 

120 
Figure 151.-ln comparison to pilot wbales, false killer wbales are often 

vigorous and acrobatic. As this animal in Hawaii's Sea Life Park 

demonstrates, they frequently puform graceful dolphlnHke bigh leaps; they 

also leap and slap onto their sides, and talllob upon reentry. (Photos by S. 

Ll ... tberwood [above]; K. D. Sexton [left]. 

121 

Figure 1S2.-False killer whales bave 8- 11 large, conspicuous teeth In eacb row. These teetb are sometimes visible in swimming animals, particularly while tbey are 

engaged in stealing fish from the lines of fishermen . The 

teeth are so distinctive that they can be used to identify 

even badly decomposed stranded specimens. (pboto 

courtesy of Sea Life Park, Hawaii.) 
122 
istribution 

The false killer whale li ves prjmarily in offshore tropical and 

arm temperate waters. It is generally not abundant north of 

)out lat. 30 oN, though it is known to wander occasionally as 

Ir north as the Aleutians and Prince William Sound, Alaska. A 

)ecimen was once killed in Puget Sound, Wash., in the month 

r May, and there are records from seamen of sightings in offlore wa ters west of Oregon, Washington, and California . They 

'e encountered not uncommonl y throughout the eastern tropid Pacific tuna fishing grounds. Occasional sightings in offlore waters as far south as the Galapagos and in the Gulf of 

alifornia indicate that this species is widely distributed . Large 

~rds of false killer whales are seen occasionally near Hawaii . 

an Be Confused With 

The false killer whale can be confused with the killer whale (p. 

13), the pilot whale (p. 123), or the smaller, poorly known 

ygmy killer whale (p. 184) and melon-headed whale (p. 188). 

Characteristics distinguishing it from the killer whale are tablarized on p. 117-118; from pilot whales on p. 128-129. 

[gure 153.-Like pilot whales, false killer whales are known to commit 

bat appears to be mass suicide. In the top photo, no less than 10 whales 

'e strewn along a British beacb, some recently dead and otbers mori-

"nd. Tbe lower left photo sbows a solitary whale stranded in southern 

lorida. Note tbe long, straight mouthline and the tapered head . This 

IUnt individual's ribs are sbowing, suggesting tbat it was in poor condion before stranding. The distinctive flippers are clearly evident on the 

'imal in the bottom right photo. (Photos courtesy of A. S. Clarke 

opl; Wometco Miami Seaquarium [bottom leftl; D. K. Ca ldwell Ibot-

.m rightl .) 

At sea, false killer whales are distinguishable from pygmy 

killer whales and melon-headed whales primarily by their large 

size (the other two are less than 2.7 m long) and subtle pigmentation differences. Pygmy killer whales usually have an extensive 

white region on the abdomen which may extend onto the sides, 

and adults of both the pygmy killer whale and melon-headed 

whale have variable white areas around the lips which are usually 

lacking on false killer whales. Flippers of false killer whales have 

an S-shaped forward margin, while the flippers of the other two 

are continuously convex on the forward margin. 

From the air false killer whales appear long, slim, and, in 

most cases, uniformly black . Juveniles are slightly lighter gray, 

and adults sometimes appear slightly lighter gray from the dorsal fin forward, accentuated in bright su nlight. The dorsal fin is 

near midbody, but the flippers appear to be unusually far forward on the body. Traveling false killer whales displace little 

white water when surfacing, unlike killer or pilot whales. When 

feeding or fleeing they are often fast and quick to change directions, behavior very different from the slow, lazy movements 

characteristic of pilot whales. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead false killer whales can be positively identified on the 

basis of their large size (to 6 m); slender body tapering anteriorly 

to a long, slender head; the markedly long mouth, with 8-11 

large, conspicuous teeth in each row, reminiscent of the killer 

whale's, but circular and not, as in the killer whale, elliptical in 

cross section; and unusually shaped flippers that bulge conspicuously on the forward edge. 

For comparison with the similar-sized short-finned pilot 

whale, see p. 128-129. 

SHORT-FINNED PILOT WHALE (T) 

Clobicephala macrorhynchus Gray, 1846 

Hher Common Names 

Blackfish (see also p. 125, 184-188), pothead; calderon, 

'a lIena piloto (Latin America); kobire gondo kujira 

Japanese)"; grind a (Russian). 

)escription 

Maximum length is about 7 m for males and 6 m for females. 

... t birth pilot whales in the Pacific are slightly less than 1.8 m 

:mg. 

The head shape of the pilot whale is distinctive and can be an 

mportant visual clue to this animal's identity in some sightings. 

n fact, it is from the thick bulbous forehead, which sometimes 

" Inasmuch as there is continuing controversy over the classification of pilot 

,hales of the northeastern Pacific, the other scientific and Japanese common 

ames frequently used are also included here: G. melaena, magondo kujira, and 

;. scammonii, shiogondo kujira. 

123 

overhangs the rostrum, that the nickname "pothead" 

originated. It has been speculated but not conclusively shown 

that this overhang occurs more frequently and is most prominent in adult males, the heads of which may also be flattened or 

squared off in front. There is generally no distinct beak, 

although a hint of a beak is evident in some, usually small, individuals. 

The pilot whale's dorsal fin is distinctive, set far forward on 

the body (beginning well ahead of the midpoint of the back) and 

with a long base and low profile. It is almost always falcate and 

rounded, rather than pointed, at the tip. The forward margin is 

believed to be longer and thicker in adult males than in females 

and young. The profile of the dorsal fin, even when observed at 

a great distance, is unmistakable. 

The body as a whole is robust, somewhat wedge-shaped, and 

thickened dorsoventrally at the tail stock. This keeled appearance can be observed when an animal lifts its flukes above the 

surface at the beginning of a long dive. The flukes themselves 

are notched and slightly concave along the near margin. 
Figure lS4.-An exbaling pUot wbale. In adult males, sucb as tbis individual 

proved to be, the head appears more bulbous and tbe dorsal fin tblcker on tbe 

leading edge and more strikingly large In ali dimensions than In females and 

Juveniles. (pboto from Santa Barbara Island, Calif., by S. Leatberwood.) 

124 

Figure 155.-PUot wbales surfacing at lat. 06 °55 'N, 

93 "Ol 'W (top), off tbe Midriff Islands In tbe Gulf of 

California (middle), and near Islas Los Coronados, Baja 

California (bottom). Pilot wbales are widely distributed In 

tbe warm temperate and tropical eastern Pacific but tbe 

questions of bow many species occur tbere and bow tbey 

can be distinguished at sea remain unanswered . Presence 

or absence of a saddle behind tbe dorsal fin or subtle 

swatcbes of gray beblnd tbe eye, once tbougbt to 

distlnguisb tropical from temperate types In the Pacific, 

now appear to be too variable to be of use. (Pbotos by 

R. L. Pitman, courtesy of NMFS [top); R. S. Wells [middle); S. Leatberwood [bottom).) 
ure 1S6.-PUol whale, r ling In calm waItt off Ihe e.,lern hore or 'an (I men Ie loJond , ( .Uf, I 'en from 1M dIan 

allin, far forward on Ihe ba k, are unmistakable Indlcillon, IIf the "hllr ' Idenlil) . 1'11111 "hll art frtqu nIh rn 

t'lul) and midmorOlnlJ.. Jlrt>, umahh fnlh)\\lnlJ. a ni~h( of it.'l'(hnll (Phnlu t1\ '" I lhrr"YIltod) 

ure 157.-PUot whale ar.lh Ie", I acroballc of the "blac"n h ." 'uth I n 

pplrenl. uberance ." Ihe breach of Ih~ [ndl,lduII are raro Ind ar u'uall} 

Iltd 10 }ounger anlmab . (P holo off "anla Bubara I'land , Caur., h' 

\arouj .. n, courle ) of BLM .l 
Figure 158.-Aerlal views of pilot whales off Catatina Island 

(above) aDd Santa Barhara Island, CaUf. (bottom). Note tbe 

long wedge-shaped hody, the bulbous bead, the placement of 

tbe dorsal fin, and, in this herd, tbe seemingly uniform 

presence of a saddle bebind tbe dorsal fin. Presence and extent 

of tbis saddle vary among individuals and groups of pilot 

whales. In the bottom figure a bOlllenos. dolphin (third from 

the right) accompanies se'en pilot "hal". The t"o specie, are 

frequenU) found in close compan). \\ ilhout a careful loo~, 

bolllenose dolphins might be recorded as pilot "hale cahe" 

which are light bro"n (see the animal at the right). (Photos 

b) G. E. Lingle.) 

ping individuals' effective hunting ranges (prey detection). 

While feeding, the group's structure apparently relaxes, and individuals go their own way as they become preoccupied with 

chasing and consuming quantities of squid. [n their resting 

mode, pilot whales generally coalesce into groups of 12 to more 

than 30 and lie nearly motionless at the surface. Adult males 

have been reported to patrol, sentrylike, the outer edges of a 

"loafing" pod. 

Reproductive characteristics of short-finned pilot whales in 

the Pacific are poorly known. However, judging by the results 

of detailed studies of the long-finned pilot whale, C. melaena, in 

the North Atlantic, they probably have a prolonged breeding 

season and a gestation period lasting 15-16 months. Since young 

are nursed for more than a year, the entire reproductive cycle 

probably takes at least 3 years. 

The southern California and northern Baja California pilot 

whale populations appear to have two components. Some individuals are known to stay year-round in the vicinity of the California Channel Islands and some of the Baja coastal islands, 

showing a marked affinity for the heads of deep coastal submarine canyons. Others are seen much of the year in deep water, 

126 

well offshore. In late \Iinter or early prIng, \\hen "arm of 

squid come inshore topa\1 n, orne of these off hore animal 

appear to mOle inshore, JOInIng the "residents" to form larger 

concentration 0\ er the most actil e qUid spall ning grounds. In 

summer or fall, the offshore animal abandon the inshore area, 

apparently returning to pelagic II aters. 

Pilot whales can be playful- pyhopping ("pitch poling"), 

lobtailing, and occasionally breaching during so-called 

" loafing" episodes. But more often they are relatilely undemonstrative at the surface. Pilot whales do not bOIl ride, and 

can be captured only from extended bowsprits or Sll ordfi h 

planks which place the collector \I ell in front of the boat and 

permit him to be over the whales before they are disturbed by 

the boat's presence. In captivity they have proven to be highly 

intelligent and amenable to training. 

Pilot whales are notoriously susceptible to mass stranding. 

The reasons for this tendency are not well known (see Appendix 

C for discussio n), but large herds strand often enough to make 

this phenomenon a potentially significant mechanism for population regulation. Killer whales and large sharks are suspected 

predators. 
ure 159.-Wben seen from aircraft, pilot whales can often be quickly identified by the broad crescent of white water caused by the passage of the bulbous head 

through the water. (P hoto from San Clemente Island, Calif., by S. Leatherwood.) 

ure 160.-Closeup view of the bulbous head and long sickle-shaped flippers 

whales in a tank at Marineland of the Pacific . Though the two wellspecies of pilot whales in tbe Atlantic reportedly can be distinguished 

tbe flipper lengtb relative to body length (o ne-sixth or less in C. macrorhynand one-fifth or more in C. melaena), such a simple formula bas not been 

for pilot whales in the Pacific. (Pboto by W. J. Houck.) 

127 

Distributio n 

Pilot whales are present, but not at all common, in the Gulf 

of Alaska and south along the coasts of Washington, Oregon, 

and northern California. Short-finned pilot whales are believed 

to prefer wal m temperate climates, so their movements north of 

about lat. 40 oN are presumably related to incursions of warm 

water, the extent and timing of which may vary from year to 

year. 

From Point Conception south to tropical waters off at least 

Guatemala, pilot whales are abundant. They are known in the 

Gulf of California and are found both nearshore and offshore 

throughout their tropical to warm temperate range. Throughout 

the Hawaiian Chain, pilot whales are seen with some regularity, 

especially in the channels and in deep areas in the lee of islands. 

Taxonomic confusion surrounding the genus C/obicepha/a in 

the Pacific makes a definitive statement about range necessarily 

tentative. As many as three forms of pilot whale have been suggested in the North Pacific . The name C. scammonii is often 

applied to the animals found off California, but further research 

is necessary to determine correct ta\onomic relationships. 

Can Be Confused With 

In the tropical portions of its range the pilot \1 hale can be 

confused \Iith the pygmy kiJler Ilhale (p. 184) and the melonheaded whale (p. 188). It is distinguishable from both b) It 

larger size, distinctive dorsal fin, and bulbous to squarish head. 

Confusion is most likely between small pilot \1 hales. in \\hich 
the e ft'JlUre are not pa rt H_ularly e\ idem, a nd adults of the 

olh r lll.llkr "blad. fl h " Both pygmy \"'I1 lef\\ hales a nd melonheJue I \Ih.llc h,lIe uor .11 fin_ that are more erect, slender, and 

p mted.lt tht' pc,l\.: than I the pilot II hale's. 

In all part 01 It orlh P;h:i fiL ra nge the pilo t II ha le may be 

Lonlu u.l \11th tlIt' lI11ilar- ileu faht' \... iller II hale (p . 118). The 

Lan be it tingll' hed by tht' fo llml IIlg: 

Pllo( \\ hal~ • a("e "'iller \\ hale 

Head 'hapt' 

1 hll; , hlilboll , n t n I'LC- L. ~) ger bu t limmcr and 

bh lap red gemh tapert'd 

128 

Hgure 161.-Dead pilo( wbales-an adult male on a nortbern California beacb 

(top, middle rlgbt), a calf on the deck of a tuna boat in the eastern tropical 

Pacific (middle left), and a juvenile killed accldentaUy In tbe anchovy fisbery off 

southern California (bottom). Newborn pilot wbales are Iigbter tban adults and 

bave a smaU but noticeable beak. Tbe body darkens during tbe first few months 

lind the beak disappears gradually as tbe forebead fills out anteriorly and dorsaUy.ln tbe younger animals, note tbe faint hint of an anchor-sbaped gray throat 

patcb, consistently present In pilot whales thougb variable In lis 

intensity. (Photos by W. J. Houck [top, middle right); courtesy of NMFS 

Imiddle leftl: courtes~ Hubbs Sea" orld Research Institute Ibottom!.} 

Body Shape 

Head, and upper body in particular, robust. 

Long and slender. 

Flipper shape 

Long, sic\"'le-haped, smoothly bac\...-cuned along leading 

edge . 

Long and tapered, with conpicuoll S-shaped leadin 

edge . 

Dorsal Fin 

head or mid bod) ; lOll in 

pr file; broad-based; falcate. 

At midbody; more erect; Ie 

broad-based; I ariably shaped 
from pointed and falcate to 

rounded and hooked at the 

peak. 

Behavior 

ill not ride bo\\ wa\e; ~el- Does ride bO\~ \\aye; often 

m breaches. "porpoises" clear of the water 

and breaches more frequently. 

Coloration 

ack \\ith gra~ saddle behind All black. 

rsal fin; Itght anchoraped patch on throat and 

Distribution and Abundance 

mmon, often over contishelr, north of lat. 

Reported onl~ occasionally 

north of about lat. 25 oN, rare 

above lat. 30 N, increasing 

to\\ard tropics primarily in 

pelagic \\ aters. 

From the air, pilot whales are readily identifiable by their 

dark coloration and body and head shape . Because of the broad 

head they are often first detected by the wave of white-water 

they push ahead of them when surfacing. The broad-based dorsal fin which is distinctive for this genus can frequently be seen 

from the air. Though the dorsal surface may be variably gray 

behind the dorsal fin, the head of larger animals appears 

uniformly black. Their movements are generall y slow in comparison with those of other blackfish. 

Identification of Oead Specimens 

Dead pilot whales can be confused with any of the species 

mentioned above. They can be distinguished primarily by I) 

the robust body and bulbous head, which is often squared off in 

front in adult males; and 2) the broad-based, low-profile dorsal fin set far forward on the body. Size alone can rule out the 

pygmy killer whale and melon-headed whale when the specimen 

is more than about 2.8 m long. The false killer whale's distincti\ely shaped tlippers can contribute to an identification. 

Finally, the pilot \\hale in the North Pacific generally has about 

seven to nine pairs of teeth above and below, which is 

significantly fewer than in the other three North Pacific 

"blackfish." 

RISSO'S DOLPHIN (T) 

Grampus griseus G. Cuvier, 1812 

ther Common Names 

Grampus, gray grampus, white-headed grampus, mottled 

ampus, Risso's grampus; delfi'n de Risso (Latin America); 

ana gondo kujira (J apane e); seryy del' fin (Rus ian). 

escription 

Risso 's dolphin s grow to as long as 4 m, and there is no evince of size differences between sexes. Males become sexually 

lature at about 3 m. Length at birth is about 1.5 m. 

The body is moderately robust, particularly ahead of the dorI fin. The head has a distinctive shape. There is no clear epailion between forehead and beak. Viewed dorsally the head is 

lpered but with a blunt beak; viewed laterally it is slightly bulus or almost quarish. The mouth line is fairly long and 

rraight, but points up toward the eye. A conspicuous, shallow, 

[-shaped crease extends from the blowhole to the tip of the 

f

ak. It can be detected only when the animal is viewed head-on 

r at close range from above. 

The tlippers are long and pointed. The dorsal fin, located at 

re middle of the back, is tall (to 38 cm), prominent, falcate, 

nd slightly rounded or pointed. The body tapers markedly 

t

hind the dorsal fin, resulting in a narrow tail stock. The tlukes 

e broad, concave along the trailing edge, and deeply notched. 

Risso's dolphins are a uniform light gray at birth. During the 

ext few years, their skin darkens through brown to almost 

lack before again beginning to lighten. By adulthood they are 

129 

largely cream white or silver gray except for the dorsal fin and 

an adjacent portion of the back, the tlukes, and the distal half 

of the tlippers, all of which remain a pale buff to dark ochre. 

Appreciation of the light brown or black coloration depends 

very much on lighting conditions. The belly remains dark except 

for a prominent and continuous light gray pattern on the chest 

extending posteriorly along the ventral midline, reminiscent of 

that of the pilot whale. The head becomes almost pure white, 

though there is usually a dark patch around the eye. The body is 

usually covered with white oval scars and linear scratch marks, 

the latter attributed to aggressive intraspecific encounters or to 

bites from the sharp-beaked sq uid s on which Risso's dolphins 

prey. 

Natural History Notes 

Herds of up to several hundred animals have been reported, 

although groups of a dozen or less are more common. Solitary 

individuals a re sometimes observed. Like pilot whales, Risso's 

dolphins frequently occur in "chorus lines," groups of nearly 

evenly spaced individuals swimming in echelon formation. Since 

no major fishery has exploited the species and since entire herds 

of Risso's dolphins normally do not strand, the composition of 

groups is completely unknown. Risso's dolphins are frequently 

seen in the company of Pacific white-sided dolphins (p. 168), 

northern right whale dolphins (p. 209), and pilot whales (p. 

123). 
these features are not particularly evident, and adults of the 

other smaller "blackfish." Both pygmy killer whales and melonheaded whales have dorsal fins that are more erect, slender, and 

pointed at the peak than is the pilot whale's. 

In all parts of its North Pacific range the pilot whale may be 

confused with the similar-sized false killer whale (p. 118). The 

two can be distinguished by the fo llowing: 

Pilot Whale False Killer Whale 

Head Shape 

Thick , bulbous, not noticeab ly tapered. 

Longer but slimmer a nd 

gently tapered. 

128 

}'igure 161.-Dead pilot whales-an adult male on a northern California beach 

(top, middle right), a calf on the deck of a tuna boat in the eastern tropical 

Pacific (middle left), and a juvenile killed accidentally in the anchovy fishery off 

southern California (bottom). Newborn pilot whales are lighter than adults and 

have a smaU but noticeable beak. The body darkens during the first few months 

lind the beak disappears gradually as the forehead fills out anteriorly and dorlaUy. ln the you nger animals, note the faint hint of an anchor-shaped gray throat 

patch , consistentl y present in pilot whales though variable in its 

intensity. (Photos by W. J. Houck Itop, middle right); courtesy of NMFS 

[middle leftJ; co urtes) Hubbs Sea World Research Inslilule [bollomJ.) 

Body Shape 

Head, and upper body in particular, robust. 

Long and slender. 

Flipper shape 

Long, sickle-shaped , smoothly back-curved along [eading 

edge. 

Long and tapered, with conspicuous S-shaped leading 

edge. 

Dorsal Fin 

Ahead of midbody; low in 

proftle; broad-based; falcate. 

At midbody; more erect; less 

broad-based; variably shaped; 
from pointed and falcate to 

rounded and hook.ed at the 

peak.. 

Beha\ ior 

\\ ill not ride bo\\ \\ a\ e; seldom breache~. 

Does ride bm\ \\a\e; often 

"porpoi,e. "clear of the \\ater 

and breache, more frequentl~ . 

Coloration 

Black. \\ ith gra) addle behind All blacL 

dor al fin; light anchorshaped patch on throat and 

along \ entral midline. 

Di tribution and Abundance 

Common, often o\er continental shelf, north of lat. 

30° . 

Reponed onl) occasionally 

north of about lat. 25 N, rare 

above lat. 30 ,increasmg 

to\\ ard tropIcs primarily in 

pelagic \\ ater;. 

From the air, pilot \\hale are readil~ Identifiable b~ thm 

dar\.; coiL1ration and bod~ and head hape. Becau e of the broad 

head the) are L1ften fir t detected b~ the \\a\e 01 \\hlle-\\ater 

the~ pu,h ahead of them \\hen ,urI .lung. The broJd-ba cd doral fin \\hich I' dhtll1L!l\e for thl genu can frequenth be een 

from the air. Though the dor al ,urI ace ma\ be \ arlabl~ gra) 

behll1d the dor,al fin. the head of larger animal appear, 

umforml~ black.. Their mO\ement, Me generall~ ,10\\ m comparl,on \\ ith tho,e of other blaLk.fi,h 

Identification of Dead ~pecimen' 

Dead pilot \\ hale, can be con fu,ed \\ II h an~ 0 f the 'peL Ie 

mentioned abo\ e. The) can be di !Ingul,hed primaril~ b~ I) 

the robu,t bod) and bulbou head, \\ hlch I' often quared olt in 

front m adult male,; and 2) the broad-ba ed. lo\\-profile dL1ral fin set far forward on the bod~. Ile alone can rule out the 

pygm) k.iller \\ hale and melon-headed \\ hale \\ hen the peCllllen 

is more than about 2.8 m long. The fabe k.llIer \\ hale', JI,!InL 

!I\ely shaped tlippers can contribute to an iden!lfiLatlOn. 

Finall~, the pilot \\ hale in the ...... orth Pacific generall~ ha. abou: 

,e\ en to nme pair, of teeth abo\ e and belo\\, \\ hlch i 

,ignificantl) fe\\er than in the other three or h PaCifiC 

"black.fi.,h . " 

RISSO'S DOLPHl~ (T) 

Grampus griseus G. Cu\ier, 1812 

Other Com mon ~ames 

Grampu , gray grampus, \\ hite-headed grampus, mottled 

grampu , Ri 0' grampu; delfi'n de Risso (Latin America); 

hana gondokujira (Japane e); ery)' del'fin (Ru sian). 

Descriptio n 

Ri o's dolphin gro\\ to as long a 4 m, and there i no e\idence of ize differences between sexe. lale become sexually 

mature at about 3 m. Length at birth i about 1.5 m. 

The body is moderately robust, particularly ahead of the doral fin. The head ha a di tincti\ e shape. There i no clear eparation bet\\ een forehead and beaL ie\\ ed dor ally the head i 

tapered but \\ Ith a blunt beak; viewed laterally it i lightly bulbous or almo t quari h. The mouthline is fairly long and 

straight, but points up toward the eye. A conspicuou , hallo\\. 

v- haped crea e e"\tend from the blo\\ hole to the tip of the 

beak. It can be detected only \\ hen the animal i \ iewed head-on 

or at clo e range from abme. 

The nipper are long and pointed. The dorsal fin, located at 

the middle of the back.. i tall (to 3 cm), prominent, falcate, 

and lightl) rounded or pointed. The bod~ tapers mark.edl~ 

behind the dorsal fin, resulting in a narro\\ tail stocL The tluk.es 

are broad, conca\e along the trailing edge, and deepl~ notched. 

Ri 0' dolphin are a uniform light gra) at birth. During the 

ne"\t fe\\ year" their sk.in darken through bro\\ n to allno,t 

black. before again beginning to lighten. B~ adulthood the) are 

129 

largel) cream \\ hite or iher gray e"\cept for the dor. al lin and 

an adjacent portion of the back., the fluk.e<" and the di tal half 

of the flippers, all of \\ hich remain a pale buff to dark. ochre. 

Appreciation of the light bro\\ n or black. coloration depend 

very much on lighting conditions. The bell) remams dark. e"\cept 

for a prominent and continuous light gra) pattern on the che,t 

e:\tendmg po teriorly along the ventral midline, remmi ' cent of 

that of the pilot \\hale. The head become almo.t pure \\hlle, 

though there i usuall) a dark. patch around the eye. The bod~ i 

u uall) cm ered \\ ith \\ hite 0\ al ,car and linear . cratch mark. . 

the latter attributed to aggre . i\ e mtra peclfic encounter or to 

bites from the harp-beak.ed qUId, on \\ hich Ri 0' dolphin 

prey. 

l'iatural Histor) :\otes 

Herd of up to se\eral hundred animal ha\e been reported, 

although group, of a dozen or Ie .Ire more common. olllar~ 

indi\lduab areometime. ob eneJ. Lik.e pIlot \\hale , RIo' 

dolphin, frequentl~ occur in '\:horu Ime," group 01 nearh 

e\enl~ paced mdhiduaL '\\immmg m echelon tormallon mLe 

no major fI her~ ha' e"\plolled the recie and IIlce nllre herd 

of RI"o', dolphin' normally do not !rand, the Lomp ilIon I 

group' I .. completel) unk.no\\ n. RIo' al Iphm arL frcqu nil 

,een III the company of Pacilic \\ hile- Idcd olphm (p. 16 ), 

northern right \\ hale dolphlll (r. 209), and PIl t \\ hJ.1 (p 

123). 
Figure 162.-A pair of surfacing Risso's dolphin (left) and a single adull male.lal" caplured (righl). The hIgh, .,HI do".1 III and Ih flJppe" rem tn dllr~ e'en .fltt 

much of the bod) has become white. In Ihe lefl phOIO, Ihe indl~idual On Ihe ri~hl appes" I() b • Ju'enlle "ho e ~In ' IInll b<Rlnnlng I" 10 I pl1(m nllllon.IPhol< 

from San Clemen Ie Island. Calif.. b) L. Hobb,. court,,) of Pacific ... earch Pre" lIefl! : Irom nf( an Illc)!". (alol .. h, H '011 . <IIUrl ,uf lIuhh . l"~ '\"rld H· lin 

Inslilule (righll.) 

Figure 163.-A tight group of running Risso's dolphins off Wasbington Slale. From s dislance Ihe) rna) resemble olher smaU "hllk .. lib laU. flLlcale dorsal fin (e.g .• 

female killer whales, bottlenose dolphins, and Pacific while-sided dolphins). Howe'er. Ihelr blunled. beakl bead and ligbl bodies (in adullS) co'ered b) scMltch maJ.. 

them fairly easy to identify. (Photo by C. Fiscus.) 

Risso's dolphins are regarded as pelagIc animals since the) are 

most often encountered seaward of the lOO-fathom depth contour. Only in areas where the edge of the continental shelf is 

relatively near shore are these dolphins likely to be found in 

coastal waters. Their preference for warmer waters is reflected in 

their tropical to warm temperate distribution. 

Risso's dolphins occasionally ride bow waves or more often 

stern wakes, but they normally remain indifferent toward 

powered vessels. They are known to porpoise clear out of the 

water, slap their sides and tail on the surface, and raise their 

head as if to survey their surroundings. When an aircraft makes 

several passes over them they often roll onto their side, seemingly to obtain a clearer view of the intruder. 

Risso's dolphins eat cephalopods almost exclusively and fish 

only exceptionally. 

Captive specimens in Japan have survived for over 5 years 

and have successfully conceived and given birth to young. Life 

span in the wild is probably at least 20 years. 

130 

Distribution 

Ri so' dolphins are abundant and \\ Idel} di tributed in tropical waters of the eastern orth PacIfic, \\ here they can be found 

year-round. They occur a far north as lat. 50 0 WithIn that 

range, howe\er, there are apparent gap in their di tribution. 

one centering at about lat. 20 0 and another at aboutlal. 42 0 . 

Sighting in the northern and in hore portions of the range are 

mo t frequent during late pring through earl} fall, sugge ting a 

relation hip between their movements and increase in \\ater 

temperature. Risso's dolphins are rarel) een near Hawaii. 

Can Be Confused With 

Risso' dolphin is distinctive in its appearance and \\ hen een 

at close range is not likely to be con fused with other small 

whales. At a distance, its tall, falcate dorsal fin resembles that of 

the similar- ized bottlenose dolphin (p. 173). However, the lack 
I I 

figure l(>4.-Performing Rls o' dolphln.t larlnrlnd of tlorld. 

<The animall at left art bottkno~ dolphin .1 In RL 

dolphin. "ho back and ide are dark , the t .. o lon 

markings art reminiscent of tho 

of Marineland of Florida.1 
of a pronounced beak and the scarred white skin of Risso's do lphin contrast vv ith the distmct beak and gray skin of the bottleno e dolphm (although orne bottleno es are themselves heavily 

... carred). 

large RIs\o's dolphins have a promment enough dorsal fin to 

invite confusion. at a conSiderable distance at least, with female 

and Juvenile male killer vvhales (p. 113). 

hom the air. Rlsso's dolphms are among the easiest of all 

~etal:eal1\ to Idenl1f~ In a tight mO\mg herd, the presence of 

numcrou ... \\ hlte porpOiselike animab IS unmi takable. Viewed 

Irom dbO\c. adult Risso· ... dolphin appear \vhite except for the 

132 

Figure 166.-Aerlal views of a large berd 

Risso 's dolphins In the eastern tropical 

(top) and of a small pod off San Clemente Island 

Calif. (bottom). From tbe air. adult Risso' 

dolpblns are readUy dIstlnguisbed from Cuvier 

beaked whales (adult males of wbicb are aim os 

completely wblte) by differences in body sbap 

and size and In tbe sbape and position of tbe dor 

sal fin . (Pbotos courtesy of NMFS [top); by M 

J. Wbite, courtesy of Hubbs-Sea World Researcl 

Institute [bottoml.) 

dorsal fin and the area around its base. T he evenly brown youn 

co ntrast sharply with the light adu lts. 

The most likely mi take in a brief enco un ter fro m a irc raft . 

that a white animal, seen so brieOy that it size a nd other charaQ 

teristics cannot be clearly determined, will be summarily logge 

as a Risso's dolphin when in fact Cuvier's beaked whale (p. 9 

i an equally good po sibility. Since Risso's do lp hins usua ll y 0 

cur in larger herds than Cuvier's beaked whales, there is a goo 

chance that at lea t one individual will be een well eno ugh t 

rule out other species. However, as is true of many other pai 

or groups of lookalike specie, a conservative attitude sho uld b 
Figure 167.-A dead Risso's dolphin from Florida (top) and a Uve Risso's dolpbin in 

Enosbima Aquarium, Japan (bottom). Clearly visible In both is the blunt bead, marked on 

the forehead by a deep V-sbaped crease with the vertex polnllng toward the lip of tbe snout. 

Risso's dolphins have seven or fewer teeth in each side of the lower jaw (none in tbe upper 

jaw). Many of these teeth may have faUen out in older specimens, and the remaining teeth 

may be badly worn. (Pho os by Marlneland of Florida, courtesy of D. K. Caldwell [top]; 

W. J. Houck [bottom].) 

133 

maintained by the ob erver and po~iti\e Identificattons re,ened 

for cases In \\hich an adequate look at diagnostic field mark, ha~ 

been attained. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead Ri so's dolphins can be identified most readily by I) 

the presence of ani, seven or fe,\ er pairs of teeth in the 10\\ er 

ja\\ (many rna, have fallen out in older indi\iduals and tho e 

remaining may be e\tensi\ely \\ orn) and the absence of teeth In 

the upper ja\\; 2) the pre ence of a crea,e or bifurcation in the 

melon on the e"\ueme front of the head; 3) the pre~ence of 

numerous scars and scratches all o\er the bod\; and 4) the tall, 

slender, falcate dorsal fin. 
:;, 

~ 

.c 

:;, 

MUHl -~ IZLD \\ II \1 1 ~ \\ IllIOl 1 \ DOH I .. 

(~ ~ III II' 1111.11" 41\U II It "l:lhl 

(")111\ I\lll Pl:LIl: of Ull:JIUI1\ Ilnl 1I1 L.III \Ith )UI d H II 

fin \,,,:111 III 11Il: .1f':.1 LlI\ I J b\ III IlIdL, the villt \\1\ Ill: r 

belli ',I) ,lI1d IhL lI.1f\\ h,d (JII" th~ \\ 11I'l: I' h.!k I 11\11\ II th 

\\ IIIII \\ II I I I ) 

/)",,"11101" r/I {/I( 1\ H' II . I (,) 

Other ( nmlllnn Illl' 

~ Hel.lg b ukh.! t>.!lkn I b III 

~ (I p. rll: r 11 aq hili 

bdLJkh.! (R.! I II) 

Dc crip I iu n 

1a Imum 

marKl:d IlC d 'Ier rill; .lOlOn 

Igmflt; III I '11 II 

m 10"1 

\\ hi I' h.l 

peaJ a'ld a mc\\ hal gra d 

foiL of tht t> J oflen h 

1 ht~ ha\ e a 1J0rt. broaJ t> 

10 the 10.lLP I ke a ball on 1111 d \ I' h Jrm 

hd\e a \e} Pe Ible ncck, 'c.lturl: \IJI hi 

defired cr .I e bLhmd the bl \\ hoi 

no Jor .11 fin 

mcrea e \\ IIh age. 

flUl 

I 

The color of \lhltc \\hak m.lke~ Ihem \er) dl lIIlLtl\e \ t 

birth :he~ arc laiC gra~ to plllki h bro\ln. LhJnglllg to blUl h 

gra} or broI' msh gra} b) I ~ ear of age \dull \\lllte \ hal .1r 

pure \vhlle. except for some dark r hllmg on Ihe appendage. 

especiall) the rear border 01 the fluke, ,lIld a IIghl darkerllng 

occasIOnally found along the sllghl dor .II ridge. The unilorm 

nature of \\ hlle \v hale I:oloralion (I.e .. Ihe absenLe of mouling, 

marking. or countershadlllg) is a dl tinLli\e eharaLlen lie. 

Natural Histor) ~otes 

These arctic \\hales are gregariou ... and rarel) found alone. 

The} congregate III large herds of hundreds or thou and 

around river mouths in su mmer. l\1alIn g Ol:lUrS mallll, I 

spring, and calves are born in ummer after a gestallon penod 01 

approximately 14.5 month s. The calv IIlg IIlterV"al averages 3 

years. 

White whales are adapted to live in cold water-they are 

134 

I' hlte 

north I' rd I n eVlt 

\I h Ie adapt \I ell I • Pll\ It \ 

10rl11. 

Dblribulion 

\\ hill: ,\ hak hould be 10 )ked tor nl) m the ~ I I \\ 

bordenng the northern CllIl 01 \ 1.1 ka and through ut the E 

ing, Chuk.:hl, and Bealliort ea \ mall, apr rem" I 1.1 

population I .:cntered 10 (onk Inkt and rna, number n m 

Ihan e,eral hundred. Re~em Ighllng have be n made a 

ea 101' ook Inlet a \ akulat B.I) ,lIld a far outh alld \\c 

\o..:odiak Island. but \\ hlle \I hak appear to be ab em from 

Alaska Peninsula \\ e ... t of \o..:odiak and from the Aleut ian. 

!though much 01 Ihc Bering ea \I hite \\ hale populaliol 

belie\ ed 10 migrale north Ihrough Bering Irail. orne anim 
Figure 169.-Note the robust body and the relatively smaU head of th is adult 

white whale swimming off northwestern Alaska . The white whale has the most 

versatile and highly sophisticated sonar system of any cetacean studied to date , 

probably enabling it to occupy varied habitats (from shallow, turbid fresh waters 

to deep pelagic zones). The shape of the melon, which is to the touch like a 

balloon filled with warm lard, visibly alters during sound production, probably 

because of movement of air among the large complicated air sacs behind 

it. (photo by G. C. Ray.) 

Figure 170.-An adult female white whale , her white bod) contrasting with the 

bluish gray of her calf. White whales remain gray until in their sixth or seventh 

year. (Photo from the St. Lawrence River, by J. Laurin.) 

135 

Fig ure 168.-\\< hite " ha le, ,urfacing off north'H,tern Ala,l..a (bollom) and ,n 

Va nco u\Cr Aq ua rium (top). In the bollom photo the animal to the right ha, ju,t 

begun to Hhale, the middle animal i, in the mid,t of inhalation, and the animal 

o n the left ha. completed if> blo" and i, preparin)( to di,e. 'ote the all·"hite col· 

oration o n the,e three and th e ,mall dor-al rid~e on the anima" in the top photo. 

Photo. b) G. C. Raj Ibolloml and R. G He"lell Itopl ) 

remain in Norton Sound and Brislol Bay for the summer. orne 

of these latter animals ascend the) ukon, Kuskok\\im, Naknek, 

and Kvicha~ Rivers. Large numbers are thought to "Inter along 

the ice fronT in the central Bering Sea. They are commonly 

encountered in the shore lead that opens in spring (late April 

and May) along the northwest Alaska coast. Up\\ards of 4,000 

white \\ hales congregate In the \lackenlie Ri\ er Delta or 

western Canada in summer, most of them probably ha\ing 

migrated from the Bering or Chuhhl Sea. 

Can Be Confused With 

Because of their unique coloration and northern dIstribution, 

there i little likelihood of confusing whIte \\hales \\ith other 

cetaceans. Narv.:hals (p. 137) are e\tremely rare In the western 

Arctic of North America, and onl) In Lases of an unu uall} 

\\ hite ammal that either has no tusk or \\ hose tusk I not een i 

there a chance of confu ion. From an aerial per pectl\e "hlle 

w hale. are usuaUy easy to reLogmle by the whIte kin, the 

ab ence of a dor al fin, anJ the di,tlnctl) ,>haped nuke and flIp· 

pers. 

Identification of Dead Specimen~ 

The white body, ab ence of a dor al tin. and dental formula 

(10-11 conical teeth per ro\\ with a few a In adult, due to 

attrition) should be adequate for tdentllYlng dtad \,hlle "hale . 
136 

Figure 171.-Aerial views of white whales durin 

spring (top, bottom left) and summer (bottom 

rigbt). During winter and spring, white whale 

may be found in surprising locations-deep insid 

the Arctic pack ice, wbere they move in chirru~ 

ping tbrongs (they have been nicknamed "se 

canaries") between openings several kilometel 

apart. At times, when holes in wbicb they ar 

resting freeze over, departing wbite whales lea 

behind small ice domes, molded impressions ~ 

the contour of their backs. In summer many vel 

ture into sballow river deltas where they feed 0 

salmon smoll and DI.rse tbeir young. (Phot~ 

from Bering Strait by S. Leatherwood [top, bo 

tom left); from Bristol Bay by D. Lusby, court!!! 

Sea Library [bottom right).) 

Figure 172.-Two white whales in a tank at th

Vancouver Public Aquarium. ote the smal 

bead , the flexible neck, the fat and wrinkled bod

(some larger animals even have folds of fat), ant 

tbe slightly darkened dorsal ridge. (Photo by K 

C. Balcomb.) 
Figure l73.-An adult white whale killed by 

Eskimo hunters at Point Hope, Alaska, 

(top) and a juvenile brought on board a 

research vessel in the southeastern Bering 

Sea (bottom photos). Note the narrowness 

of the tail stock, just in front of the flukes, 

is accentuated by the robustness of tbe 

body. The upturn of the left flipper is not a 

postmortem artifact but a normal characteristic of this spatulate appendage. (photos 

by G. CarroU, courtesy of NMFS.) 

NARWHAL (T) 

Monodon monoceros Linnaeus, 1758 

Common Names 

unicorn (not currently in use); ikkuka (Japanese); narval 

an). 

tio n 

ult male narwhals grow [0 about 5 m long, with up to an 

'tional 3 m of tusk. Females are smaller than males of the 

age and only rarely possess an external tusk. Newborn narare 1. 5-1. 7 m long. 

narwhal has a bulbous forehead and only a hint of a 

k. The head is proportionally small, with little evidence of a 

137 

neck crease. A straight, spiraled tusk erupts through the left 

upper lip of males early in life and becomes the whale's most 

prominent feature. 

The back is smooth and finless, though there is a bumpy ridge 

along the midline in the posterior half of the back. The flukes, 

as in the white whale, have a pronounced convexity to the trailing edge, especially in adults. The flippers are small and 

upcurled distally in adults. 

The color pattern of narwhals alters with age. As newborns 

they are a blotchy gray. They become purplish black before irregular white areas begin to develop on the ventral surface and 

around the head. By adulthood, narwhals have white bellies and 

mottled flanks and backs. Very old animals are mostly \\ hite, 
Figure 174.-ln this photo of narwhals, the origin of the name "unicorn whale" is apparent. The animal at right, probably an adult male , 

exposes its tusk as it surfaces. Even when this feature is not observed, however, the narwhal's coloration, ranging from a blotchy gray at 

birth, through a bluish-black juvenile stage, to almost completely white except for a dark dorsum, makes it easy to distinguis h from the 

white whale. Note also the dorsal ridge on the animal to the left. (photo by D. Lusby, courtesy of Sea Library.) 

except on the back, where some black spotting remains. 

Narwhal dentition is so bizarre that it merits special note. The 

mouth is effectively toothless-the two adult teeth remaining 

Figure 17S.-An adult female narwhal and her newborn calf in Admiralty Inlet, 

eastern Canadian Arctic. Calves, which are born in summer, are an uneven gray 

at birth but soon darken to a shiny black or blue-hlack. Adults are whit e ven· 

trally and mottled on the back and sides. In this view note that the trailing edge 

of the flukes of the calf is flat; as the animal ages that margin will become increasingly convex. The dark dorsal ridge of the adult is clearly visible. The white 

mark on the neck of the female is probably a healed huDet wound, common on 

narwhals in Canada. (photo by R. Reeves.) 

138 

embedded in the upper ja,\. The left one normally pierces th 

upper lip in the male and elongates to become an impressiv 

spear matching the spiraled horn of the fabled unicorn. Occ 

- • 

Figure 176.-A young narwhal caught by fast-moving ice in a natural trap off tll 

northeast coast of Newfoundland. Along with several humpback whales, 

apparently survived the trauma of entrapment and was able to return to its mOl 

northern home when the ice barrier cleared . Not all narwhals are so lucky hu ~ 

dreds are sometimes forced to share a single narrow crevice for weeks, becomin 

vulnerable to starvation , suffocation, or predation by polar bears and Eskim 

hunters. Note the blunt head and the emerging tusk, only a few centimeter 

long. (Photo courtesy of NMFS .) 
ionally both teeth will develop into external tusks, but the right 

generally is less well developed than the left. Females with 

tusks and double tusks have been observed. 

Although narwhals are at times gregarious in areas where they 

abundant, solitary animals or very small groups of less than 

10 are most likely to be seen in the area covered by this guide. 

Narwhals are believed to have a reproductive regime similar to 

at of white whales, with most conceptions in spring, and 

s in summer following about 14-15 months of gestation. 

Narwhals' lives are closely associated with pack ice, and they 

rarely found far from it. They are known to undertake preI''''" ,au" migrations in some areas, and such movements coincide 

h major changes in ice conditions. Because narwhals are 

tiaUy strays in Alaska waters, no generalizations can be 

e about their patterns of movement there. 

In most areas narwhals subsist on squid, polar cod, and 

various benthic fishes and invertebrates. They show a marked 

preference for deep water. Killer whales probably account for 

some natural mortality, and ice entrapment and consequent 

starvation, suffocation, or polar bear predation appears to be 

significant in some areas. In areas where they concentrate near 

human population centers, narwhals are hunted for their ivory 

and muktuk (skin with a thin layer of attached blubber). Recent 

observations indicate that the tusk may be used in dominance 

combat among adult males. 

Distribution 

Narwhals are extremely uncommon in the western Arctic of 

139 

Figure 177.-An aerial view of eight narwbals in 

tbe eastern Arctic of Canada. From the air, tusked 

males and beavily mottled adult females sbould be 

clearly distinguishable from white wbales. 

(Pboto by W. Hoek, courtesy of Environment 

Canada.) 

North America. There are no records south of the Bering Sea, 

and there is only one from south of Bering Strait-a specimen 

stranded at the mouth of the Caribou River in Nelson Lagoon 

on the Alaska Peninsula, April 1957. Although this is the only 

published Bering Sea record, the Eskimos on St. Lawrence 

Island have in their language a name for the narwhal, suggesting 

its previous presence and the current possibility of its chance 

occurrence there. There are a few records from Point Hope on 

the Chukchi Sea north and eastward to the Canadian border, 

primarily of solitary stranded or shot specimens. Narwhals do 

not become abundant until one moves east of Cornwallis Island 

in the central Arctic of Canada. 

Can Be Confused With 

Because of its lack of a dorsal fin and extreme northern distribution, the narhwal is unlikely to be confused with anything 

other than the white whale (p. 134). Adult male narwhals have 

the conspicuous tusk, which sometimes breaks the surface of the 

water. Coloration is the best aid to distinguish females and 

young narwhals from white whales. Their spotted or mottled 

skin is unlike any stage in the uniformly colored white whale's 

development. From the air, the narwhal's coloration and tusk, 

when present, should distinguish it from white whales or any 

other arctic .,.,hales. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead narwhals should be easy to identify by their dentition. 

There are no teeth or alveoli in the mouth. Coloration and 

absence of a dorsal fin should help identify fresh specimens. 
fl ure 178.- dult ma~ n .... ha kDltd b} £ klmo 

hunttn or tlUtern Can.da. Tht long plralln tu k II 

ont or two t«th. the other normaU} remaining 

burled In the Rum; both teeth or remain art normaD} concealed throu&hout ure ..... ote the 10" hut 

con plcuou do.,.1 rid e. appearing ti • dark 

longitudinal Une. (Photo ;:, O. Lu b}. coortt'l) 

or a Llbrat}.l 

Figure 179.-An immature male narwhal killed in the local native fis hery at Arctic Bay, Northwest Territories. In the left photo note tbe rounded , almost beakless beae 

and the small upturned mouth. Tbe tusk of tb is young animal is just emerging in the lightly pigmented area in the left upper lip. The animal to the left has no erupte 

teeth; narwhals are functionaUy toothless except for the tusk. In the rig ht view, note tbe white mottling, which has hegun to encroach up tbe sides and will hecome mO

extensive with age. Note also the convexity of the rear margin of the deeply notched flukes and their rounded tips. (photos hy R. Reeves.) 

140 
SMALL WHALES, DOLPHINS, AND PORPOISES WITH A DORSAL FIN 

(less tha n 4 m maximum le ngth) 

The 15 species in th is group are not discussed in order of 

ngth . Instead , the species of the genus Slene/la are treated 

geth er and then they and other species are placed in near proximity to those animals with which they are likel y to be confused 

in the field. 

SPOTTED DOLPHIN (T) 

Stenella attenuata (Gray, 1846) 

lher Common Names 

Spotter, spotted porpoise; delf~ machado, delf~ pintado or 

nino pintado (Latin America); arari iruka (Japanese); kiko 

[awaiian); pyatnistyy del'fin (Russian). 

~sc riPti on lI n overall body shape, this animal is very much like the comon dolphin (p. 160) and striped dolphin (p. 155). Adults range 

Em 1.6 to 2.6 m long, and weigh up to 100 kg or more, 

[

pending on the geographic race involved (see section on Disbution below). Spotted dolphins are about 80 cm long at birth 

d are unspotted. Dark spots begin to appear ventrall y when 

t 

animals reach about 1.5 m in length , followed by light spots 

pearing on the dark gray dorsal surface. In adults the ventral 

ots have fused and lightened, giving the animal a uniform gray 

pearance below. The light spots above persist and are on the 

rerage largest and most numerous in the relatively largeIdied, large-toothed, and robust "coastal" spotted dolphin. 

re "northern offshore" and "southern offshore" forms are 

latively smaller, more lightly built, have smaller teeth, and on 

b~ average are less spotted. Spotted dolphins around Hawaii 

still less spotted than the offshore forms in the eastern tropi-

.I Pacific, but are similar to them in size and shape . 

[

The northern and southern offshore forms differ from each 

her in average values of some external and sku ll measurents, and specimens are assigned to the two stocks based on 

ere they are captured or seen. 

tural History Notes 

Most of what is known about spotted dolphins comes from 

dies of the offshore race, which is the cetacean most heavily 

olved in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fishery. These dolins are regularly found in an as-yet-unexplained association 

Ith yellowfin tuna. Fishermen spot, chase, and encircle large 

ools of spotted (and other) dolphins with purse seines, then 

empt to release the dolphins before hauling aboard the catch 

tuna that remains beneath the mammals during the chase and 

pture operation. The release procedure is not always successI, and in the early 1970's 100,000 or more spotted dolphins 

d in tuna nets each year. Dolphin-release techniques have 

141 

improved, and kills in recent years have been in the tens of 

thousands. Release-technology research continues. 

Spotted dolphins are extremely gregarious and are often 

found in offshore aggregations of more than 1,000 animals, frequently in mixed herds with spinner dolphins. The coastal form 

is usually encountered in herds of less than 100. 

The life history of the northern offshore race has been studied 

intensively. Breeding takes place during prolonged spring and 

fall seasons; little of it occurs in winter, but there may be a third 

peak in summer. Gestation lasts for about 11.5 months, nursing 

for about 11.2 months. Since most females "rest" for a few 

TT'onths following lactation, the average calving interval is 

gr eater than 2 years. 

Spotted dolphins are very active animals at the surface, and 

herds can be sighted at a great distance because of the froth 

caused by their porpoising and leaping. In some areas they still 

ride bow waves, but in the offshore eastern tropical Pacific, 

years of harassment by tuna boats appear to have discouraged 

this behavior, and they now usually flee from powered vessels. 

Although they do not adapt well to captivity, a few spotted dolphins have been maintained successfully in Hawaiian oceanaria. 

Mesopelagic and epipelagic fishes and squids form the diet of 

spotted dolphins. They are preyed on by large sharks, killer 

whales, false killer whales, and possibly other small whales . 

Distribution (see map, Fig. 185) 

Spotted dolphins have not been recorded off the North 

American coast north of the United States-Mexican border and 

are clearly a tropical species. The coastal form ranges into the 

Gulf of California to about lar. 28 oN. This coastal race is normally con fined to waters within 50 km of the coast. It occurs 

continuously along the Mexican, Central American, and South 

American coasts to well south of the equator. Frequently it is 

seen around the Tres Marias Islands and on the way in and out 

of Panama, Punta Arenas, and Costa Rica. 

The offshore forms are found from south of Cabo San Lucas 

to below the equator and west to about long. 145 oW. They have 

been seen as far inshore as 20 km from the coast but are generally distributed farther offshore. Two populations were recently 

defined, north and south of lar. I oS. The Hawaiian race inhabits the waters around the Hawaiian archipelago and may extend 

westward and so uthward from there. The populations of the 
142 

Figure 180.-Tbree types of spotted dolphins occurring in 

tropical Pacific. Coastal spotters. restricted in distribution to within 60 

groups (top). The spotting on adults is so extensive that they are 

caUed " ilver-backs." This spotting aids immeasurably in making 

identifications. SlighU} smaller. slimmer. and less spotted. offshore 

dolphins occup~ the bulk of tbe species range in the eastern tropical P 

(middle). Hawaiian spotted dolphins are often nearly unspotted as 

(bottom). (Pbotos from the Gulf of Panama b~ K. D. Sexton [top Ie 

from Ihe (.ulf 01 fehuanlepec Hup ri)(hll and from IlIl, {7 '2J "<. I 

103 ()() \\ Imiddle Idll In I{. I.. Pilman. and from ncar ( lipperlon 

h, I{. (,.nle Imlddle rlghll . all cnurle,) of "<Mt..,; Irom Pll~ai Ha). 

lIa".ii. h) t . \\ '-,hallenherg"r Ihulloml.) 
a 

'igure 181.-Spotted dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific are unspotted when born (a). Dark spots develop on tbe ventral surfaces of adolescents, in the "speckled" 

Ihase (b). Next, ligbt spots appear on the dorsal dark surfaces (c), yielding in combination with tbe still-enlarging dark ventral spots a mottled appearance. In adults (d) 

:he ventral spots merge and lighten, yielding a light-gray ventrum. The dorsal light spots persist in adults. Animals in (a) and (c) were fresb-dead specimens, but tbose In 

:b) and (d) were photographed after frozen storage and exhibited some overall postmortem darkening of the color pattern. (Pbotos by W. F. Perrin.) 

143 
Figure l82.-Even thou~h marked I) Ie , \polled than their 

more easterl) counterpart,. Ha"alian ,potted dolphin, are 

readit) identifiable b~ the "hite Up, and the "hlte tipped 

beak-the light "mark"-and the dark cape (I fl) . Ju'enllt 

spoiled dolphin, are kno"n for their rrequent high leap In 

the "ild (right). (Photo, b) L Shallenberger,) 

Fl&ure 184 (oppo Ite page).- pOlled dolphin .... 1I1n r~le_ from tun. «In 

addition to affording excellent ,It .. of bod) bape and proportion, tb_ 

eleorl) ho .. the tructure of the cape pattern, det.II of the coloratJon of tbe 

Ineludlng the light mouth and darker nipper tflpe, and the pointed nip 

bulging k~1 Is u uU) rno t pronounced In adult male. (Pboto b}". 

courte~ of 'MY.) 

Figure 183.- potted dolphins rarel) trike the po in this photo ta1<en at Lat. 17"23 ". long. 102 ' 46 

This Is a Juvenile In late "speckled " phase. 'ote tbe .. ell-deflned cape pallern. the dart. flecking on tbe .. 

throat, and tbe characteristic "bite-lipped beak. (Photo b) R. L. Pitman.) 

144 
145 
Figure l85.-Distribution of races of spotted dolphins in the eastern Pacific. Spotted dolphins also occur thro ughout Pol)nesia. (Map courtes) of MFS.) 

Figure 186.-An adult male spotted dolphin killed in the eastern tropical Pacific tuna fisbery. This animal was taken in the far offshore part of the eastern Pacific range 

aDd resembles Hawaiian spotted dolphins in being relatively unspotted . Spotted dolphins have about 35-50 teeth in each row. (photo by W. F. Perrin, NMFS.) 

146 
187.-Spolled and spinner dolphins are frequent companions throughout much of their common range in the tropl<a1 ta tern Panfk". oflrn oc urrin .. tb I. 

of seabirds. The) are often killed together in tuna purse seines. When the) can be namined clo",I). there l' lillie ba.,is for "IOfu Ion kltnllt of adull 

spinners are unspoiled and have triangular dorsal fins and black-tipped beaks There are t .. o 'polled dolphin' (one adult and "nt un polled ju\tDUtl and t 

itebell) spinner dolphins (two juveniles) in this photo . (Photo b) C. J. Orange. "MFS .) 

fhhore race, hal c been e'-.llmated at more th III 2 million 

nil11al, in the aggl egate. 

'y oung ,potted dolphll1' arL ,uperllclall) ..Ilmo,t II1dhungul,he Irom ,mall bOll leno,e dolphll1\ (p. 173). Hl)1I el cr. the~ arc 

,uali) ,een In the COl11pan) 01 ,pOlled adult,. (0111n1l1n dolhim (p . 160) and ,triped dolphin-. (p . 155) behalc Illuch lil--.e 

li ed d o lpl1l11 ' around a boat, Irequcntl~ Jumping de.1I L)I the 

er and darling bacl--. .md forth erratlcall, II hen the) ride the 

Oil lIale. Both, hOlleler. hale "hne bell Ie, that ,t..lnd l)Ut 

) agai n'-i then I al fl)u, l) colored and pallerneJ ,Ide" II hile 

he ,potted dolph in ha, a gra) bell) and 'POll ing that i entire!, 

b,ent In the other t\\O 'pecIc. 

Becau,e or their ,pOlling. rough-toothed dolphll1 (p. I ~~) 

3) abo be confu,ed lIith 'poller,. H Olleler, there I no ere:be 

tl) dl'I11Jll:tll' Ihe lJl..ti-. Irvl1l tb~ lordl~,lJ 01 tht I 

dlliphin . ..tIlJ its Iltting 0 madill' I '~n r,ll 

I' thaI III the spolll.:d do\phll1 

Partleul..l·I~ lI1ee the) alllJr an Illi ~d IlL 

ncr d(llph'l' (p. l.t,) ,a .. b 

tn,IO!!,JI.tr (If e\ en I.gbtl\ 

Icrenu?\ bet \\ e(n pOlle· 

L ~. 

Idenlltkalion ot !lead "'pt'UIlH'n 

J.t 

tr'pe IllJke Ihl .10101 Ie 

gr.lphlcallonn Idr\ Iro"n 

t,lIe.llldllldual pe 1m en 

lhe ba 01 Illorph log) .11 Ill: 
SPINNER DOLPHIN (T) 

Stenella /ongirostris (Gray. 1828) 

Figure 188.-Splnners off Puerto la Cruz, Venezuela. The long, sUm dark·tipped beak and the erect dorsal fin are characteristics of spin ners. 

courtesy of Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute.) 

148 
Other Common Names in C urrent Use 

Spin ner, spi n ne r porpo ise; de lFi'n tornillon or delfi'n 

churum belo (Lat in America); hash inaga iruka (Japanese); dlinno nosyy or vertyashchiysya del'fi n (Russian). 

Descriptio n 

Ad ult spinner dolp hi ns are about 1.5-2.2 m long, with 

females on the average about 4 cm shorter than males. Size 

varies among the several geographical races (see section on Distri bution below). T he Costa Rican spinner is the longest, adults 

reachi ng 2 m or more, while the immediately adjacent "eastern" 

form is the smallest (one pregnant female weighed only 39 kg (85 

Jb )). 

The races also di ffer widely from each other in body shape 

and in color pattern. The Costa Rican and "eastern" spinners 

differ in length and in relative length of the beak (longer in the 

Costa Rica n) but are otherwis·e similar. Both are dark gray 

except for light areas on the throat, in the axilla (behind the flipper), and in the genital region (Fig . 190). Sizes of the light areas 

rary among individuals. In calves they are con fluent, making 

the animal basically dark above and white below. Older juvent

es are intermediate. The Costa Rican and eastern spinners also 

hare a peculiar sexual dimorphism in body shape. In adult 

a les the dorsal fin is erectly triangular; in some large males it 

ven is canted forward, appearing to be "on backwards." 

Degree of forward cant of the fin is correlated with size of the 

ostanal ventral hump composed largely of connective tissue. 

he combination of forward-leaning dorsal fin and large ventral 

ump give large males an appearance unique among the dolhins. The function of the anomalous features is unknown. 

T he more offshore northern and so uthern "whitebelly" spiners and spinners around Hawaii and in other parts of Polynesia 

re more like spinners in other tropical waters Jround the world. 

he color pattern consists of a dark gray dorsal cape, a lighter 

gray lateral area, and a white belly. The three elements of the 

pattern vary geographically in contrast and deFinition. In the 

" northern" whitebelly spinner, the cape is relatively indistinct 

and the margin between lateral field and white underside is more 

or less ragged. In "southern" whitebell y spinners the cape is 

mo re visible, and the lateral field darkens ventrally, giving the 

a nim al a striped appearance at a distance. In spinners around 

Hawaii, a ll th ree zones of the pattern are well defined and contrast sharply with each other. The Hawaiian spinner has the 

most fa lcate fin among the races, b ut it is still erectly subtriangula r. The ventral hump is nearly absent. T he whitebelly spinners 

are again intermediate, having a high ly variable degree of erectness of d o rsal fin and size 0 f ventral hump. These, of course, are 

ayerage di fferences, and some ind ividuals in any large herd or 

sample can be expected to exhibit the "wrong" color pattern or 

sha pe. The whitebell y spin ners are especia lly variable. 

Figure 189 (opposite page).-A spinner dolphin just breaking the surface , its 

blowhole open. Note the gentle angle formed between the melon and the long 

slim beak, the distinctive black edges of the lips, and the black rostrum tip. Tbe 

photos show variation in beak length among spinner dolphins. (Pbotos 

courtesy of NMFS and by W. F. Perrin lrightl.) 

149 

Natural History Notes 

Spinners often occur in very large herds, and it is not unusual 

to find them mixed with spotted dolphins. Both species experience significant mortality in the eastern tropical Pacific as a 

result of tuna purse seine operations (see p. 141). The two Forms 

most involved are the eastern and whitebelly spinners. Harassment by tuna boats appears to have affected the behavior of 

these do lphin s. On the tuna grounds most herds now begin 

"running," swimming very rapidly near the surface with long 

flat jumps, whenever a motor vessel app roaches. This is less true 

of animals of th e Costa Rican and Hawaiian races, which still 

appear relatively unafraid and approach vessels to ride the bow. 

The spinner's common name is derived from its habit of leaping clear of the water and spinnin g on its lon gitudinal axis, 

rotating as many as 7 times in one leap. 

Distribution (see map, Fig. 195) 

The spinner is a tropical animal, its range in the eastern tropical Paci fic coinciding roughly with that of the spotted dolphin. 

In the rest of the Indo-Pacific, it is not found on the high seas 

but stays close to islands and banks. The reason for the highseas distribution in the eastern tropical Pacific is not known but 

probably has something to do with the fact that the region is 

peculiar in havin g a very shallow mix~d layer (50-100 m) underlaid by a sharp thermocline (region of rapidly changing temperature with depth) and a thick oxygen-minimum layer. These 

oceanographic features define a shallow, sharply bounded habitat that may in some way approximate the habitat around 

islands and over banks. 

Can Be Confused With 

Among the small dolphins with long beaks, the spinner is unique in having an erect triangular dorsal fin, the best field 

character to look for. The spinning behavior (as distinguished 

from other kinds of high leaps, somersaults, etc.) is also 

diagnostic. These two features, in combination with the long 

beak, reliably separate spinners from common dolphins (p. 

160), striped dolphins (p. ISS), spotted dolphins (p. 141), 

Fraser's dolphins (p. 166), and bottlenose dolphins (p. 173) 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Again, the long beak and triangular dorsal fin are diagnostic. 

The spinners also have relatively high tooth counts (45-61 in the 

eastern tropical Pacific), although the lower end of the range 

overlaps those of some of the other long-beaked dolphins. If the 

tripartite color pattern is intact, it also is diagnostic. 
b 
190 (opposite page and above).-Spinner dolphins of four races described from the eastern Nortb Pacific: eastern (a), northern whitebeUy (b), southern whitebeUy 

much like Hawaiian in color pattern) (c, d), and Hawaiian (e). (Photos by R. L. Pitman (a), R. J. Olsen (bl, F. L. Fredenheim [c, d), and K. C. Balcomb (e), all 

of NMFS.) 

151 

Figure 191.-Adult male eastern spinners have 

their dorsal fin on backwards. Development of 

the forward-canted fin is correlated with a pronounced postanal hump of unknown function. 

Althougb eastern spinners are largely gray aU 

over, these animals appear darker than tbey 

reaUy are, because of postmortem darkening 

(above) and siibouetting (below). (photos by 

w. F. Perrin.) 

e 

7 8 9 

153 
Figure 194.-Aerial view of a large herd of eastern 

spinners off soutbern Mexico (top), witb a close-up 

of some running animals (bottom). pinners are sUm 

of body witb strikingly long beaks. Eastern spinners 

are uniformly battleship gray witb erect, e_en forward canting dorsal fins. Of the dolphins in the 

eastern North Pacific, spinners are perhaps the 

easiest to recognize from the air. Of the spinners, 

eastern spinners are easiest to identify positively. 

(Photos courtesy of NMFS.) 

154 
- -

-- -

, - +~-

--

- --: 1' ':' - - -

- - -

1 ---

-1-. _ 

_ • 1-+ . - .- - -

- --

re 195.-0istnoutlon of races of spinner dolpbins in tbe east~rn Pacific. Spinner dolphins also occur throughout Polynesia. (Figu re courtesy of K. Raymond, NMFS.) 

STRIPED DOLPHIN (T) 

5lenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) 

Other Common '\ame~ 

Streaker porpoise, whitebelly (applied by fishermen to this 

species and to Delphillus delpllls and Lagenodelphis hosel); 

delfln listado (Latin America); suji iruka (Japanese); polosatyy 

del'fin or stenella (Russian). 

De~cription 

This dolphin is closely related to the common dolphin, 

Delphinus delphls, and the spolled dolphin, Stene/fa allenuata, 

and is very much like them in sile and shape, having a long, 

sharply defined beak, pointed flippers, and a falcate dorsal fin. 

Adults in the eastern tropical Pacific range from about 1.9 to 2.3 

m. Adult males are on the average about 6 em longer than adu lt 

females. Calves are about I m long when born and possess the 

full adult color pattern. 

The color pattern of the striped dolphin is distinctive. In 

general, the top of th e head and the back are dark gray to bluish 

gray, the sides lighter gray, and the belly and throat white. In 

155 

living animals, the belly can appear bright pink. The dorsal fin, 

flukes, and flippers are all dark. There are two black stripes on 

the lower half of each side-one from eye to anus, one from eye 

to flipper. The eye-to-anus "flank" stripe generally has a short, 

in ferior branch that ends above and somewhat behind the flipper. 

The eye-to-flipper stripe is often double. A black patch around 

each eye is connected to the black beak . A distinctive light blaze 

extends up and back from the lateral field into the cape toward 

the dorsal fin. It is conspicuous against the dark gray of the 

cape. The blaze is the best feature for identifying animals that 

are bow riding or leaping clear of the water. 

Natural History Notes 

Like the other pelagic dolphins, the striped dolphin is gregarious and usually encountered in herds of several hundred animals. Its biology has been studied off Japan, where the population has been depleted by driving large numbers ashore, but little 

work has been don e on those living in the eastern North Pacific. 

Off J apan, there is a protracted breeding season, with peaks 
-

Figure 196.-Running striped dolpbins, just south of the equator (top) and off Clipperton Island (bottom). At a distance striped dolphins mighl be confused .. ilb tbe 

smaller but similarly built common dolphin , or with the more robust but similarly striped Fraser's dolphin. (photos from lat. 01 "21 'S, long. 88"38 'W [top) by R. L. Pit· 

man, courtesy NMFS; from near ReviJIagigedo Islands by S. Leatberwood [bottom).) 

156 

158 
Figure 199.-Dead striped dolphins from Japan. Note the distinctive black 

stripes from eye to flipper and from eye to anus and the shoulder blaze. (Photo 

by W. E. Schevill.) 

of reproductive activity in winter, ~pring, and pos~ibly late summer. The gestation period is thought to be about a year, and 

calves appear to remain dependent for more than a year after 

birth. The calving interval probabl y averages 3 years. 

A seasonal north-so uth migration has been noted off Japan , 

but a comparable pattern has not been recogni zed off the 

Americas. 

Striped dolphins are not known to ride bow waves in the eastern Pacific, although they are said to in some areas. They are 

capable of high leaps (6-7 m) and are sometimes given to amazing aerobatics. Backward cartwheels, upside-down 

"porpoising," and "roto-tailing" (furious tailspins accomplished while leaping from the water) are among their antics. 

Striped dolphins feed on various meso pelagic fishes (especially myctophids), squids, and crustaceans. They sometimes 

associate with yellowfin tuna in the eastern tropical Pacific and 

are consequently killed in purse seines. Striped dolphins, common dolphins, and Fraser's dolphins are all ca lled 

"whitebellies" by the tuna fishermen. 

Distribution (see map, Fig. 200) 

A few striped dolphins have been found ~; randed in British 

Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and southern California. 

However, they are certainly not common on the continental 

shelf of western North America. A sighting 1,000 km due west 

of Los Angeles suggests that they may be more abundant far 

offshore in warm temperate waters. 

From about lat. 20 0S to the equator, the striped dolphin is 

much more common, especially off the Mexican mainland and 

off southwestern Central America and northwestern South 

America. It occurs in the Gulf of California at least as far north 

as La Paz and Espiritu Santo Island. Low-density gaps in distribution indicate that several geographical stocks may exist in the 

eastern tropical Pacific, although definitive morphological comparisons have not yet been done. 

Figure 200.-Distribution of striped dolphins in tbe eastern Pacific. Striped 

dolphins also occur in Polynesian waters. (Map courtesy of K. 

Raymond , NMFS.) 

159 

Can Be Confused With 

The striped dolphin is most likely to be confused \\ith the 

common dolphin (p. 160). The two may be distinguished by the 

following characteristics: 

Striped Dolphin 

Distinctive black lateral stripin g I) from eye to anus 

(f1ank stripe), 2) from eye to 

flipper, and 3) the shoulder 

blaze. 

Common Dolphin 

Hourglas, or cris,cro,s pattern on sides re,ultll1g In 

downward pointing darl-- apex 

just belo\\ the dorsal fin; gray 

thoracic patch; distll1ct blacl--

stripe from eye to middle of 

lower ja\\. 

The striped dolphin can also be confused with rraser's 

dolphin (p. 166), because both animals possess a dark tlanl--

stripe, and some Fraser's dolphins may also have a shoulder 

blaze. Before they were known to be part of the cetacean fauna 

off Durban, South Africa, Fraser's dolphins there were identified as striped dolphins. Fraser's dolphin, however, has a \er} 

short beak, is heavier in build and has a smaller, triangular dorsal fin. If a good look at the beak is not attained, identification 

should be tentative. 

The shoulder blaze is the best characterIStic for recogJlJLing 

striped dolphins from the air. When a large herd of animab IS 

encountered, it is usually possible to catch sight of thi~ bold 

mark. The striping pattern on the sides can rarel} be .,een from 

the air. It is important to note that not all indl\iduab ha\ e a 

vivid shoulder blaze, and this can mal--e aerial identification 

extremely difficult. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead striped dolphins that are not badl} decompo,ed are 

identifiable from their lateral stripll1g panern de'>Lnbed abo\ e. 

If the color pattern has been lost, identification ,hould be made 

on the basis of skull characters. 
COMMON DOLPHIN 

Delphinus delphis Linnaeus, 1758 

Figure 201 .-Common dolphins riding the bow wave of a sailing vessel 3S km south of Magdalena Bay. Baja California . (photo by B. WUrsig .) 

Other Common Names 

White-bellied porpoise, saddleback dolphin, crisscross dolphin, hourglass dolphin; delfln comtin (Latin America); tobi 

iruka (adults), rna iruka Uuveniles) (Japanese); obyknovennyy 

or del'fin belobochka (Russian). 

Description 

Maximum body length is about 2.5 m, though most individuals are less than 2.3 m long. Males are slightly larger than 

females of the same age. Length at birth is about 80 cm. 

The beak of this dolphin is well defined, and it is often black 

with a white tip. The dark eyepatch is confluent with a dark 

stripe (or pair of stripes) running to the corner of the mouth. 

In body shape the common dolphin closely resembles the 

striped dolphin (p. 155). The tall dorsal fin situated near the 

middle of the back varies from nearly triangular to distinctly fa lcate, and it is pointed. It ranges from all black to light gray with 

a black border. A black stripe that attenuates anterio rly connects each flipper with the lower jaw. 

The most distinctive external feature is the color pattern on 

the sides. The light ventral field extends up into the cape, yielding a four-part pattern defined by a crisscross. The bac k is 

black, the belly white, the overlap of cape by ventral field tan or 

yellowish tan, and the area behind the cape gray . These dolphins 

160 

Figure 202.-Perhaps the most certain clue to the identity of the commo 

dolphin , wben little of the body and back can be seen , is tbe deep " V" of 

coloration on eacb side below tbe dorsal fin. Tbis " V" marks the confluence 

tbe major elements of tbe crisscross pattern. Note tbe higb but falcate dorsal 

which often is dark on tb e border and lighter near the center. Some adult 

common dolphins in the eastern tropical Pacific have erect triangular fins 

that of the spinner dolphin . (Photo by S. Leatherwood .) 
0\ 

...... 

'-~, 

Figure 203.-These recognizably different animals are aU common dolphins and are thought to belong to the single species Delphinus delphis. The long-beaked "Baja neritic form" (top) inhabits only waters inside the loo-fathom 

curve north of lat. 20 0N and including the Gulf of California. Several smaller short-beaked races (bottom) occur from southern California south to warm temperate South American waters (see map, Fig. 208). The long-beaked form 

usually has a more muted color pattern than do the others. (Photos from northern Gulf of California by R. S. Wells [top left); from Magdalena Bay, Baja California, by K. C. Balcomb [top right); from Baja California by R. L. 

Pitman [bottom left1 and W. F. Perrin [bottom right).) 
Figure 204.-Tbeir babit of assembling in large herds, which often travel with much jumping and splashing, makes some common dolphins visible from considerable 

distances. When stressed, berds bunch tightly together, like the group in this photo, and run. The Iight-colored thoracic patCh, extending high onto tbe sides in front of 

tbe dorsal fin, clearly marks these animals as common dolphins. (Pboto from off San Diego. Calif .• by S. Leatherwood.) 

can be positively identified even at a considerable distance from 

this unique pigmentation pattern. In southern California, at 

least, the color of the posterior flank blaze is often subdued, disrupting the crisscross effect. 

Natural History Notes 

Common dolphins are frequently encountered in herds of a 

thouand or more, and they are often very active, with many 

leaping clear of the water at a gi\en time. Like Pacific whitesided dolphins, they are active and willing bow riders and may 

approach a vessel from a considerable distance. Once on the 

bow, they may ride for long periods. 

The peak seasons for calving in the eastern North Pacific are 

spring and fall, after a gestation period of 10-11 months. Lactating and near-term pregnant females may segregate themselves 

from the rest of the population. Gestation and lactation have 

been tentatively reported as 10-11 months and 5-6 months. 

Females are capable of bearing calves in successive years, but 

usually give birth at intervals greater than a year. 

Clear seasonal shifts in distribution are observed off southern 

California, where some common dolphins are present yearround with peaks of abundance in June, September-October, 

and January. The species appears to prefer water temperatures 

ranging from 10 a to 28 0c. 

In southern California waters, common dolphins move along 

major features of bottom relief, such as seamounts and escarpments, remaining generally outside the 183 m (IOO-fathom) 

curve. After sunset they dive through the vertically migrating 

deep scattering layer to prey on lantern fishes and squids. They 

are known to dive to depths of at least 280 m and to remain sub162 

merged for as long as 8 minutes. Their fall and winter staples off 

southern California are anchovies and squid; in spring and summer they consume more deep-sea smelt and lantern fishes. Hake 

are also eaten. 

Distribution 

The northernmost stranding record in the eastern North 

Pacific is from Victoria. British Columbia, but the common dolphin's occurrence that far north must be regarded as exceptional. The few sightings north of Point Conception have 

generally occurred in spring and summer when fmgers 0 f \\ arm water 

extend northward. 

The known range of the species i from lat. 36 a to well 

south of the equator and offshore to long. 132 OW. There are 

known gaps between lat. 13 ON and 20 oN, and between lat. 27 a 

and 32 oN, where common dolphins are absent or rare. 

At least two forms inhabit eastern North Pacific waters. The 

smaller, short-beaked form occurs in three apparently separate 

populations-one north of lat. 32 ON off southern California, 

one between lat. 28 ON and 30 0 N off Baja California, and one 

south of lat. 15 ON. A long-beaked form inhabits only waters 

inside the l00-fathom curve north of lat. 20 o

N, including the 

Gulf of California. Where both forms are found in the same 

geographic range, they apparently do not mix. 

The total number of common dolphins living off central and 

so uthern California and Baja California has been estimated co nservatively to be about 10,000-15,000. Since the common dolphin is found in association with schools of tuna in the eastern 

tropical Pacific, it has experienced a significant ann ual mortality 

as a result of purse seining operations there. 
an Be Confused Wilh 

Common dolphim can easily be con fused with striped dolins (p. 155) became of their similarity in build and behavior. 

larger striped dolphin has tIl 0 distinctive blad, stripes on 

h side, both of II hich originate near the eye. One ends in the 

nal region, the other at the forward in sertion of the nipper. 

re is a striking light ~hou der blaze . The common dolphin 

Iso has t\\O black stripes on each side, but one e\tends from the 

to the forehead crease and the other from the insertion of 

nipper to the 10ller jaIl. The crisscross nank pattern or the 

saddle of the common dolphin is a reliable lIay to disguish it from the striped dolphin. 

From a distance, common dolphins may also be cen fused 

ith spinner dolphin s (p. 148) and Pacific white-sided dolphins 

. 168), both of which form large, frolicsome herds and ride 

, w wal·es. HOllever, spinners in the Pacific usually have a tall 

triangular dorsal fin, a long narrow beak, and no striking 

loration pattern on the sides. Pacific white-sided dolphins 

ave a taller, more falcate dorsal fin and a much shorter beak 

common dolphin s. Also, they lack the cris cross pattern or 

Ie on the sides that is characteristic of common dolphins. 

Idenlificalion of Dead Specimens 

Common dolphins hale 40-50 small, ,harpl} pointed teeth in 

each side of the upper and 101ler jails. This tooth count overlaps 

those of ,triped dolphins (43-50) and spinner dolphins (46-65). 

Figure 205.-Aerial view of a herd of common dolphins in the Gulf of California (bottom). Small dolphins of many species assemble into large herds, but wben tbey are 

seen up close (top), common dolphins can generally be dtstingutshed from the others by the extent to which the light color of the thoracic patch extends up the sides. In all 

other species of "white bellies" found in the eastern North Pacific, the patch is more limited in the degree to which it intrudes into the dark dorsal field. (photos by S. 

Leatherwood .) 

163 
a 

Figure 206.-A group of common dolpbins awaiting release from a tuna purse seine set off Costa RIca in tbe eastern tropical Pacific. MoSI of lbe 

common dolphin's distinctive features are apparent In one or more members of the group. (photo by W. High, courtesy of NMFS.) 

Figure 207 (below and opposite page, top).-A stranded sbort-beaked common dolpbin 

Note the hlgbly distinctive crisscross or hourglass pallem, creating a tan or veIJ01 .. isb-I:atJ

thoracic palch (c); Ihe essenliall) dark bac~. dor"al fin. and nu~es. Ihe more complica 

pall ern of Ihe bea~. and Ihe .-Ien"ion of Ihe bru"hed gra) of Ihe ;,ides onlo Ihe lOp of 

lall "lock (b); and Ihe lighl lip of Ihe bea~ and Ihe dark line from Ihe eenler of Ihe 10'" 

ja" 10 Ihe flipper (a). In Ihe Baja nerilic common dolphin. Ihe flipper slripe begins al 

comer of Ihe moulh. (Pholos from norlhern California b) L. Lllberg. courtes) 0 

California Academ) of Sciences.) 

164 
I 

~ 

Fi&u~ l08.-Dlstribution of " of ~ommon dolpbin nIb.. ltrn P lri· . ('lap roan ~ r 

I _ 

b 

c 
FRASEH'S 1)01.1'111'" (I) 

I agel/ode/phil /l(lI e; I-ra~l'r, 1956 

Other Common Na me~ 

Fraser's porpoise, Sarawak dolphin, Bornean dolphin (not 

currently in use), whitebelly (applied by ri~herlllen to thl\ .,peclc,> 

and to De/pilll1l1s de/phis and Srene/lu coeru/e()lI/hll): ':>arallaku 

iruka (Japanese); saravakskiy or del'fin rra,aa (Russian). 

Description 

Adults are about 2.5 m long, and males probably arc somewhat larger than females. Length at birth is about 1 Ill. 

Fraser's dolphin is a robust animal with a I ery short beak and 

proportionately small dorsal fin and flippers. The slender dorsal 

fin is usually falcate to a slight degree, although the rear marglIl 

can be vertical or even convex in some individuals. The tlipper, 

are pointed. 

The color pattern is complex. The back is bluish gray, the 

undersides pinkish white. There is a wide tlanktnpe that I ant.'s 

in definition . The dark stripe is bordered abole and beloll b) 

paraliel cream-white stripes. The appendages and the upper side 

of the beak are dark. 

Natural History Notes 

This dolphin was named in 1956 and only veri recent I) has 

been observed and recognized at ea. Herds numbering 100 to 

1,000 have been reported. These dolphins are sometimes found 

among or near schools of spotted dolphins, false killer II hales, 

sperm whales, striped dolphins, and spinner dolphlIls. 

Fraser's dolphins are probably deep dilers; the] feed on deepliving fish, squid, and crustaceans. They are very fast Sll immers 

and often throw up spray from their heads as they break the surface to breathe. They leap clear of the water but are not as acrobatic as some other pelagic dolphins. In the Pacific, the] are 

generally shy and hard to approach. 

Distribution 

Fraser's dolphin is poorly known but pantropical; its range in 

the eastern Pacific probably coincides roughly with that of the 

spinner dolphin (p. 148). It has not yet been recorded from 

Polynesia but can be expected to occur there. 

166 

Can Be ( on fused V. ith 

BCI:UlIW 01 tts lateral strlplllg pattern Hnd oj Ish(Ht.' tropl\..u 

dl\tribution, this dolphin IS mu\t likcl; to be lonlu ed I~lth till 

\triped dolphin (p. 1 ~ ~). I he t \\u speues lan he dl'it IIlguished ill 

sea b} thc 101101\ Illg Lharaller1stlcs: 

~ ra,er', Dolphin ~trlptd Dolphin 

olorUllon 

' Ingk, broad. dark rlank 

qripc I rom beak and e) I.' tll 

area 01 anus: lalnt stripe 

rrom lo\\er JaIl to fl'l')per. 

Shoulder bla!e mdl be pre-

,enl. 

arr bla~k tripes 

houlder bla".' usuulI> pre 

elll. 

['\trellld~ ~hort dnJ .lImo t 

unnoticeable . 

long. 

Bod~ 'hape 

Robu t, partlcularl~ ahead of 

the dor,al 1m. 

Small, dark, and onginating 

in llght color of Ide,. 

lender. 

Long, ometime 

upper urface. 

Dor al Fin 

lighter or 

Small, slender, usuall) \Ieak- Taller. longer at ba,e. anc 

I) falcate, and usuall) falcate. 

pointed. 

Many of the same feature can be used to dlstingUi h the 

common dolphin (p. 160) from Fraser's dolphin. In addition, 

the former's crisscross lateral pattern makes Jl ea -) to 

recognize. Although the range of Fraser's dolphin i unlikel) 

to overlap that of the similarly shaped and stri kingly patterned 

Pacific white-sided dolphin, the two dolphins are easil) 

separable on the basis of dorsal fin size and shape ; that 0 f the 

white-sided dolphin is very large and strongly falcate (see 

p. 169). 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

A dead Fraser's dolphin can be identified by its coloration, 

short but well-defined beak, very small appendages, and 

robust form. Fraser's dolphin has 34-44 teeth in each row of tht 

upper and lower jaws. 

Figure 209.-Even when none of the coloration is clearly visible, Fraser', 

dolphins are readily identifiable by the short beak, robust body, and very smal 

appendages. (Photo from near the Phoenix Islands by K. C. Balcomb.) 
Figure 210.-Running Fraser's dolphins. This dolphin, whicb appears limited in distribution to a ratber narrow belt of equatorial .. ater, is identifiable witbin Its range b) 

tbe short beak, the dark flank stripe (variable in degree of expression) and the small appendages. Fraser's dolpbins reach at least 2.5 m in length and occur in herd, of 500 

or more, sometimes mixed with spinner and spotted dolpbins. When frightened tbey bunch tigbtly and begin dramatic runs with much surface commotion . Tbe) are most 

likel) 10 be confused "ilh Ihe longer beaked, less robust slriped dolphin. ,,"ote Ihe pronounced ,arialion in expression of Ihe flan~ ,tripe (lighler on JUHnile, and female". 

(Photos from lat. 00 °37 'So long. 136°52 'W by G. L. Friedrichsen [top); from lat. 4 °06 'S, long. 90 °42 ~ b) J , F. Lamberl [middle); from lal. 00"22 ' , long . 9S ",S ~ 

by P. L. Ritchie [bottom); all courtesy of NMFS.) 

167 
Figure 211.-The external appearance of Fraser's dolphin was unknown 

until 1971, when several were captured in a tuna seine. The species has since 

been reported from aU tropical seas. (Photos by J. La Grange, courtesy 

of NMFS.) 

Figure 2U.-A very young fraser's dolpbin (captured in a purse seine). 

Note the light density and unclear definition of the flank stripe of this 

and the specimen in Figure 211 (an immature male) as compared to the 

bolder stripes of some of tbe animals in Figure 210. In its boldest expression, this stripe widens at tbe face to form a "bandit-mask." (Photo by 

L. Ford, courtesy of NMFS.) 

PACIFIC WHITE-SIDED DOLPHIN (T) 

LagenorhYllchus ob/iquidens Gill, 1865 

Other Common Names 

Lag, white-striped dolphin (see also p. ISS), hookfin porpoise; delfln lagenorringo (Latin America); kama iruka 

(Japanese); tikhookaenskiy belobokiy del'fin (Russian). 

Description 

The Pacific white-sided dolphin reaches lengths of at least 2.3 

m. Large individuals may weigh close to 150 kg. Sexual maturity 

is reached by males at 1.7-1.8 m and by females at 1.8-1.9 m. 

Length at birth is about 80-95 cm. 

The head tapers continuo usly and smoothly and has only a 

very abbreviated beak . 

The dorsal fin is tall and strongly recurved, with a long base. 

168 

It is situated near the middle of the back. Because of 

extremely falcate dorsal fin, this dolphin is referred to by som 

Pacific fishermen as the "hookfin porpoise." The nukes have 

concave trailing edge and a median notch. The flippers are 10 

and tapered to a blunt tip. 

The Pacific white-sided dolphin's color pattern is complex 

usually distinctive. The back is black, the sides light gray, 

the belly white. The black of the back is interrupted on each s 

of the dorsal fin by a white or light gray stripe, which begins 

the light color of the forehead and face, curves upward over 

top of the head, continues along the back to the area of the do 

sal fin, and then widens and curves toward the anus, forming 

prominent light gray patch on the nank. These light "suspen 

ers" on the back are clearly visible when animals ride the bo 

wave, permitting easy identification. The short beak is dark, an 
Figure 213.-A group of Pacific white-sided dolphins running beside a fishing vessel off northern California. Even from Ihis dislance Ihe dolphins 

are easy 10 idenlify by Ihe prominenl dorsal fin, dark on fronl, lighl gray on Ihe back. When Ihey are running in Ihis manner Pacific while-sided 

dolphins rna) creale a "roosler lail" of spra). similar 10 Ihal produced b) Ihe fasl-swimming Dall's porpoise. Bullhe dorsal fin alone, Ihe characler 

which prompled Ibe fisherman's nickname "hook-finned porpoise," clearly dislinguishes Ibis dolphin from Ihe Dall's porpoise and all olher small 

celaceans in Ihe easlern North Pacific. (Pholo from lal. 41 °45 'N, long. 134 °10 'W by W. C. FIerx, courtesy of NMFS.) 

214.-Side views of fasl-swimming Pacific white-sided dolphins near San C1emenle Island (Jefl) and in Monlerey Bay (righl), CaUf. Even when very Utile of Ihe 

can be seen, as in Ihese Iwo pholographs, Pacific while-sided dolphins are posilively idenlifiable by Ihe bicolored, hooked dorsal fin. (pholos by G. E. Lingle 

G. A. Anlonelis lrighIJ.) 

narrow stripe between the corner of the mouth and the flipper 

continuous with the dark pigmentation of the lips. A light 

ray zone on each side begins below the dorsal fin and extends 

rd, encompassing much of the forehead. A dark line 

s in the axilla and connects the gray flippers with the dark 

area on the flank. The dorsal fin is bicolored-dark on the forward third and light gray on the rear two-thirds. The flukes are 

dark . 

Some variations have been observed in the color pattern, particularly of more northerly groups, manifested in the complexity 

of the lateral pattern and the bridle. The extent 0 f this variability 

and its meaning in separating local forms is unknown. 

Natural History Notes 

Pacific white-sided dolphins are extremely gregarious, occurring in herds of up to several thousand, although groups of less 

169 

than 200 are more common. These dolphins are frequently 

found in the company of other dolphins (especially common 

dolphins) as well as seabirds and California sea lions. On several 

occasions they have been seen forcing common dolphins to 

abandon the preferred riding position on the bow of a moving 

vessel. 

Most calving apparently takes place in summer, but little else 

is known with certainty about the reproductive cycle. 

Although resident in some areas, Pacific white-sided dolphins 

appear to shi ft seasonally northward and southward, or in some 

cases inshore and offshore, according to changes in water temperature. The species is basically a temperate-region one, found 

north 0 f the tropics and south 0 f the colder waters influenced by 

arctic currents. In some places these animals approach shore 

closely, particularly at the coastal heads of deep submarine canyons, but they can be found anywhere at or inside the edge of 

the continental shelf. 
fi)(ur. 115.-.40 Pacific .. hile-,idtd dolphLn on tht bo .. of a r 

lO identi!). 'ote tbe mall but dlstlnct buJ,; and Iht Ir In mar 

behind the head onto tbe ide aboH tbe anu. (Pholo b R. I. Pitman, roun 

Fiaure ~16,-Pacifk .. hite- idtd dolphin freQuenth Jump ... n <iul of the , .. ttr. \\ b n tbe, do o.the tn 

comple'( brmb stro),; of lilbt on dar),;). the d' tIDctho dOrnll fin. and th. hon but d t 

sometimesomeruulting. and often cha'1(ing to the bo .. of a , 

off anta RO>l Island, Calif .• b K. C. Bak:omb.} 

170 

Ito ride In It pr 
Figure 217.-Pacific while-sided dolphins, circling 

tbe underwater viewing bubble on the RV Sea See rff Catalina Island, Calif. , (top) and in tbe tank at 

Marineland of California (right). They seem 

extremely curious about boats, often approaching 

them even when the} are idling or dead in the 

water. (Photos courtesy of NOSC.) 

171 

While-~ided dolphIn~ are \igorou~ s\\ immer~ and often leap 

dear of lhe water. Jumping animab often land on their sides or 

bell), hilling the \\ater \\ ith a re,ounding ~mack that can be 

heard at a great di,tance. They ~ometimes make complete aerial 

somersaults. 

Pacific \\ hite-sided dolphins prey on a \\ide variety of fishes 

and squids. Small numbers have been maintained in captivity, 

where they become adept performers. One ind ividual survived 

in capli\ ity for just over 10 years. 

Distribution 

Pacific white-sided dolphins have been reported as far north 

as Amchitka Island in the Aleutians, and they are known to be 

present throughout the Gulf of Alaska. Records from the northern portion of the Gulf (to Kodiak Island) appear to be 

easonal and could be associated with periods of exceptional 

warming there. Large groups (over 2(0) eem to be the rule 

rather than the exception in the Gulf of Alaska during summer. 

The species' range extends southward at lea t to the southern 

tip of Baja California, thence northward in the Gulf to at least 

Cabo Pulmo. Small numbers can be found from Monterey, 

Calif., south to Gordo Bank off Baja California at any time of 

year. The year-lOund stocks near Cedros Island, ati,idad 

Figure 218.-Pacific white-sid ed dolphins are often seen in mixed groups witb 

common dolphins (upper left and lower background). (Photo from underwater 

viewing chamber of RV Sea See by W. E. Evans.) 
Figure 219.-A Pacific white-sided dolphin stranded at La JoUa, Calif. Although emaclattd, Ihb anlmal lIIu tnlN tbe dolphin' d' unclhe rUlurr<>. b, .. bicb e'en 

decomposed speclmens can be positivel) identified-tbe short but distinct beak and tb. lall troogl) ralcate donal rin. \\ bite Ided dolphin or tbe Pa iIi<: lUoall) ba' 

23-32 teeth In eacb upper jaw and 24-31 in eacb lower Jaw. (Pboto b) \\. F. Perrin, courte,) or ",n .) 

Island, and several of the Cahfornla Channel hland .. are augmented by an in nux of animal in the period O.:tober through 

February. Apparentl~ these dolphtn are retreating ,>outh\\ard 

and inshore as the water cools. By the end ot ~la~ a marked 

decrease in abundance occurs off southern CalIfornia, presumably because the animals dl perse west and northward for the 

summer. This pattern is not evident in years \\ hen unseasonabl~ 

warm water temperatures persist north of I\lontere~. 

Can Be Confused With 

Two species found within the range of the Pacific white-sided 

dolphin may cause confusion. The prominent, sickle-shaped 

dorsal fin slicing through the water can cause a splash re embling the "rooster tail" of spray characteristic of surfacing 

DaU's porpoises (p. 2(0). The surface disturbance caused by a 

large herd of frolicking "lags" can be mistaken at a great distance for an active herd of common dolphins (p. 160). Key differences among the three species are tabularized below: 

Pacific White-Sided 

Dolphin 

Very tall; strongly 

falcate; bicolored 

with dark front 

two-thirds and 

lighter rear third. 

Common Dolphin 

Dorsal Fin 

Prominent and 

erect; only slightly 

falcate; dark, often with a lightened zone in the 

middle. 

DaU's Porpoise 

Relatively low; triangular; bicolored, 

with white upper 

half, black lower 

half. 

172 

(onlcal; hon. 

indlsttn.:t but \\ elldemarcated beak 

that i., darkl~ pigmented. 

Black dorsally and 

while \entrall}: 

\\ hite or light gray 

"suspenders" ; 

light gray zone on 

ide extendtng onto rostrum. 

Acrobatic in air, 

splashes \\ hen 

breaking surface to 

breathe. 

Temperate region 

north of southern 

Baja California; 

throughout Gulf 

of Alaska. 

Head 

~Ioderatel} long. 

\\ ell-demarcated 

beak; lip dark. 

\\ hae tip on beak.. 

Body Color 

Characteri tic dark 

dorsal addle; 

white belly. hourglas or cri scro 

effect on sides. 

with tan tinge. 

Beha\ior 

Di prorortlonatel 

mall head: n 

beak; aU black. 

Black and w h 

large \\ hite 

on each 

nuke \\ith 

rear border. 

Gregarious and Does not leap c 

frolicsome; often of \\ater; splash 

leaps clear of characteristicall 

water. \\ hen surfacing. 

Range 

Warm water; 

uncommon north 

of Point Conception. 

Cold waters 

southern Beri 

Sea to Califo 

seasonally south 

Baja California. 
From the air, Pacific white-sided dolphins appear chunky, 

ike the Dall's porpoise, and obyiol:lsly lack a distinct beak. The 

nost distinctive features of the otherwise dark body are the 

vhite belly and suspender marks. When seen in profile the very 

arge dorsal fin is unmistakable. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead Pacific white-sided dolphins should be easy to recognize 

by the distinctive features mentioned above. In addition, the 

upper jaw has 23-32 pairs of teeth; the lower jaw, 24-3\. This is 

considerably fewer than in the common dolphin (40-50 pairs per 

jaw) but overlaps the numbers in the Dall's porpoise 

(19-28/20-28). The latter's teeth are shaped differently, 

however; they are flattened at the crown rather than pointed. 

BOTTLENOSE DOLPHIN (T) 

Tursiops fruncafus (Montagu, 1821) 

bl." Commoo N,m" 

Bottlenosed dolphin or porpoise, black porpoise (tuna fishermen), 

ray porpoise, common porpoise; delfi"n nam de botella (Latin 

America); taiseiyo banda iruka (Japanese); afalina (Russian). 

[)escription 

I Bottlenose dolphins in the Pacific reach lengths of 3-4 m. 

~ales are generally larger than females of the same age. At birth 

hese dolphins are about 1- 1.3 m long. 

Figure 220.-Bottlenose dolphins at Clipperton Island (top) and at lat. U"30 'N, long. 89 0 44 'W (bottom). Oceanic islands often have small resident populations tbllt 

tome out to greet passing sbips. Note the sbort, thick beak, clearly demarcated from the melon, and the tall falcate dorsal fin . Although they appear in tbese pbotos to be 

limost uniformly dark, bottlenose dolphins have complex color patterns. (Photos by K. D. Sexton [top) and R. L. Pitman [bottom), courtesy of NMFS.) 

173 
f igure 221.- Thro ughout their range . bottleno;.e dolphin' are acthe bo" ride". ,ometime, comin~ [rom con"dfr~ble dhtanc tu catch a rid. and often lum," on Ih 

sides (top left) once in the "a\e. In the other t"o photo. the do",al cape can be ,een . Exten,i,. tooth ral-ing' can be ,,,,,n on on. of th. animal, in th. lOP rieht photo. 

the lateral photo , note the flipper stripe to the comer of the mouth. Tbere are c1earl) t"o forms of bottlenose dolphin in tbe eastern 'orth Pacine. though at preseot tb 

are only tentatively separable by differences In skull cbaracters and oot b) external field marl<s. (Photos from off the Galapago • Ecuador. b) G. ~1. "ellington 

left); tbe Gulf of Guayaquil, Ecuador, by R. Olson, courtes) of NMFS [top rigbt); off Acapulco. Mexico. b) C. "'. OU,.r courttS) of MrS [bonom).) 

The physical appearance of this dolphin is familiar to nearly 

everyone, because most performing dolphins in oceanaria are 

bottlenoses (although these are usually the Atlantic variety). The 

well-defmed beak ranges from relatively short (less than 16 cm 

long) and stubby to nearly nonexistent. The body is robust. 

The prominent dorsal fin is centrally positioned on the back, 

strongly falcate and erect, and pointed. The flippers are moderate in size and taper to a point. The flukes are notched and have 

a smooth, concave rear margin. 

174 

There I a great deal of \ ariet} in coloration among boulen 

dolphins in the eastern orth Pacific . ome are nearl} black 

over, \\hile other ha\e a gra} bod} that lighten 

toward the sides and bell}. Some form have a \\ ell-defined 

cape et 0 ff from the light gray sides and an almo t \\ hite bell 

There are t\\ 0 form of bottlenose dolphin postulated for 

orth Pacific-a coa tal form and an offshore form-th 

there currently are no reliable mean for differentiating them 

Figure 223.-A pair of bottlenose dolphins Just entering (top) and bodysurfing 

in tbe curl (bottom) of a wave off La Jolla, Calif. Though most dolphins have 

been reported to ride ground swells at sea and man) are known to ride pre ure 

waves created by vessels and tbe heads of large wbales, tbe onl) dolphin known 

to surf routinely Is the bottlenose. Along much of their coastal range, bottlenose 

dolphins can be seen frolicking In the waves, leaping dramatically out of them 

just before they break. (Pbotos by W. F. Perrin.) 

Captive bottlenose dolphins have lived for as long as 40 }ear . 

In the wild, predation by killer whales and sharks is not known 

to be a major mortality factor but probably occurs occasionally. 

Distribution 

The neritic (coastal) form of the bottlenose dolphin is continuously distributed from the southern border of Los Angeles 

County south to the tropics, including the entire Gulf of 

California and Baja California; it frequents harbors, bays, 

lagoons, estuaries, and other shallow coastal regions. 

The offshore form ranges farther from the main land , around 

the islands of California and Baja California, at least as far 

north as Point Conception and in the open sea out to and a long 

the 183 m (loa-fathom) curve. It is a lso found thro ughout the 

pelagic zone in the eastern tropical Pacific and in waters arou nd 

all the Hawaiian Islands, including the Leeward Chain. 

176 

BOll\(;n()\C uolphln\ proh<lhly have ,I lJlore l!xlCI1 Ive UI trlhu

lion than any (llher \IT1ull cd,l(:ean 111 Ihe Icmpcr,lIe to troplc

CLl\lern mill Puclflc. anu Ihe) (.In he COil Iucrcd H:ry ahlln 

uanl 111 I he .tggregute 

Can Bc (onfu,cd \ \il h 

BOll kno,e uolptlln \ LUll he Lon I II eu 

do\phln,>. IIldudlllg RI\ 0" dolphll1 (p 12<) al a <.h~ldn(c. I 

rough loothLU uolpilin (r. 17 ), e<,pc('ldll) In orf h re ubtr 

edl anu truPIC.t\ area~ .• 111(.1 )ourl' potted uolrhm (p. 141 

'Duth of lal. 1(J • r he IIr\1 01 Ihe e (.til b t be UI'tlIlgul h 

I rOrD Ihe hUll lenu e IJ) It" lu ~ r a rronlll1ent bea and 1\, '" 111 

anu e tell 1\ el) cJrrcd !..HI. I he dl tJngul hll1 feature f I 

hOllkno e ulllrhirl. rough·t otheu d Ipllll1. nd p tl 

uolrhill .lre tubul<illzed belm\ 

Butllcnc"t 

Dolphin 

RCJUgh·l o()th~d 

Dolphin 

~lu (mum Sll.e 

\1 lea I 2.~ m 

pOlled Dol phin 

r to 25m 

Figure 224.-Bottlenose dolphins have 20- 26 teeth in each side of tbe upper 

and 18- 24 In each side of the lower jaw. Tbe teeth are sharply pointed in 

animals but may wear substantially as th e animal ages. (Photo by G . E. Lin 

courtesy of NOSC.) 
Figure 225.-A bottlenose dolpbin feeding on muUet off Cat Island, Miss. Bottlenose dolpbins are easy to identify from tbe air wben tbey are seen clearly under good ligbt 

conditions. However, since many dolpbins may appear drab and colorless under low light conditions, aerial observers are cautioned against simply classifying groups of 

gray animals as bottlenose dolphins. Note the individual on its side. Bottlenose dolphins frequently feed on their sides or backs, possibly to improve returns from 

echolocation signals in the shallow environment. (Pboto by S. Leatberwood.) 

Gray to black (old 

female s may have 

spots on belly); 

dark dorsal cape, 

with gradual lightening on sides and 

belly in most cases. 

Head robust; beak 

relatively short but 

defined by a 

crease; usually all 

gray; some older 

individuals ha ve 

white-tipped beaks 

and / or white lips. 

Body Coloration 

Dark gray, almost 

purplish with 

ye llow s pot s; 

lighter on belly. 

H ead and Beak 

Long and slender; 

beak not clearly 

demarcated from 

forehead; lower 

jaw and lip s 

speckled white. 

Dark gray dorsal 

cape with lighter 

zones on flan ks 

and belly; adults 

often heavily spotted but young 

unspotted. 

Head relatively 

slender; beak moderately long; well 

demarcated from 

forehead by transverse crease . 

177 

Bottlenose dolphins can be difficult to identify positively 

when seen from the air. The color pattern is so generalized and 

non descriptive that one is often uncertain of whether lack of 

pattern and color in an animal seen is real or an artifact of lighting conditions. The best clues are the short stubby beak, the 

broad head and body, and the falcate dorsal fin. In coastal 

haunts in the tropics one must be particularly wary of confusing 

bottlenose dolphins and coastal spotted dolphins. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

In addition to the characteristics mentioned above, dead bottlenose dolphins can be distinguished from spotters by their relatively low tooth count: 20-26 in each upper jaw and 18-24 in 

each lower jaw. The rough-toothed dolphin ha close to the 

same number of teeth as the bottlenose but can readily be distinguished on close examination by the absence of a crease dividing 

the beak from the forehead and by its relatively long and slender 

beak. 
ROl GH-TOOTHED DOLPHI .... (T) 

Stello hred<lllelllis (G. (u\ ier in L~"on, l828) 

Oth~r (ommon :1m 

Bla p rp I e applied b) II herlnen to thl pecle and to 

b Bleno dolphin) .lnd .. lena". de\fin de PICO largo (Latm 

men a), 1'1\\ h 'ru~a (J.lpane e), grebnezub)) del'fin (Ruslun) 

Ih riplion 

Rt: ugh loolh <I d lphlll hdle not been \\ell tudied. but the} 

are n IH to reach length 01 at lea,t 2.4 m III thl area, almost 

2 m ICI~ere . 

• ur 226. Th hi hI dblinclhe head or. roughtOllth d dolphin, h" .. tn~ lhe .. hltt lip, and the IlIck 

01 • dear demarcation bet .... n the beak and th. 

melon (hence Ihe n ,J.n~me ·',Iupeh.ad·'). (photo, 

'rom I lIe Park, II .... ". b, 11. . C. Oakomb 

Ilopl (ath.f"ood Ibulluml ) 

The mo,t di,tinctII e e\ternal feature i the beak., II hich i 

and slenaer and grades into the melon II it h no sharp demar

tion. It rna) be Ilhite or pmk.ish Ilhite along both sides, inclu 

109 one or both lips and the tip of the beak.. Because. the f 

head and SIdes of the head slope smoothl} onto the rostrum, 

entire head appears ler} long and nearl) conical II hen I iell 

from abole or from the side. The eyes are unw,ually large. 

fhe high dorsa l fin is I ariable 111 shape but usually falcate

ha, a long base. The nipper are la rge and taper to a blunt poi

Coloration is quite lariable. The back. is often dark. gray 
H~ r bol\l~no ~ dolphin let-ding on mullel off (al '''and ... tb,. 80ttleno d •• lphln art t \ 10 Idmlih from Ih. air 

cond .. e'er. siner mlln, dolphins rna) Ilppear drah and colorle,' under 10 .. Ii hi ('ondliion , aerial ob "t~ alT I 

Kra boUl~no,e dolphins. 'l;ole Ihe IndhiduII on lis Ide 8nllieno dolphin frt'qutnth leed OD Ihdr 

rcho nab In Ihe ,hallo .. en,ironment. IPholo In ". , .. th.",ond.) 

l,r 

\I II I 

tnln 

bd! 

Ii 

r \ 

d 

In 

\\ 

n 

(l)IJ 

h.\\C 

'II ~ I: 

.: .11'':. 

I1ghl 

, ,\Ild 

\'p 

I ),Ir" ~ra), ..Ilml) I 

I'urpll '1 \lllh 

\ ell,)\\ POI 

Ii 'hi r on bel" 

H d, n.1 B a" 

ll)f1 

b ," 

U rtl.H 

hlJ \ nd r, 

I .HI 

r 

1'1 

1).1" gr,l\ dN .II 

~ pc \\ Itl, Ii hi r 

1 m on f1,I0\... 

nd be'''. .IUU'I 

l)llen he.l\! \ pmled bUI lUIS 

un pot! d 

1--
ROUGH-TOOTHED DOLPHIN (T) 

Steno bredanensis (G. Cuvier in Lesson, 1828) 

Other Common Names 

Black porpoise (applied by fishermen to this species and to 

bottlenose dolphins) and "steno"; delfill de pi co largo (Latin 

America); shiwaha iruka (Japanese); grebnezubyy del'fin (Russian). 

Description 

Rough-toothed dolphins have not been well studied, but they 

are known to reach lengths of at least 2.4 m in this area, almost 

2.8 m elsewhere. 

Figure 226.-The highly distinctive bead of a roughtoothed dolphin, showing tbe white lips and the lack 

of a clear demarcation between the beak and the 

melon (hence the nickname "slopehead"). (Photos 

from Sea Life Park, Hawaii, by K. C. Balcomb 

[top); S. Leatherwood [bottom).) 

178 

The most distinctive external feature is the beak, which is I 

and slenaer and grades into the melon with no sharp dem 

tion. It may be white or pinkish white along both sides, inclu 

ing one or both lips and the tip of the beak. Because. the f 

head and sides of the head slope smoothly onto the rostrum, t

entire head appears very long and nearly con ical when view 

from above or from the side. The eyes are unusually large. 

The high dorsal fin is variable in shape but usually falcate. 

has a long base. The flippers are large and taper to a blunt poi

Coloration is quite variable. The back is often dark gray 
227.-Captive rough-toothed dolphins. Note the prominent falcate dorsal fin, the smoothly tapering head (appearing cone-shaped in dorsal and lateral views), and 

white coloration on the lips and the beak tip. Rough-toothed dolphins are present. albeit in relatively low densities. throughout the eastern tropical Pacific, with extraital record. as far north as Marin Cou nt) , Cali f. (Photo. courtes) of Japanese Whales Resea rch Institute.) 

k purplish gray, and there may be yellowish or pinkish white 

tches on the sides and belly. The flippers are dark and the 

is white. Some animals are scarred with numerous white 

treaks and oval scars. The lips are often white, a feature which 

ppears age related . 

atural History Notes 

Herds of up to 50 have been reported, but smaller groups of 

10-20 seem more usual. They have most often been encountered 

rafting at the surface. When approached by a vessel, these dolphins sometimes ride the bow wave, but more often simply 

"squirt" out of the way. They occasionally leap half-heartedly 

out of the water. Rough-toothed dolphins are often mixed in 

herds of other species, such as pilot whales, bottlenose dolphins, 

spotted dolphins, and spinner dolphins. They have a remarkable 

affinity for flotsam and are commonly associated with floating 

logs in the eastern tropical Pacific. 

Rough-toothed dolphins are known to prey on pelagic fishes 

179 

Figure 228.-A tightly packed group of rough-toothed dolphins 

approaching a research vessel at approximately lat. 04"30 'N, long. 

91 "30 'W in February 1979. As they skim along the surface, a 

characteristic swimming pattern for the species, tbe pink/ white 

lips and lower jaws are clearly visible (bottom). (Photos by R. L. 

Pitman, courtesy of NMFS.) 

and squid, but very little is known about their food habits or 

reproductive biology. There was a mass stranding in Maui, 

Hawaii. 

These animals have been successfully maintained and trained 

at Sea Life Park in Hawaii and at oceanaria in Japan. A female 

at Sea Life Park bred with a bottlenose dolphin and produced 

an apparently healthy hybrid offspring that lived for almost 5 

years. 

Distribution 

Before American tuna fishermen began to catch and identify 

this species in purse seines set in the eastern tropical Pacific, only 

two records existed for the eastern Pacific-a weathered skull 

had washed ashore in Marin County, Calif., and some hard 

parts of a specimen had been recovered from the Gaiapagos. 

Although a few more specimens have been collected on California beaches, It still is assumed that these records represent extralimital occurrences and that rough-toothed dolphins do not 
Figure 229.-Two views of rough-toothed dolphins on the 

bow of a research vessel at approximately lat. 15"30 'N. 

long. 99 °45 'W (top) and approximately lat. 14 °49 N, 

long. 97 °42 'W (bottom). Together, these photos clearly 

illustrate the distinctive head shape, tbe large flippers, the 

long, almost cone-shaped, head, and the extremely narrow 

cape. (Photos by R. L. Pitman, courtesy of NMFS.) 

Figure 230.-When one is fortunate enough to have a 

clear view of them from the air, rough-toothed dolphins 

can be positively identified. Although larger than any of 

the spinners, they appear spinnerlike, i.e., slim in dorsal 

aspect. The primary clues distinguishing them from spinners and others are the elongated cone-shaped appearance 

of the front part of the body and the very sUm cape. Even 

such small-scale features as the partially to all-white lips 

are sometimes visible from the air. (Photo courtesy 

of NMFS.) 

180 
inhabit nearshore waters of the western United States. 

now well established, however, that rough-toothed dolphins 

present, albeit in relatively low densities, throughout the 

(ropical Pacific. They also occur in Polynesian waters 

around Hawaii. Sea surface temperatures, when recorded, 

always been above 25 °C when these dolphins were 

untered . SIena bredanensis seems quite clearly to be a 

the offshore waters where they live, rough-toothed dols are most likely to be confused with bottlenose dolphins (p. 

spotted dolphins (p. 141), and spinner dolphins (p. 148). 

three have a distinct transverse crease, or depression, that 

the beak from the forehead. In addition, the bott1edolphin has a much shorter, stubbier beak and does not 

the speckled or blotchy appearance around the beak and 

the sides and belly that is characteristic of the rough-toothed 

. . The spotted dolphin has a somewhat shorter, more 

beak and, in adults at least, many light spots on the 

k back and sides. The spinner dolphin has a tall, erect, nearly 

lar dorsal fin and a fairly even coloration pattern-gray 

the back and sides, white on the undersides. See Tables (p. 

177) for further comparison with the bottlenose and spotd dolphins. 

181 

Figure 231.-A rough-toothed dolphin nUfliing her newborn calf. a hybrid 

resulting from her mating with a male bottlenose dolphin. The bottom photo shows 

the hybrid as a yearling, in the company of a bottlenose dolphin . Note that the 

hybrid bas a hint of a crease separating the rostrum from the melon , a state clearly 

intermediate between the cone-shaped head of tbe mother and the short beak and 

well-defined melon of the bottlenose dolphin. (Photos courtes) of Sea Life Park. 

Hawaii [top); by S. Leatherwood [bottom I.) 

Even at some distance, the blotched coloration of the sides 

and the white coloration of the Lips of rough-toothed dolphins 

may be visible. If closer examination is possible, the distinctive 

shape and coloration of the beak should make positive identification possible. The long-based dorsal fin may contribute to an 

identification as well. 

With a good vertical view one can identify rough-toothed 

dolphins from the air. The principal cues are the rather slim 

body, almost spinnerlike in appearance, and the dark narro\\ 

cape, which barely covers the midline on the tail stock, broadens 

briefly at the dorsal fin, and then constricts to a narrow zone 

from the front of the dorsal fin to the head. Because of the 

shape of the beak (no apex to the melon) the body in front of 

the flippers appears as a long cone; under good light conditions 

white is visible on the mouth of some, usually larger, animals. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

In addition to the characteristics listed above for distinguishing living animals, dead rough-toothed dolphins can be identified by noting the texture of their tooth crowns. These possess a 

series of fine vertical wrinkles, from which the species gets its 

common name. Unfortunately, the wrinkles are often difficult 

to detect. The number of teeth (20-27 per row) is fewer than for 

spinner and spotted dolphins but about the same as for bottlenose dolphins. 
Figure 232.-A rough-toothed dolphin, capti,e at ~ea Lire Park, Ha"aii, for man) )ears, "oluntaril) out of water during a performance and performing a nip (right). Researchers haH fo und 

rough-toothed dolphins to be easily trained and highly inventive. (Photos courtes} of Sea Life Park, 

Hawaii [top); K. D. Sexton [right).) 

182 

Figure 233.-Underwater photograph of a freeranging rough-toothed dolphin investigating a diver 

off the west coast of Oahu, Hawaii. The species' 

principal markings, including the narrow cape, 

speckling on the belly, white lips, and dark eye are 

all visible. (photo by E. Shallenberger, Sea Life 

Park, Hawaii.) 
Figure 234.-A rough-toothed dolphin stranded at Cape HaUeras, N.C., illustrating the "hite Splolches and polka dots (scars) oflen seen on large specimens. The round 

scars are probably caused by the "cookie-cuuer" shark. (Photos b) J. G. Mead.) 

183 
J>" C; M" K ILl I H \\ II \ I L ( I ) 

1 1'1"('\(/ tllIl'lIl1t1/tI (.n" . 11174 

Other Common '1amcs 

Slender blad fl,h. ,lcndl'l plll)1 II h.lk, hldl'~ 11,11 (dpplled h 

some rishcrmcn 10 all 1 Ill' ~111,1i1. d.u!-, hllll1l he"d~d IIh,dl I: 

orca pigmeo (1 alin Alllcrila): UIlIl' glll1.1l1 !-IIIII.I {1.lp;lllt d, 

karhkOla~a !-asal!-a (Ru ,i.lIl). 

Description 

Th" unCOllllIWIl (('t.ll·call grllll III lell'lll ,I .It> 'Ill :! 4 :! 7 

m. Length al birth" Illlt !-11l11111, ,dllinll ,II 'II prllb"hl\ .Ibout I 

m. 

The bl,d~ b slendcr and III gCllc~,,1 lescmble tli"t 01 the f. I c 

killerllhalc(p IIR) lIKllc.ldi TlJlllllcd.,IIHlthcrc' n h~oIk 

The I1loullllillC IS ,tl~lIghl. 

The plgI1l) killer II Ii:!!.? hoI , I'rOmIlIC'lt, l.d~JIC Jor .II fill, 

located at Jl'Olll Tl'idbad. \\Ilh th~ PCdl-. I. fI'n \1\ hap~ fr m 

broadh rounded 10 bluntl 11l1l1lted. It I U llollh 20 10 em III h 

The nippers arc m ,derate 111 lengtf] (about one CI h '1 of bl1lh 

length) and hal\; rounded tiP 

, 10 I ul the PI 11'11) killer "h.I!.:' b d) I hl.1 k or dolrk r \ 

An IIldl. tllll.t cape ,>Imllar to th.11 of thc 1'1111 er d Iphlll (p 14 ) 

is pre\ent. WIth ItS ma\lmUIll \\Idlh belo\\ the dor alllr \ polle, 

anchor·,haped patch I' prc,~nt on III "he t het\l\:\:n the nip 

pers. similar to that round on pdol II h.11<: (p 12 ) and R 

dlllpilln (p 12'1), .l!lel there I U uall~ .. \ nable \1 hill' area on 

tlie h Ih postertor to the navel. I he rea around the mouth I 

llI.lrked \\ It h \.If~ IJI '.InIOUllt of \\ hill', IlIcwne Ihe lip and 

elilire 1.1111\ .Ire \\ Illte I he \\ hue" oatec" n the .. hm I learly 

\ I d1le lin \\\ IInllllJl ' .10101.11 

:\alllr.tI III tor) ot~ 

rthe 

\.Jptl\lI\ 

r\:.1 on 10 beh(\ ~ the pr~ 

Hi Irlllllllllil 

1111 I tr pI 

r( prC\Cn e al n 

merll.a, but II I I nalJ~ aught I 

tr pu:.al Pol III\: In Ha\\ 

me rc ulant), and II ur 

Figure 235.-A slow-swimming group of' 'btackfuh" encounlered at lal. 15 · 16 :-;. Ion 

99 58 ~ during. Februllt) 1979 rhearch cruise. When tbe} .. ere later approacbed 

obsened more closel} , the} .. ere posh" el} Identified as p}gm} killer .. hales. Becau.w I 

differences between this spedes and the melon beaded .. bale are so subtle, 'Or} clo 

examination is often necessar} before a positive idenliflcalion can be made. Tbe bollo 

photo shows. pygmy killer .. bale 5 miles off Kaena Point, Oahu, Ha .. ail. The anlm 

was dark on the back witb var}ing degrees of lighter coloration on tbe sides. tbe ca 

extending high onto tbe sides in front of the dorul fin. In subsequenl encounters .. 1 

the species throughout its range tbe intensit} of the cape paltern has appeared tu be 0 

of the most useful means of distinguishing pygm} killer" bales from melon-bead 

whales. When the cape is apparently absent, however, it cannot be assumed tbal .. hat 

seen is a melon-headed whale. (Pbotos b) R. L. Pitman. courtesy of NMFS Ilop); 

ShaUenberger, courtesy of Sea Life Park, HawaU [boltom).) 

184 
Can Be Confused With 

The pygmy killer whale most closely resembles the false killer 

whale (p. 118) and the melon-headed whale (p. 188). It is much 

smaller than the false killer whale, and the zones of white coloration help distinguish it at close range. False killer whales grow 

to at least 5.5 m and are all black. The pygmy killer whale's 

white belly patch sometimes extends high enough onto the sides 

to be seen as the animal surfaces. The light areas below the cape 

on the sides ahead of the dorsal fin can also help in identification. The pygmy killer whale's head is more rounded, i.e., less 

tapered, than that of the false killer whale. 

The melon-headed whale is even more difficult to distinguish 

from the pygmy killer whale because it is similar in size. Only 

experienced observers are likely to be able to separate the two at 

sea. The melon-headed whale is not thought to have the exten185 

Figure 236.-A running group of pygmy killer whales in the eastern 

tropical Pacific. When stressed, this little whale behaves much like the 

similar melon-headed whale and must be approached closely before 

positive identification is possible. Pygmy killer whales are often seen 

swimming In perfectly coordinated "chorus lines" (bollom). (Photos 

by R. L. Pitman [top); W. H. Brlnkerhoss [bollom).) 

sive white and light gray zones characteristic of the pygmy killer 

whale, although its lips are often white and it can have a white 

spot near the anus. One character apparently separates the two 

animals consistently: the melon-headed whale has pointed flippers. The flippers, however, are difficult to see in the wild. 

Observations to date suggest that the melon-headed whale is 

more likely to be encountered in large herds than is the pygmy 

killer whale and is more likely to run from oncoming vessels. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead specimens of the three small "blackfish"-false killer, 

pygmy killer, and melon-headed whales-can be readily distinguished. In addition to the characteristics mentioned above, the 

following are key differences between false and pygmy killer 

whales: 
-00 

0\ 

Figure 237.-Pygmy killer whales seen through a submerged viewing window a~ they rid. the bow ,.ave of a re,nrch ,.".1 al hll. 15 ' "" . lonK . 100 ' \\ In febru.!,) 1~1Q . ""Olt Ih. rounded hrad , Ih.lo".r J"" . often lIpped "llh .. hilr. 

the generally rounded lips of the flippers, and the dlsllnctlve dark cape. with lighter ~Ide, and bell) . 1 he moblllt} of Ihe head apparent in Iht~ phUllh h nOI artifaclllal. {PhOIO, b. R. L.. Pitman and b, P. 1. RlIl' hlt l"'''rr "'ftl. 
a 

-00 

-.I 

c 

, '"' !, .. 

. '. 

Figure 238.-Stranded pygmy kUler whales from South Africa (a. b. c) and Florida (d). Note the variation in white coloralion of the lower jaw. the while region on the ventral surface (extending up onto the sides just below the dorsal fin). 

and the falcate, sharply pointed dorsal fin. Note also that the ruppers lack the hump on the forward margin 

characteristic of the false killer whale and are slightly rounded on the lips, in contrast to the sharply pointed flippers of 

the melon-headed whale . Pygmy kUler whales have 8- 11 teeth in each side of tbe upper jaw and 11- 13 in each side of the 

iower jaw. (Photos courtesy of P. B. Best [a, b, c) and Miami Seaquarium [d).) 

b 

d 
p) gm) Killer \\ hale 

1 eeth 

10-13 1n each ro\\ abo\ e and 8 11 peT ro\\; larger .wd mon: 

belo\\; 10\\ er teeth smaller. pron1lT1CTlt 

\ entral lolorallon 

\\hlle area behind the na\(:l. 1 orl11al1\ darJ.. behInd thc 

may reach onto the ,Ides. na\ d 

1ltrper 

Smoot Itl) roulldeJ Oil I ronl 

edgc. 

har d lcrl lIc - hared I ront 

TTlurgln. 

p\ gm) J..llIer \1 hales can be dl IIngUI hed from mell n-hcaded 

\1 hale b~ the latler's larger number 0 teelh i\lelon-headed 

"h.lie' hdH' .It leu I 22 25 teeth rer Ide In lhe upper Ji.l1I and 

21 24 leeth per Ide In tlte II \ler J.m 

'\-H.I O:".-IH ·\IH.I) \\ Ii 0\[ In) 

l'eplJ/llIll.'plllllll l.'ieCfra (.ra), 18~fI) 

Other Common :\ame~ 

Man)-toothed blacJ..fish Hi.I\\allan blaeJ..fish, blackll h (applied b) some fishermen to all mall, ddrJ.., blunt headed 

\\hales); J..azuha gondo kupra (Japane e); hlrokl\kl)ul)) 

del'fin (Russian) 

Description 

The melon-headed \1 hale i~ poorly kno\1 n. Ince onl\ a fell 

individuals ha\e been examined doseh, and Ince II appear to 

be difficult to distinguish from the pygmy J..iller II hale (p. 1(4) al 

sea, \\ hat is said in thIs section about the appearance and habits 

of the melon-headed \\hale should be taken as tentali\e and In 

need of revision as more is learned. 

The melon-headed \Ihale's body shape is similar 10 those of 

the larger false killer whale (p. 118) and the similar-sized pygmy 

killer whale (p. 184). r-.laximum length is at leaS! 2.7 m. It is 

elongated and sltm, with a narro\\ tail slOe!... The head IS generall) shaped like that of the fal e J..iller \1 hale, but ha a sharper 

appearance and tapers 10 a blunt point. There i an rndistinet 

beak. The mouthline is long and straight. 

The high dorsal fin IS usually at least slightly falcatl" \\ ith 

either a rounded or a pointed tip. The relati\ ely long flippers are 

pointed. The melon-headed \\ hale is black on the bacJ.. and 

slightly lighter on the bell). There is a faint, brownish cape on 

the back. There are \\hite regIons on the lips and around the 

anal and genital opemngs. As in several other small dark \\ hales, 

there is an anchor-shaped gray patch on the throat. 

Natural Histof)- Notes 

The melon-headed whale is a gregarious, pelagic animal that 

occurs in herds of several hundred, often in tightly packed association. These herds occasionally sho\" interest in riding bov. 

waves but are often difficult to approach. They reponedly 

respond to motor vessels by runn ing and creating considerable 

disturbance, much like Fraser's dolphins (p. 166). 

Nothing is known about the melon-headed whale's reproductive biology or seasonal movements. Mass strandings involving 

188 

hundred of andllidual arc knov.n to 0 LUr. 

Di: lribution 

rhe melon-headed \I hale I not nOlI n to be ommon 

an) II here It appear to be on fined to tropIcal \I ater • \I here It 

I nO\l n to pr I on qUId, It dl tnbullon an the ea tern orth 

PadfiL dppear 10 be itmllcd 10 of! hore troplLal \I ter . It 

OLLur an Hallauan \laler and d e\lhere an Pol)ne la 

Can Be Confu ed \\ilb 

The mdon-headed \Ihale I ea 11) con u ed \ltth the fal e 

kIller \\ hale (p. 11 ) and the p}gm) J..iller \\ hale (p. 1 ). It i 

con Iderabl:- mailer than the fal e killer IIhale, ha a ltghtl} 

more pointed head, and lack Ihe - haped, humped fOf\\ard 

margin on Ihe flipper \I hieh i characlerr tIC of P~elldorca. 

Unfortunatel), none 01 these "haracter , e cept Ize, I likel) to 

be eVIdent dunng ightrng made at ea. 

The melon-headed \I hale and the P) gm) killer II hale are 

about the same size and are general!) black. In general. the 

melon-headed 1\ hale appear to occur rn larger herd than doethe p)gmy killer whale. The "hlte area on the pygm) killer 

\1 hale'~ abdomen ma) extend higher onto the side Ihan Ihe 

melon-headed whale's, and the former often has a \Ihtte 

"goatee" on the chin and 10\\ er ja\\. The pygmy killer \I hale's 

flippers are Ie tapered and ha\e rounded rather than pointed 

ends. Its dor al fin is often larger and more erect than that of the 

melon-headed \1 hale. The head of the melon-headed \Ihale is 

slightly more pointed than that of the pygmy killer \1 hale. one 

of the e differences is striking enough to en ure that the e t\IO 

small \\hale can be distinguished from each other by inexperienced observers. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

There i an easy way of distinguishing dead melon-headed 

whales from their 1\\0 lookalikes. Melon-headed \\hales have 

more than 15 teeth per row (more than 60 total), while both false 

and pygmy killer whales have less than 15 teeth per row. 

Figure 240.-A herd of melon-headed whales in the eastern tropical Pacific seen from a research ship . Like many smaU cetaceans in that part of the world where 

boats cbase dolpblns, melon-beaded wbales seem wary of vessels and run from them, often forming broad "cborus lines" which work the sea into a froth. While 

killer .. hales han rounded heads witb a subterminal mouth, melon-headed whales more often have a terminaUy opening moutb and short but distinct beaks, 

in juveniles and immatures. (Photo by R. L. Pitman, courtesy of NMFS.) 

a 

b 

190 

192 

Figure 243 (above and opposite Dal/e).-·Melon-Ileade 

whales driven ashore In Japan; above photos show 

pointed flippers cbaracteristic of tbe species. 

beaded whales are not known to be common 

and have thus far been reported only in widely 

locations in deeper offsbore tropical waters. 

courtesy of T. Kasuya.) 

Figure 242.-Stranded melon-beaded whales. Of particular Interest In these views are tbe sbarply pointed 

flippers and the bead shape, appearing on botb bottom 

animals to be triangular in dorsal and ventral 

aspect. (photos courtesy of J. G. Mead.) 

pmg, ~m~e it ha re\ulted in some collisiom \\ ith ships. ) When 

tartled in thl pO,>lUre, the~ ma~ defecate, issuing a cloud of 

reddish-brow n 10 ru,>t-colored fece.,. 

Thc'mam pre~ appears 10 be squid, but the} also eat pelagic 

cru tacean,> and some fishes. Judging b~ \\hat was found in the 

stomachs of stranded specimens, a South African cetologist has 

,>uggcstcd that pygm} sperm \\ hales live in deep \~ ater beyond 

the edgc of the continental shelf. This seems consistent with the 

fact that .,ightings are extremely rare. Pygmy sperm wh ales often 

strand ali\e, but those taken 10 aquariums invariably die \\ ithin 

a few \\ eeks. 

Distribution 

There are two unfortunate obstacles 10 our understanding of 

this species' distribution. First, most records are of stranded animals, and these may not provide a very accurate picture of the 

distribution of living animals. Second, the pygmy sperln whale 

was not distinguished from the dwarf sperm whale (p. 198) until 

recently, so it is difficult to determine how much the ranges of 

the two species overlap. In general, the pygmy sperm \\hale is 

thought to have a more antitropical distribution than the dwarf 

sperm whale in most areas. 

The northernmost record of the pygmy sperm w hale in the 

eastern North Pacific is from a stranding in May of a young 

male just south of Gray's Harbor, Wash. This whale may be 

sparsely distributed, then, from Washington south to Baja California, where it is known to enter the Gulf of California. It is 

also present in Hawaiian waters. 

Can Be Confused With 

Pygmy sperm whales are 0 distinctive that, when seen at 

close range, they are not likely 10 be con fused with anything 

other than dwarf sperm whales (p. 198). The two very closely 

• un 1.4 ~ oun p ~m' porm "h.'" flop) and a remal PHm, perm whale and her calf (bollom) ... lmming In a tank at the New York Aquarium after being 

, ndlrom 'r .. \ur' b lh .. hut the) 'IMlnded . In ali throe anLmals. nOle Ih. ,hape and po ition or Ihe dorsal fLn. sma ller and more posteriorly placed lhan that 

ote. II Ihe "ddt. haped he.d . triangular tn do",.1 prom •. bluff in the rroot . and enlirely beakless. The white scrapes on the adult in the 

.. tr p t pro.b multn! from If.ndlna tPhoto b, H . [ . \\ inn IlOpl: (Ourth' of" \ . POf( [bollom].) 

194 
related whales cannot be reliably distinguished from each other 

at sea based on current knowledge. At a distance, they might be 

confused with any of the smaller beaked whales (p. 98) that also 

have a relatively small falcate dorsal fin set far back on the 

bod}. Closer examination should permit ea~~ ~eparation, 

ho~ever, since the pygmy sperm v.hale has no beak, \\hile the 

beaked whales have prominent, dolphinlike beaks. Adult 

beaked whales are aU larger than adult pygmy sperm whales. 

The features by which to distinguish between pygmy and dwarf 

sperm whales are summarized belo~ (see section on Identification of Dead Specimens). 

Seen from the air in bright sun light, the color ranges from 

greenish brown to grayish brown. Some lighter coloration is visible approximately adjacent to the blowhole (thought to be the 

bracket marks). The head is very rounded, almost spadeshaped; the flippers, tail stock, and flukes are small relative to 

bod y size. The body contours are lumpy in contrast to the 

smooth lines of most small whales. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Stranded pygm y and dwarf sperm whales are not likely to be 

con fused with any other cetaceans, but their narrow, underslung 

jaw and blunt head could result in their casual dismissal by some 

beach walkers as stranded sharks. Specimens of the two species 

of Kogia can be separated by the following characteristics: 

19: 

p) gm) !:lperm \\ hale l)" art "perm \\ hal~ 

Teeth 

12-16 (rarely 10-1 I) In each 

lower ja\\; no teeth Ln upper 

ja\\; teeth longer (to 40 mm) 

and thicker (to 9 mm in 

diameter). 

7- 12 (ran:ly 13). ,mall and 

,harply rOlllted teeth III each 

lower )a\\; ,ometllne up to 1 

in eaeh urper Jaw; teeth Ie" 

than 30 mm long and Ie, than 

4.5 mm In diameter. 

No creases on throat. 

To 3.7 m. 

Throat 

Several ~hort Irregular crea,e~ 

on throat. 

Ma\imum length 

To 2.7 m. 

Dorsal Fin 

Small (height normally less 

than 5% of body length); falcate; usually located behind 

midback. 

Taller (height norm aU} greater 

than 5070 of body length); 

more hk.e that of bottleno,e 

dolphin; usually located near 

mldback.. 

Figure 245.-P)gm) perm" hale at lat 

31 "27 ''i. long. UO'1l4 \\ , 10 October 1979. 

The species is most often seen in nat calm 

water .. hen group containing cal> are 

rafting at lbe ,urrace (top lefO. \\ hen 

alarmed, the) .. birl 10 .. 1) fO",lrd and 

ubmerge (top rijlbt). The ridge behind th. 

dorsal fin b creased into ubtle uenulatloru . 

reminbcent of lho~ on the penn "h Ie 

(boltom l. The bod) beh Ind the dorul rln 

abo omeumes "nnl .... d . (P oto b, !',1 . 

R. Gra) bill Irop) and G L. Frlrdrlcb 

(bnnom). counes) of MF .1 
196 

Figure 246.-A pygmy sperm whale stranded at La JoOa, Calif. 

In particular, note the position and sbape of the sharklike 

mouth, the position of the flippers (low on the body), tbe abrupt 

tapering of tbe body at the narrow tail stock, and the posterior 

position of the dorsal fin. (photos by K. Benirscbke.) 

Figure 247.-A pygmy sperm whale from northeastern Florida 

showing the ligbtly pigmented bracket mark, sometimes referred 

to as a "false gill." Apparently present in both species, these 

marks have been visible in the few confirmed sightings at sea in 

which observers had clear looks at the side of the head. (Photo 

by F. G. Wood.) 
Figure 248.-When beached, specimens of the 

two species of Kogia can be distinguished with 

some confidence. The pygmy sperm whale, K. 

breviceps, (top) reaches a length of about 3.7 m; 

its dorsal fin is a smaU nubbin located in the 

posterior half of the back. The dwarf sperm 

whale, K. simus, (left) reaches only about 2.7 m; 

its dorsal fin, much taller and more dolphinlike, 

is located near the middle of the back. Coloration of fresh specimens is probably similar for 

both species-the lightened areas in the lower 

photograph are the result of decomposition. (Photos from JekyU Island, Ga., by 

D. K. Caldwell [top); and San Luis Obispo 

County, Calif., A. Roest [left).) 

Figure 249. - Mouth of a pygmy sperm whale from Monterey County, Calif. In both species of Kogia, these long, curved, 

needle-sbarp teeth, found principally in the lower jaw, fit into sockets in the upper jaw. Pygmy sperm whales have U - 16 (rarely 10 

or 11) pairs of teeth; dwarf sperm whales have 8-11 (rarely 13) pairs. (Photo by G. V. Morejohn.) 

197 
DWARF SPERM \\HALE (T) 

Kogia simus (O~en, 1866) 

Other Common "lames 

Oga~a komakko kujira (Japanese); malyy karlik ovyy 

ka halot (Russian). 

Description 

Adult dwarf sperm whales are 2.1-2.7 m long and weigh 

136-276 kg. Length at birth is unknown but is probably close to 

1 m. 

In general this animal is similar to the pygmy sperm whale, 

but it IS smaUer. It has a squarish head and a robust body that 

tapers rapidly near the tail. The lower jaw is underslung and 

sharklike. A lightly colored line, caUed a "false gill" or bracket 

mark, is present on each side behind the eye. 

In contra t to the pygmy sperm whale's smaU dorsal fin set 

well back on the body, the dwarf sperm whale's dorsal fin is 

generaUy taU and falcate, resembling that of the bottlenose dolphm. It IS placed near the middle of the back. There are often 

several short, irregular creases on the throat similar to those 

found on the throat of the sperm whale (p. 51). 

Dwarf sperm whales are dark bluish gray on the back, grading 

to lighter gray on the sides, and fading to dull white on the belly. 

Natural Histor) Notes 

Data on any aspect of the natural history of the lillie sper 

whales are very sparse, so any generalization about them shoul 

be viewed a extremely tentative. Dwarf sperm whales' probabl) 

travel in small groups of less than 10, and these groups may con 

sist of juveniles only, of female accompanied by calves, or 0 

exuall) mature males and females. Females and calv es som 

times strand together, and in one instance a group of fou 

juveniles ran aground along the same short stretch of beach. It I 

not unusual for these animals to become beached \\hile sti 

alive. 

Lillie is known about the reproductive characteristics 0 

dwarf sperm w hales. Both males and females are believed t 

become sexually mature at lengths of 2.: -2.2 m. Calves nurs 

until they are more than 1.5 m long. As is true of the pyg 

sperm, the dwarf sperm may give birth in successive years, sin 

a high proportion of females stranded \\ith suckling calves a 

pregnant. Japanese investigators, who have had experience \\ itl 

pygmy and dwarf sperm whales captured at sea, have remarke 

that they are often found floating ("Ioglike"), or basking 'It tli 

surface, at which time they are easy to approach. 

Stomach content analyse have shown that dwarf spern 

whales primarily eat cephalopods, although a fairly broa 

assortment of deepwater fishes and cru taceans is also eaten 

The assumption generated by these data is !hat K. sil71us is 

slightly more inshore species than K. breviceps, occupyin 

waters over the continental shelf and slope. 

Distribution 

In the eastern orth Pacific the dwarf sperm whale has bee 

recorded from only two localities: San Luis Obispo County i 

central California and Cabo San Lucas in southwestern Baj 

California. There is also a record from Hawaii . To what exten 

the e occurrences reflect the actual range 0 f the species is a mal 

ter of speculation. Since K. sil71us ha only recently been accord 

Figure 250.-Three progressively closer views of a pygmy or dwarf sperm whale, most likely the latter, at lat. 8 "30 'N, long. 87 °17 'W in January 1979. In the few COl 

firmed slghtlngs of pygmy and dwarf sperm whales at sea, the animals were moving slowly, not normally rising abruptly to the surface like most other small whales, an 

tbelr blows were low and inconspicuous. The best view of the head and body shown here (bottom right) leaves little doubt that the animal is a specimen of Kogia. Tt 

(rongest clue that it is a dwarf rather than a pygmy sperm whale is the prominent dorsal fin positioned near midbody. Both species, like thelr larger relative the spen 

"bale, apparentl) often lie motionless at the surface. (Photos by R. L. Pitman [top, bottom left[ and P. L. Ritchie [bottom rightI , courtesy of NMFS.) 

198 
Figure 251.-A dwarf sperm whale swimming in the tank at Marineland of Flo rida . It was recovered afte r stranding near St. Augustine, Fla . [n this 'peele. the dor al fin h 

generally taller tban tbat of the pygmy sperm whale and located near the midpoint of the back. (Photo courtes) of Marineland of Florida.) 

199 

Figure 252 .-,-\ d.-arf perm .. hak ta tn .t T jl, J.p.n ott I t pr 

dorsa l rin, iluated n.ar midbod), lbe onde ..... /un Io ... r j .... 1 Ult 

i<eel far back nearl) 10 lb. nu"'e DOlCh • • d Ihe br1lC tl marl. 0 I 

bead . (PhOIO' b) R. L. 8ro .. oell. Jr ) 
Figure 253.-Dwarf sperm whales can have several short creases on the throat , simUar to those 

found on the sperm whale; pygmy sperm whales lack these creases. (Photo from Pokai Bay, 

HawaU, by D. Bryant.) 

ed the status of a species distinct from K. breviceps, and even 

more recently given a common name, records of the dwarf 

sperm whale may have been confused in the past with those of 

its close relative. 

Can Be Confused With 

Because of the tall, falcate, centrally situated dorsal fin, 

dwarf sperm whales may be confused at a distance with any of 

the small dolphins that have this feature. The all black or dark 

steel-gray coloration and blunt head increase the likelihood of 

confusion with pygmy killer whales (p. 184) and melon-headed 

whales (p. 188). So far, the ranges of pygmy killer whales and 

melon-headed whales have not been found to overlap that 0 f the 

dwarf sperm whale. The dwarf sperm whale has been reported 

only north of lat. 20 oN; the pigmy killer whale and melonheaded whales are only in tropical waters south of lat. 20 oN. 

The record is sketchy, however, and distribution alone should 

not be used as a basis for identification. From what is known 

about its behavior the dwarf sperm whale appears to be much 

less gregarious and to swim more slowly and less aggressively 

Figure 254.-F1ukes of a dwarf sperm whale fetus from Cape 

Hatteras, N.C. Note that tbe dorsal ridge extends almost to 

the notch in the flukes, a characteristic of both species of 

Kogia. (Photo courtesy of J. G. Mead.) 

than pygmy killer whales and melon-headed whales. To be certain with these three species, examination of head shape and coloration at close range may be necessary. 

The important differences between dwarf and pygmy sperm 

whales are tabularized on p. 195. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

On the beach, dead dwarf sperm whales a re easy to identify to 

the generic level due to their peculiar head shape and jaw configuration, i.e., the broad head dominating the body shape and the 

narrow underslung jaw. They have 8-11, rarely 13, pairs 0 

mandibular teeth (fine, needlelike, and hooked) and usuall y, in 

contrast to the pygmy sperm whale, 1-3 pairs of functional maxillary teeth. Differences between the two species are tabularized 

on p. 195 . 

DALL'S PORPOISE (T) 

Phocoenoides daLli (True, 1885) 

Other Common Names 

True's porpoise, Dall porpoise; del fin de Dall (Latin 

America); ishi iruka-Dall, rikuzen iruka-True (Japanese); 

belokrylaya morskaya svin'ya (Russian). 

200 

Description 

Maximum size of this stocky porpoise is 2.2 m and about 2 

kg. Sexual maturity is reached at about 1.9 m in males and 1.7 

in female s. Males are much thicker bodied than female s. 

Newborn calves are about 1 m long. 
255.-DaU's porpoises may be easily identified when seen on the bow wave of a moving vessel (left) or swimming leisurely at the surface, whkh the} are rarel) een 

doing outside tbe Alaskan coastal waters (right). The most prominent characteristics are the white side patch, the white markings on the dorsal rln and the trallio" edJle or 

the flukes, and the robust body tapering to a smaU head . (Photos from lat. 34 °N, long. 121 oW by K. C. Halcomb [left); in a tank at Polnt Mugu, cour., b) S. Le.ther. 

wood [right).) 

The body shape alone distinguishes Dall's porpoise from all 

other small cetaceans in the eastern North Pacific . It is extremely robu t, making the tiny head and small nukes look inappropriate. The forehead slopes steeply to a short , poorly defined 

beak. The mouth is sma ll and narrow, the eye lo cated far forward on the head. 

The dorsal fin is variable in shape but basicauy triangular, 

with a long base. The nippers are small, lightly tapered toward 

the tip s, not pointed, and located far forward on the body. The 

tail stock has a pronounced keel, both dorsally and ventrally, 

and thi character is most exaggerated in adult males. The small 

nukes have a nearly straight trailing edge with only a shallow 

median notch . 

In addition to its peculiar body shape, DaIl's porpoise has a 

strikin g black-and-white color pattern that helps make it easy to 

identify. The body is ba ically shiny black (entirely black, gray, 

and brownish gray animals have been observed), with a large, 

conspicuous oval patch of white (sometimes containing faint 

dark speckling) on each side, at about midbody (in True's porpoi e the patch extends further anteriorly). The t\\O patches 

meet at the midriff ventrally but end well below the dorsal fin. 

The dorsal fin is usuall y bicolored-the upper half being white, 

the lower portion black. The upper rear border of the nukes is 

also white. There is wide variation in pigmentation among these 

animal. 

Natural History Notes 

In the eastern North Pacific, Dall's porpoises are usuall) 

encountered in mall bands of 2-20, although on feeding banks 

off Alaska several hundred may be seen in the same smaU area. 

In at least one area (~ onterey Bay), the consistenc) \\ ith \\ hich 

juveniles were found clo er in hore than adults i the basis for 

spec ulation that there may be some degree of age segregation 

\\ it hin the population. Dall' porpo! e. have been ob.en ed frequentl) in mi"ed herds, mo t often running \\ ith Pac:lflC: \\ hitesided dolphins (p. 16 ) and pilot \I hale-, (p. 123). 

c:ant data from the eastern orth Pac:ific are II1terpreted to 

indicate that there are t\\ in cal\ ing peak: \\ inter-earl)prll1g 

201 

and another in summer, but births apparentl) occur }car-round. 

In other parts of its range, \\here details of life hi~tor) 3rt.' Illore 

complete, calving occur~ between .lui) and eptember. 

Although they are present year-round in mULh of theIr range, 

there is some seasonal north-south and imhore-of Ishoft.' mmement by these porpoises off central and ,outhern Callfornld. 

They seem to prefer colder waters between ~6 and ('2 I. and 

this preference probabl) II1nuenee, slgntfieantl) the ollthern 

limit of their occurrence in partlc:ular. Incur~tOn III hore ha\ e 

been equated to the movemen', of sqUId, a princlpdl pre) of 

these porpoises. 

Dall's porpoises bow ride, moving quickl) and jcrkil), dartHlg 

in and out of the bow wave The) are e"tremcl) fa,t \\Immer, 

however, and often 5ho\\ impatience \\Ith \e sci trJ\ehng at 

less than 9 knots. In some areas of Ala,ka, \\herc Dal,' PlHpoises frequently pass portions 0 f their day\ crul Illg ~Ilm I} :1110 

creating little surface disturbance, one mu,t e amine antrn I 

carefully before finally settling on an identlfll.alton. 

Even \\ hen these usuall) highl) ammated porpOI e do n I 

come to the bow, the) are a thrill to 'lee and ea ) to tdentlf , 

During high speed runs, while feeding or auemplll1g to o\erta e 

or avoid a boat, the entire bod) ma) be ob curl.'d b the 

"rooster tail" of spray caused b) th,,' anImal's lun 'e to the urface for air. ll1ce the spra) IS often aU that Lan be een, the e 

creatures are dl fficult to photograph . Dall' porpOi almo I 

never leap clear out of the \\ ater. 

Dall's porpoises feed on quid, crU~laLt'an , .wd m IIld 

of fish, including myctophid .... aur}. hake, hernng, '01 k 

mackerel a \\ ell a, other me llpelagll, bath) p lagl • and d cp 

\\ ater benthit: specie. Ktlkr \\ hale an har 

pre) on Dall's porpoi e. \lIcmpt to malOt 

strung porpoIse. in capti\ Jl) hJ\e not been parllcul rl) .. e 

ful. 

O' tribulion 

The Oall' porpol cion of the mo I 

cean ... tn the northern onh Pa If I It n ml 

arpear to t' tend north at Ie I t the Pnb I I 
Figure 256.-Until tbey arrive at tbe bow of a moving vessel, DaD's porpoises are rarely seen clearly. Wbat is more usuaUy seen is sbown in tbese tbree views from 

Anacapa Island (top left), San Clemente Island (bottom left), and San Francisco (right), Calif. These, igorous s"immers frequentl} create a "rooster tail" of 

the} surface. In rough seas, their splashes blend "ith white caps, making them difficult to detect. (Photos b} K. D. Sexton ftop leftJ; S. Leathemood [bottom left] ; 

Webber frightJ.) 

Figure 257.-Because of their distinctive markings (zones of pure wbite on the 

fin, sides, and flukes, starkly contrasting with the otberwise jet·black body), 

porpoises can be positively identified even from relatively high altitudes (a). When 

possible to redu ce altitude to obtain a closer look. the distinctive bod} shape and 

small beakless head help confirm the identification (b, c). (Photos from sou 

California waters by C. E. Lingle fa, c\ ; S. Leatherwood fbI.) 

202 
even to Bering Strait in summer. It i, abundant in outer Bristol 

Bay and throughout the southern Bering Sea and the Gulf of 

Alaska. The continental shelf'waters of the northern Gulf of 

Alaska between Kodiak Island and Icy Straits are particularly 

well populated, During any season it can be seen in the deep 

fjords along the coast of southern and so utheastern Alaska, 

notably in Prince William Sound and Glacier Bay, as well as in 

waters far offshore, It frequently is encountered year-round in 

deep inside waters of British Columbia and Washington, and 

along the coast as far so uth as the Cali fornia Channel Islands, 

where it generally remains well offshore and outside the 

l00-fathom curve, 

In winter and spring from about late October to late May, 

Dall's porpoises penetrate so uth and move inshore along the 

coasts of California and Baja California (to Cedros and Guadalupe Islands), The extent of and numbers in volved in this penetration appear tied to water temperatures, being greatest south 

of Point Conception in colder water years, 

A major conservation problem may exist in the western and 

far northern North Pacific, where Japanese fishermen kill several thousands of Dall's porpoises each year, intentionally with 

Figure 258.-A DaD's porpoise in a tank at Marineland of the Pacific, showing the smaD head, tbe sharply defined white-onblack color pattern, the small flippers, and the odd shape of the body, In tbe lateral view, note that the tbickening of tbe 

peduncular keel is quite exaggerated, due partly to the emaciated condition of this individual, though dorsoventral keeUng is 

very prominent in some health) Dall's porpoises, (Photos b) S, Leatherwood,) 

c 

203 

harpoons and accidentally with drifting salmon gill nets. Stocks 

in the eastern North Pacific, at least some of which are probably 

distinct from those fished off Japan, are relatively unmolested. 

Can Be Confused With 

In calm open water, or in protected inland \\aters, Dall's porpo~e~ 

often swim in a manner very much like the harbor porpoise. 

Experienced observers have at first mistaken the slo\\ roll of a 

Dall's porpoise for that of a harbor porpoise; thetr dorsal tim 

are shaped very similarly and their size~ are roughl} comparable. 

The two species overlap in di tributlon [0 a significant degree, 

although harbor porpoises are generally regarded as inhabItants 

of more inshore and shallo\\er \\ater. Harbor porpoi\e~ on the 
\ 

Figure 259.-Dall's porpoise (top) differs externaUy from True's porpoise, another form of P. dalli (bottom), primarily in the extent of white coloration. Thougb hig 

variable in bolb forms, in Dall's porpoise the white patch begins about mid belly and ends about even with the keel; in True's porpoise it begins farther forward, swe 

upward above tbe rupper toward the eye, then encompasses most of the lower lateral surface to the vicinity of the keel. Both forms have a bicolored dorsal fin and wll 

edged flukes. True's porpoises occur in abundance nl~' off the east coast of Japan and in the southern Sea of Okhotsk. and apparently rarel~ overlap with Dall's porp 

in the eastern Pacific, Both forms are taken for food off northern Honshu, Japan, (Photos from the Aleutian Islands by R. Beach [top); from northern Japan, by W 

Houck [bottom).) 

whole are less gregarious and less boisterous in the way they 

swim. However, since harbor porpoises sometimes do make a 

spray as they surface and since Dall's porpoises sometimes do 

not, it is well to note the striking differences in coloration 

between the two species. Harbor porpoises have subdued, even 

drab markings, comprised mainly of shades of brown and gray. 

The prominent white trim of the Dall's porpoise's tail and dorsal 

fin, as well as the large white patches on the sides, contrast 

abruptly with the otherwise black body. 

Dall's porpoises can also be confused with Pacific whitesided dolphins, which sometimes make a similar splash as they 

break the surface to breathe. Differences are tabularized on p. 

172. 

204 

From the air, Dall's porpoises can be most readily identif

by the stark white zone on the ventrum, sides, and belly, and 

the white or light gray triangular zones on the posterior 

lateral portions of the flukes-both white zones contrast star! 

with the otherwise black body . 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Dead Dall's porpoises are easy to identify from their pecul 

body shape and color pattern. In addition they have 19-28 te 

per side in each jaw. The teeth are small and spade-shaped Ii 

those of the harbor porpoise, rather than pointed or conical 

in most other small cetaceans. 
HARBOR PORPOISE (T) 

Phocoena phocoena (Linnaeus, 1758) 

Other Common Names 

Common porpoise, herring hog, puffing pig; nezumi iruka 

(Japanese); morskaya svin'ya (Russian). 

Description 

The harbor porpoises (this species and the cochito [po 208]) are 

the smallest cetaceans in the eastern North Pacific. Maximum 

length is about 1.8 m and maximum weight about 90 kg, though 

most adults do not approach these dimensions. Adult females 

are sli ghtly larger than adult males. Newborn harbor porpoises 

are 70-90 cm long and, except for slightly duller expression of 

coloration elements, resemble adults. 

These small, chunky animals have no prominent forehead 

and only a very short and indistinct beak. The mouthline is 

abbreviated and straight, angled upward toward the eye. 

The dorsal fin is usually low and triangular with a blunt tip. 

Occasionally the rear margin is slightly concave. The small flippers taper to blunt points. The flukes have a slightly concave 

trailing edge and a shallow median notch. 

The harbor porpoise is basically dark brown or gray above 

and light gray to white below. The upper jaw and lower lip are 

dark, but the ventral white extends onto the chin. It also 

intrudes onto the sides in front of the dorsal fin, forming a 

lighter gray zone which is often conspicuous when the animal 

surfaces. There is often speckling in the transition zone between 

ventral light and dorsal dark. A dark stripe of variable width 

connects the corner of the mouth with the flipper. 

Natural History Notes 

Harbor porpoises are usually seen in pairs or in small groups 

of up to 10 animals. 

Figure 260.-Harbor porpoises frequent inshore areas, shaUow bays, estuaries, and harbors (a) from about Morro Bay, Calif., (there are a handful of records from south 

of Point Conception) along the entire Alaska coast to the Canadian border, though they are only chance visitors In the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas and are uncommon 

north of Bristol Bay. Photos of harbor porposes just offshore from Rio del Mar, Seaside, Calif. (b), off southeast New Brunswick (c), and near the British Isles (d). Note 

the small size (usually less than 1.S m), the small triangular dorsal fin, the dark brown to gray color of the back, and the lighter color of the sides and belly, extending onto 

the sides anterior to the dorsal fin. (Photos by J. D. HaU [a, bl; D. Yurick [e); J. Matthews, courtesy of H. Pepper [dl.) 

205 

b 

d 
figure 261.- A trained capthe harbor porpoise in the Copenhagen Zoo. 

Althoul/b breaching is commonly seen in many otber small cetaceans, wild barbor porpoise apparently rarel) indulge in aerobatics of tbis sort. While feeding, 

the~ ometimes clear the "ater in a rapid, arcuate leap . (Photo courtesy of 

Copenhagen Zoo.) 

lost c.ll\cs are born during ummer ( 1a~ July) after a gestatl n penod of perhaps II months. They probably remain 

dependent for at least 6 months. The caJving inten al i probably 

2 }ears, although occasionally females may give birth in successi\ C) ear,. Harbor porpoises are found almost exclusively shore-

\\ard of the 13m (lOO-fathom) cune, \\ith the va t majority 

III H.le the I m (lO-fathom) curve. The seasonaJ movements of 

h.trbor porpOises III the eastern ort h Pacific are poorly undertood, but the) arc present) ear-round in some areas. If there 

are major ea onalhifts in distribution, they are as likely to be 

\11 hmc-othhore as north-south. The animal is most often seen, 

a Ib common name implIe , III inshore \\ater , including bays, 

harbor. dnd f1\ er mouths. 

The harbl)r porpoise is usuall) $h~ and difficult to approach. 

m..:e It ho\\ LIttle 01 itself \\ hile surfacing, it i difficult to 

pholognph It almo\t ne\ er ride bo\\ wa\es and does not norma,lv it'ap ~lear 01 the "ater or lift its flukes above the urface 

\\ hen di\ ing. H arbor porpoises ha\-e been caught in nets set 

bottom fi h at '3 m (40 fathoms) or deeper. 

There is lIttle u e looking for harbor porpoises on rough d 

but \\ hen the \\ ater is calm their presence can often be det 

by the harp puffing sound of their e,halation. The ap 

of the;r surface rolls at a distance has been described as "

passage of the triangular dorsal fins up, O\er and do\\ n (a

mounted on re\oh ing \\ heels thrust briefly abo\e the sur

and \\ ithdra\\ n)" (Scheffer and Slipp 1948). While feeding 

often take 3-4 breaths at 2- or 3-minute intenals; iA 

they breathe at shorter inten also l\laximum s\\ imming spee

said to be about 12 knots. The only times harbor porpoises 

mu ch commotion in the \\ ater is \\ hen the~ attain these speed

bursts, during feeding or flight. 

Harbor porpoises prey on a \\ ide variety of cephalopods 

fishes, but seem particularly fond of schooling, nonspiny 

like shad, herring, mackerel, sardines, pollock, and wh 

They are themselves preyed on by large sharks and killer wh 

Distribution 

The harbor porpoise is a cold-temperate, subarctic 

found only as a stray south of Point Conception, Calif. (s 

ings have occurred in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles). 

1\lorro Bay, Calif., northward it is one of the most 

inshore cetaceans. It can be seen in outer San Francisco 

Puget Sound, Juan de Fuca Strait, and along much of the' 

coast within 38.5 km (20 nmi) of shore. There is evidence 

some harbor porpoises are year-round residents in certain 

Harbor porpoises are fairly common aJong much of 

shoreline bordering the Gulf of Ala ka and a long at least 

eastern Aleutian chain. Prince William Sound may be m 

densely populated in winter than any other part of the 

Pacific. There are harbor porpoises in the eastern Bering 

and they are occasionally found near the Pribilof Islands. 

Infrequent occurrences along the northern coast 0 f A 

and into northwestern Canadian waters are di fficult to ex 

Most records from northern Alaska are for August and 

ber, so perhaps these are summer migrants from south of 

Strait. In any case, the harbor porpoise is but a chance visito 

the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas, and it is apparently uncom 

north of Bristol Bay. 
As inshore animals, harbor porpoises are particularly vulnerable to the impact of human activities. Native peoples of the 

Pacific Northwest traditionally hunted them for food and oil. 

They now have come to be regarded as nuisances by some fishermen because they get tangled in nets or lodged in fish traps. 

The impact on harbor porpoises of incidental mortality in fishing gear has not been evaluated but could be serious in certain 

areas, as could the effects of coastal development. 

Can Be Confused With 

The small cetacean most likely to be confused with the harbor 

porpoise is Dall's porpoise (p. 2(0). The latter has very conspicuous black-and-white coloration, with a white patch on the 

upper half of the dorsal fm and a white flank patch as well as 

white trim on the flukes. Such sharply defmed pigmentation 

207 

Figure 263.-Harbor porpoises kUled in 

tbe Japanese North Pacific gill net fisbery 

for salmon (top) and Uve-stranded on the 

central California coast (bottom). In both 

specimens note the robust body, the 

triangular dorsal fin, the irregular border 

be ween the Ught ventral and the darker 

lateral and dorsal coloration, separated 

more by a zone of intergraded necking 

than by a distinct line. In both photos 

note the dark lower Ups, the dark mouth 

to flipper stripe, the aU-dark flipper, and 

the absence of a beak. (Photos by B. 

Long, courtesy of NMFS [top); M. Webber [bottom).) 

should distinguish it from the more nondescript harbor porpoise. Dall's porpoises usually make a "rooster tail" of spray as 

they surface, and this should also help distinguish them from the 

usually less flamboyant harbor porpoises. 

Viewed from the air, harbor porpoises appear rotund and 

uniformly brownish to rust in color on the back. When they are 

running near the surface, they often roll onto their sides enough 

to provide glimpses of their white undersides. 

Identification of Dead Specimens 

Harbor porpoises can be readily identified by their small, 

spade-shaped (rather than conical) teeth, of which there are 

23-28 in each upper jaw and 22-26 in each lower jaw. Head 

shape and the size and shape of the dorsal fm also aid in identification. 
COCHITO 

Phocoena sinus Norris and Mcfarland , 1958 

Other Common Names 

Gulf of California harbor porpoise; vaquita (Latin America); 

kogashira nezumi iruka (Japanese); kaliforniyskaya morskaya 

svin'ya (Russian). 

Description 

Externally the cochito is virtually indistInguishable. so far as 

is known, from the harbor porpoise (p. 205). 

Natural History Notes 

Very little is known about the natural history of this species. 

Remains of grunt, Gulf croakers, and squid were found in the 

stomach of one specimen. 

Distribution 

This speCI6 \\'a described on 1) 24 years .Ig . al'd \en Ie\\ 

specimens have been e\amincd since then. I rom \\ hat little' 

known about 11\ dl\tnbutil)n, It arrear, to b(' l0nlmed to thl 

upper quarter of the Gulf 01 Calilorl1l3. ",",cre tile '1,alont, 01 

records are from the ,hallo\\er \\ ater, rrOdULCli b\ Iltation lrom 

the Colorado River runoff and the narrow coastal margins of 

the mainland and islands. There is some historical eVidence to 

suggest it may have occurred along the Mexican mainland south 

to the Tres ~larias Islands and Bandera Ba~ at One tl'1'C. I he 

current restricted range effecti\cl) isolate, thl' reC1t.: Irolll ilS 

nearest relative, the harbor porpoise, whose nearest occurrence 

208 

is over 900 km north and eparated from the Gulf by the 8 a

California Peninsula. 

Incidental mortality resulting from entanglement in hrim 

trawls and fishing nets appear to have had a serious impact 

the e porpoi e . It is al 0 po sible that reduced productivity 

the Gulf of California due to damming of the Colorado Riv

and heavy pe tic ide contamination have cau ed a decline in t

porpoi e population. 

Can Be C{) nfu..ed With 

Only two dolphins. the botllenose dolphIn p. 173) and 

common dolphin (p. 160) are known to occur regularly in 

portions of the Gulf of California frequented by the cochi

The common dolphtn is n vlVidly markl"d dolphin which usua

travel in large herd, primarily over deep water. and leap f

quently. Herds often leave a long V-shaped scar on the wa

urface. Bottlenose dolphins, DC umng in maller groups 

often close to the mainland and island. are somewhat le~ f

licsome than common dolphin but are still far more demonst

tive than cochitos. The co hito's mall ize, dull olor, compa

tively low triangular dorsal fin, and lac' of a beak hould rna 

It ed ) to dJ tmgUl h 1 hert' arc n (Jail' p rpor (p. 2 ) 

harb r porpoJ C fr. 20~) m the (,ulf 01 ( hfornJ" 

Identificati o n of Dead pecirnen!l 

LIke the harbor porpoi e. the cochito has spade-shap

rather than conical. teeth. Spe imens e'(amined 0 far have h 

20-21 pairs in the upper jaw and 18 pairs in the lower. 
SMALL WHALES, DOLPHINS, AND PORPOISES WITHOUT A DORSAL FIN 

(less than 4 m maximum length) 

There is only one small cetacean in the area covered by this 

guide which has no dorsal fin, the northern right whale dolphin, 

Lissodelphis borealis. 

NORTHERN RIGHT WHALE DOLPHIN (T) 

Lissode/phis borealis (Peale, 1848) 

Figure 264.-Northern right whale dolphins are often wary of boats and attempt to 

avoid them by sneaking away slowly with little surface disturbance or by running as 

in these photos off Santa Rosa Island (top) and off Point Conception (middle), 

Calif. When large herds run in series of low-angle leaps, they may work the sea into 

a froth (middle). Running right whale dolphins are known to reach burst speeds of 

at least 35 km per hour and sustained speeds (for nearly a half hour) of 26 km per 

hour. Care must be taken not to dismiss sightings of smooth-backed animals as sea 

lions (bottom) or fur seals, which may also "porpoise." (Photos by K. C. Balcomb 

[top); R. L. Pitman [middlel; R. R. Reeves [bottom) .) 

209 

J 
~ 

c 

:c 

c.. 

'0 

Q 

Figure 265.-NormaUy wary of boats, northern 

right whale dolphins tend to come more readily 

to the bows of vessels wben they are in the company of Pacific white-sided dolphins (top), with 

which tbey often travel. The two share the same 

approximate distribution from about lat. 50 oN 

soutbward, though tbe wbite-sided dolphin 

routinel) 'entures nearl) 1.000 km further 

south. Once on the bo\\. the 1\'0 dolphin' arc 

almost impossible to confuse. (photos from 

off San Francisco, Calif., by S. Stansbury [top]; 

off northern California by R. K. Fountain [bottoml, courtesy of NMFS.) 

Other Common Names 

Delfin de liso (Latin America); kiti demi iruka (Japanese); 

severnyy kitovidnyy del'fin (Russian). 

Description 

Maximum known length in the eastern North Pacific is about 

3 m. Females are not known to grow longer than 2.3 m, and 

they may in general be somewhat smaller than males. Both sexes 

appear to mature sexually at lengths of just over 2.0 m. Length 

at birth has been estimated to be about 80-100 cm. 

This dolphin's body is long and slender, tapering to an 

extremely narrow tail stock with no keel. The animal's appearance is eellike. There is virtually no forehead or chin; the short 

210 

beak is very indistinctly set off by a faint crease 

mouth . The mouthline is long and straight. 

The complete absence of either a dorsal fill or a dorsal 

the right whale dolphin's most distinguishing feature. 

row flukes have a deeply concave trailing edge and a 

median notch. 

The body is mainly black, though the back can have a 

ish sheen under some light conditions. The ventral surface 

variable white pattern with a sharp border between 

white. A narrow band of white begins far back on the tail 

and continues forward along the ventral midline, 

abruptly just behind the flippers and forming a prC)mlnerlt

racic patch. A small white mark is usually present at the 

the lower jaw. The flukes are light gray dorsally and partly 

ventrally. Calves are much lighter-from cream to light 
IIIn ,0nH' 111m, 111 111(' I"" \far. (PIHt(O h't ( 

The right \\hale dolphin is a gregarious animal. It i~ fretly een in herds of more than I indi\!Jual. The Ire-

\\Ith \\hich II is found in the ompan ' 01 the Pa !tic 

dolphin (p. 168) sugge.ts that the t\\O specie mi 

and hare much of the ,arne habital. 

>;.cept for minimum sizes at e ual matunt). nothin 

n about the repraducti\ e biola ) 01 the nonhern 

d lphin e\\ born are ee'! most frequentl 

O' lribution 

.1 
.. 

-

n 

." 

... 

~ 

::) 

~ 

:; 

~ 

2 

~ 

." 

" ." 

:; 

C. 

... 

~ 

l., 

c 

= os 

5 '" 

= c. 

:; 

::l 

,;; 

; " 

= 

~ 

; 

E 

n 

a 

b 

c 

d 

Figure 267.-A male northern rlgbt whale dolphin captured off Santa Rosa Island , Calif., In December 1968 (a, b) and an anomalously colored northern rigbt wi 

dolphin stranded at Santa Monica, Calif. (c, d). Such color pattern variants are not uncommon among herds of otherwise normally colored northern right wi 

dolphins. Ecto parasltes are Pen ella sp. Tbe tuxedoed appearance created by the white ventrum is typical for tbe species, though the band of white tends to be broade 

the urogenital area of females than of males. Northern rlgbt whale dolphins have 37-49 extremely fine, sbarp, pegllke teeth In each jaw. (photos by F. G. Wo 

courtesy of NOSC [a, b); W. A. Walker [c, d).) 

212 
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 

[t is clear with this revision as it was with the original Pacific 

ide that such documents could not have been produced witht the generosity and cooperation of many people. Following 

: publication of the first Pacific guide in 1972 and the Atlantic 

Ide in 1976, colleagues have been extremely helpful in making 

:gestions for improvement. Such a cooperative spirit has 

~cial significance in a field which is advancing as rapidly as the 

mch of natural history we sometimes call cetology. Our 

derstanding of the lives of many of the cetaceans is growing at 

ate with which journals are sometimes unable to keep pace. 

r that reason, at any given time, much of the best available 

'ormation has not reached press, and any review like this one 

It restricts itself to published data will present but a fraction 

what is really known. We, therefore, heartily thank our many 

Jeagues who have contributed unpublished data to this book. 

particular we are grateful to James G. Mead, U.S. National 

Jseum, Washington, D.C.; R. L. Brownell, Jr., National Fish 

tl Wildlife Laboratory, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, 

C.; Larry Hobbs, Marine Mammal Tagging Office, North5t and Alaska Fisheries Center National Marine Mammal 

boratory, Seattle; Kenneth C. Balcomb, Orca Survey, San 

an Islands, Wash.; John D. Hall, Alaska Offshore, Inc.; 

arren J. Houck, Humboldt State College, Arcata, Calif.; 

illiam A. Walker, Los Angeles County Museum of Natural 

story; Raymond M. Gilmore, San Diego Natural History 

useum; Edward W. Shallenberger, Sea Life Park, Hawaii; 

inn Storro-Patterson, the Whale Center, Oakland, Calif.; 

tbert L. Pitman, NMFS; Larry Foster, General Whale, 

Ikland, Calif. ; Giuseppe di Sciara, Hubbs/ Sea World 

search Institute, San Diego; and the late Carl L. Hubbs. 

\AJthough photo credits follow each figure, ve particularly 

e the generosity of the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center 

ltional Marine Mammal Laboratory (NW AFC), NMFS, 

)AA, Seattle; Toshio Kasuya, Ocean Research Institute, 

Ikyo; Seiji Ohsumi, Far Seas Fisheries Research Laboratory, 

imizu; Hideo Omura, The Whales Research Institute, Tokyo; 

G. Mead, U.S. National Museum; Francis H. Fay, University 

Alaska, Fairbanks; Lloyd Lowry, Alaska Department of Fish 

d Game, Fairbanks; K. C. Balcomb, Orca Survey; Naval 

:ean Systems Center (NOSC); Southwest Fisheries Center 

WFC) La Jolla Laboratory, NMFS, NOAA; Enforcement 

r'ision, NMFS, NOAA, B Street Pier, San Diego; and 

ubbs/Sea World Research Institute. 

By the quality of their photography, such colleagues as Ken 

Ucomb and Bob Pitman are making it almost unnecessary for 

e rest of us to take our cameras into the field for marine mama! photos; we greatly respect their skills. 

ffhe illustrations were prepared by Larry Foster, courtesy of 

213 

General Whale (Figs. 7, 10, II, 12, 69, 91, 103); Ken Raymond, 

SWFC, La Jolla (Figs. 8, 9, 185, 195, 200, 208); and Debbie 

Dukelow Young, Sea World, Inc. (Figs. 1, 2). 

Spanish names used in this guide were provided by the InterAmerican Tropical Tuna Commission and reviewed by R. 

Clarke and A. Aguayo. Common names in Russian were 

generously added to the text by Alexey Yablokov, A. S. 

Sokolov, and Vladimir S. Gurevich; transliterations were provided by the U.S. Joint Publications Research Service. Common 

names in Japanese with transliterations were provided by Larry 

Tsunoda, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center, NMFS, 

NOAA, Seattle. Phonetic spellings of common names of cetaceans occurring in the northern Bering Sea and known by 

Eskimos speaking Siberian Yupik dialect were obtained by S. 

Leatherwood from Conrad Ozeeva, Gambell Village, St. 

Lawrence Island, Alaska. 

The extensive and often tedious job of preparing black and 

white photographs of suitable format from the vast array of 

black and white and color negatives and prints and from color 

transparencies was accomplished by the Sea World Photo 

Laboratory (Cay McDonald, Bob French, and Jerry Roberts), 

by Wallace A. Sneathen (Photic of San Diego), and by Mark 

Towner (NW AFC, Seattle). 

Elizabeth Mooney and Derrith Bartley assisted us in many 

phases of manuscript preparation; their boundless energy and 

helpful spirits made completion possible when it would have 

been easier to quit altogether. 

Various drafts of the manuscript were typed by Leola Hietala 

and Joanne Hultgren, NW AFC, Seattle; Karie Wright, Yvonne 

Moreno, and Diane Baldwin of Hubbs/Sea World Research 

Institute; and Lorraine Prescott, SWFC, La Jolla. Suzanne 

Bond and Elizabeth Mooney performed careful proofreadings 

of the several typed drafts. 

A partial list of materials consulted, each a good source of 

reference mat rial on cetaceans in general or on cetaceans of the 

eastern North Pacific in particular, is provided in the following 

section, "Selected Bibliography." We have tried to list at least 

one monograph or paper for each species covered in this 

guide. 

The following colleagues read all or part of the manuscript 

and made useful suggestions for its improvement: K. C. 

Balcomb, R. L. Brownell, Jr., L. Consiglieri, D. W. Doidge, C. 

Fiscus, G. Friedrichsen, J. D. Hall, L. Hobbs, J. G. Jennings, 

M. L. Jones, L. Jones, J. G. Mead, R. L. Pitman, D. W. Rice, 

S. Swartz, G. di Sciara, and W. A. Walker. 

Funds for this revision were provided by a grant through Lew 

Consiglieri, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, to Randall 

R. Reeves. 
I> 

, 

i 

I 

i 

SELECTED BmLIOGRAPHY 

ANDERSEN, H. T. (editor). 

1'969. The biology of marine mammals. Acad. Press, New York, 511 p. 

ANONYMOUS. 

1977. Report of the Special Meeting of the Scientific Committee on Sei 

and Bryde's whales, La Jolla, California, December 1974. Rep. Int. 

Whaling Comm., Spec. Issue I, 150 p . 

1978. Alaska whales and whaling. Alaska Geogr. 5(4}: 1-144. 

BEST, P . B. 

1979. Social organization in sperm whales, Physeter macrocephalus. In 

H . E. Winn and B. L. OUa (editors), Behavior of marine animals: current 

perspectives in research, Vol. 3 Cetaceans, p. 227-289 . Plenum Press, 

New York and London. 

BRAHAM, H. W., W. M. MARQUETTE, T. BRAY, and S. LEATHERWOOD (editOni). 

1980. The bowhead whale: Whaling and biological research . Mar. Fish. 

Rev. 42(9-10}:1. 

BRYDEN, M. M., R. J. HARRISON, and R. J. LEAR. 

1977. Some aspects of the biology of Peponocephala electra (Cetacea: 

Delphinidae) I. General and reproductive biology . Aust. 1. Mar. 

Freshwater Res. 28:703-715. 

CALDWELL, D. K., and M . C. CALDWELL. 

1971. The pygmy killer whale, Feresa attenuala, in the western Atlantic, 

with a summary of world records. J. Mammal. 52:206-209. 

1972. The world of the bottlenosed dolphin . J. B. Lippincott, 

Philadelphia and New York, 157 p. 

DAUGHERTY, A. E. 

1972. Order Cetacea. In Marine mammals of California, p. 10-55. 

Calif. Dep . Fish Game, 2d rev., 86 p . 

EVANS, W. E. 

1975. Distribution, differentiation of populations, and other aspects of 

the natural history of Delphinus delphis Linnaeus in the northeastern 

Pacific. Ph.D. Thesis, Univ. California, Los Angeles, 164 p. (Diss. 

Abstr. Int. 36(1O):4893-B.) 

EVANS, W . E. (editor). 

1974. T1ie California gray whale. Mar. Fish. Rev. 36(4):1-64. 

FRASER, F. C., and B. A. NOBLE. 

1970. Variation of pigmentation pattern in Meyen's dolphin. In G. 

Pilleri (editor), Investigations on Cetacea, 2:147-163. 

GASKIN, D. E., P. W. ARNOLD, and B. A. BLAIR. 

1974. Phocoena phocoena. Am. Soc. Mammal., Mammal. Species 42, 

p. 1-8. 

HALEY, D. (editor). 

1978. Marine mammals of eastern North Pacific and Arctic waters. 

Pacific Search Press, Seattle, 256 p . 

HERSHKOVITZ, P. 

1966. Catalog of living whales. Bull. U.S. Natl. Mus. 246, 259 p . 

HUBBS, C. L. 

1951. Eastern Pacific records and general distribution of the pygmy sperm 

whale. J. Mammal. 32:403-410. 

HUBBS, C. L., W. F. PERRIN, and K. C. BALCOMB. 

1973 . Slenella coeruleoalba in the eastern and central tropical Pacific. J. 

Mammal. 54:549-552. 

KLEINENBERG, S. E., A. V. YABLOKOV, B. M. BEL'KOVICH, and M. N . 

TARASEVICH. 

1969. Beluga (Delphinapterus leucas): investigation of the species. Isr. 

Program Sci. Transl., Jerusalem, 376 p . (First published in Russian in 

1964.) 

LEATHERWOOD, S., W . F. PERRIN, V. L. KIRBY, C. L. HUBBS, and 

M. DAHLHEIM. 

1980. Distribution and movement of Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus, in 

the Eastern North Pacific . Fish . Bull., U.S. 77:951-963. 

LEATHERWOOD, S., and R. R. REEVES . 

In press. Bottlenose dolphins, Tursiops cf. T. Iruncalus, and other 

toothed cetaceans. In J. Chapman and G. Feldhamer (editors). Wild 

mammals of North America: Biology, management and economics, 

Chapter 18 . Johns Hopkins Press, Baltimore. 

LEATHERWOOD, S., AND W. A. WALKER. 

1979. The northern right whale dolphin, Lissodelphis borealis Peale in the 

Eastern North Pacific. In H . E. Winn and B. L. Olla (editors), Behavior 

of marine animals, Vol. 3 Cetaceans, p. 85-141. Plenum Press, New York 

and London. 

MEAD, J. G. 

1981. First records of Mesoplodon heClori (Ziphidae) from the Northern 

Hemisphere and a description of the adult male. J. Mammal. 

214 

62(2}:430-432. 

MITCHELL, E. 

1965. Evidence for mass strandings of the false kIller whale (Pseudol 

crassidens) m the eastern North Pacific Ocean Norsk Hvalfangst. T 

54(8}: 172-177. 

MITCHELL, E. D. 

1968. Northeast Pacific strandmg distribution and seasonality of Cuvie 

beaked whale, Z,phIUS caVlrOSfrlS. Can J Zoo) 46:265-279. 

1970. Pigmentation pattern evolution m delphmid cetaceans: an essay 

adaptive coloration. Can. J. Zool 48:717-740 

1975 . Porpoise, dolphin. and small whale fisheries of the world: sta 

and problems. Morges, Switzerland: International Union for Conser 

tion of Nature and Natural Resources IUC Monograph 3, 129 p . 

MITCHELL. E. D (editor). 

1975. RevIew of bIOlogy and fisheries for smaller cetaceans' Repon on I 

Meeting of Smaller Cetaceans. Montreal, April I-II, 1974 J. Fish . R 

Board Can. 32:889-983. 

MOREJOHN, G. V. 

1979. The natural history of Dall's porpoise m the onh PaCIfic OCel 

In H. E. Winn and B L Olla (editors). Fehavior of marine anim, 

Vol. 3 Cetaceans. p. 45-83. Plenum Pre,s, New York and London. 

NORRIS, K. S. (editOr). 

1966 . Whales, dolphinS. and porpoises. Unlv. California Pre 

Berkeley. 789 p. 

NORRIS, K. S. 

1974. The porpoise watcher: a naturalist's experiences "ith porpoises a 

whales. W . W Nonon and Co .• Ne" York. 250 p 

NORRIS. K S. and W. McFARLAND. 

1958. A ne" harbor porpoise of the genus Phocoena from the Gwf 

Califorma. J. Mammal. 39:22-39. 

NORRIS. K. S .. and J. H. PRESCOTT. 

1961. Observations on Pacific cetaceans in California and Mexic 

waters. Unlv. Cali f. Publ. Zoo I. 63 :291-402. 

NORRIS. K. 5 .• and R. R. REEVES (editors). 

1977. Repon on a workshop on problems related to humpback v.ha 

(Megaplera novaeangliae) m Hawaii. Final report. U.S. Marine Ma 

mal Commission. National Technical Information Service. PB 280 7' 

Arlington. Va .. 90 p. 

ORR, R. T . 

197~ f>lanne mammal> of Cailfornla l"ni\. Caltrorma Pre s. Berkel, 

Lo, .\ngeles. London. 64 p. 

PERRIN. W. F. 

1972. Color patterns of spinner porpoises (Slenella cf. S. longiroslrts) 

the Eastern Pacific and Hawaii, with comments on delphinid pigrnen 

tion. Fish . Bull .• U.S. 70:983-1003. 

1975 . Variation of spotter and spinner porpoise (genus Stenella) in t 

eastern Pacific and Hawaii. Bull. Scripps Inst. 21. 206 p. 

1976. First record of the melon-headed whale. Peponocephala electra, 

the eastern Pacific. with a summary of world distribution. Fish. Bw 

U.S. 74:457-458. 

PERRIN, W. F .• P . B. BEST. W. H. DAWBIN, K. C. BALCOMB. 

R. GAMBELL, and G. J. B. ROSS. 

1973. Rediscovery of Fraser's dolphin. Lagenodelphis hosei. Natu 

241 :345-350. 

PERRJN, W. F., and C. L. HUBBS. 

1969. Observations on a young pygmy killer whale (Feresa allenu£ 

Gray) from the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Trans. San Diego Sc 

Nat. Hist. 15:297-308. 

PERRIN. W . F .• and W. A. WALKER. 

1975 . The rough-toothed porpoise. SIena bredanensis. in the easte 

tropical Pacific . J. Mammal. 56:905-907 . 

PIKE, G. C .• and I. B. MacASKIE. 

1969. Marine mammals of British Columbia. Fish. Res: Board Ca 

Bull. 171,54 p . 

PRYOR, K. 

1975. Lads before the wind; ad,entures in porpoise training. Hart 

and Row. New York. 278 p. 

REEVES, R. R .• and R. L. BROWNELL, JR. 

In press. Right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, and other baleen whales. 

J. Chapman and G. Feldhamer (editors), Wild mammals of NO! 

America: Biology. management and economics. Chapter 19. Joh 

Hopkins Press. Baltimore. 
EEVES, R., and S. TRACEY. 

1980. Monodon monoceros. Am . Soc. Mammal., Mammal. Species 

127 ,7 p. 

EILLY, S. B. 

1977. The distribution of pilot whales, Globicephala macrorhynchus 

Gray, 1846, in the eastern tropical Pacific . M.S. Thesis, California 

Polytechnic State Univ., San Luis Obispo , 79 p. 

ICE, D. W. 

1%7. Cetaceans. In S. Anderson and J. K. Jones (editors). Recent 

mammals of the world; a synopsis of families, p. 291 - 324. The Ronald 

Press, New York. 

1977. A list of the marine mammals of the world. NOAA Tech. Rep . 

NMFS SSRF-71I, 15 p. 

CE, D. W., and A. A. WOLMAN. 

1971. The life history and ecology of the gray whale (Eschrichlius 

robuslus). Am. Soc. Mammal., Spec. Pub I. 3, 142 p. 

IDGWAY, S. H. (editor). 

1972. Mammals of the sea; biology and medicine. Charles C Thomas, 

Springfield , Ill ., 812 p. 

OEST, A. I. 

1970. Kogia simus and other cetaceans from San Luis Obispo County, 

California. J. Mammal. 51:410-417. 

OSS, G. J. B. 

1979. Records of pygmy and dwarf spenn whales, genus Kogia, from 

southern Africa, with biological notes and some comparisons. Ann. 

Cape Provo Mus. (Nat. Hist.) II :259-327. 

CAMMON, C. M. 

1874. The marine mammals of the north-western coast of North America: 

together with an account of the American whale fishery . John Carmany 

215 

and Co., San Francisco, 319 p. (Reprinted 1968 in paperback, New 

York: Dover.) 

SCHEFFER, V. B. 

1973. Marine mammals of the Gulf of Alaska. In D. H. Rosenburg 

(editor), A review of the oceanography and renewable resources of the 

northern Gulf of AJaska. Inst. Mar. Sci., Univ . AJaska, p. 175-

207. 

SCHEFFER, V. B., and J. W. SLIPP. 

1948. The whales and dolphins of Washington State with a key to the 

cetaceans of the west coast of North America. Am. Midland Nat. 

39:257-337. 

SCHEVILL, W. E. (editor). 

1974. The whale problem. A status report. Harvard Univ. Press, Cambridge, Mass., 419 p. 

SHALLENBERGER,E. W. 

1980. The status of Hawaiian cetaceans. Draft report for the U.S. 

Marine Mammal Commission, Contract MM7AC028, Washington, 

D.C., 79 p. 

TOMILIN, A. G. 

1967. Mammals of the U.S.S.R. and adjacent countries. Vol. IX: 

Cetacea. Isr. Program Sci. Transl. , Jerusalem, 717 p. (Originally 

published in Russian in 1957.) 

TOWNSEND, C. H. 

1935. The distribution of certain whales as shown by logbook records of 

American whaleships. Zoologica (N.Y.) 19:1-50. 

YABLOKOV, A. V., V. M. BEL'KOVICH, and V. I. BORISOV. 

1974. Whales and dolphins. 2 parts. Joint Publications Research Service, IPRS-62150-1 and 2, National Technical Information Service, 

Arlington, Va., 528 p. (Originally published in Russian in 1971.) 
Table I.-Ranges In number of teetb In eacb side of upper and lower jaws of eastern North Pacific odontocetes. 

Page of 

species 

Common name Scientific name account 

Sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus 51 

Baird's beaked whale Berardius bairdii 88 

(Southern ?) bottlenose whale Hyperoodon sp. 92 

Cuvier's beaked whale Ziphius cavirostris 94 

Stejneger's beaked whale Mesoplodon stejnegeri 102 

Hubbs' beaked whale Mesoplodon carlhubbsi 99 

Blainville's beaked whale Mesoplodon densirostris 103 

Ginkgo-toothed beaked whale Mesoplodon ginkgo dens 107 

Hector's beaked whale Mesoplodon hectori 11 0 

Killer whale Orcin us orca 11 3 

False killer whale Pseudorca crassidens 11 8 

Short-finned pilot whale Globicephala macrorhynchus 123 

Risso's dolphin Grampus griseus 129 

White whale Delphinapterus leucas 134 

Narwhal Monodon monoceros 13 7 

Spotted dolphin Stenella attenuata 141 

Spinner dolphin Stenella longirostris 148 

Striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba 155 

Common dolphin Delphinus delphis 160 

Fraser's dolphin Lagenodelphis hosei 166 

Pacific white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus obliquidens 168 

Bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus 173 

Rough-toothed dolphin Steno bredanensis 178 

Pygmy killer whale Feresa attenuata 184 

Melon-headed whale Peponocephala electra 188 

Pygmy sperm whale Kogia breviceps 193 

Dwarf sperm whale Kogia simus 198 

DaU's porpoise (including True's 

porpoise) Phocoenoides dalli 200 

Harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena 205 

Cochito Phocoena sinus 208 

Northern right whale dolphin Lissodelphis borealis 209 

See lexl foo tnole 5. 

'Usuall y erupted from gums o nly in adult males. 

'~ ay have addItional \estigial leeth In either ja\\ . 

216 

Ranges in 

tooth count per row' 

Upper Lower 

18-25 10-16 

0 lor 2 

0 'I 

0 'I 

0 'I 

0 'I 

0 'I 

0 'I 

0 'I 

10-12 10-12 

8-11 8-11 

7-9 7-9 

0 0-7 

10-11 10-11 

0 

34-48 34-48 

46-59 46-59 

43-50 43-50 

40-50 40-50 

34-44 34-44 

23-32 24-31 

20-26 18-24 

20-27 20-27 

10-13 10-13 

22-25 21-24 

0 12-16 

0-3 7-12 

19-28 20-28 

23-28 22-26 

20-21 18 

37-49 37-49 

Remarks 

Upper leelh rarely emerge. Lower teelh fil InlO 

sockels in upper jaw. 

At lip of lov.er jav.; somelimes 2d pair behind 

lhe firsl in older animals. 

Al lip of lower ja\\. 

Al tip of lower ja\\. ' 

Teelh emerge from prominent arches behind LI

of snoul on either SIde of lower jav.. 

On raised area mid length along lower jaw. 

On prominences near corner of mouth. 

Forward tilting. 

AboUl _ way from lip of snOul 10 gape. ' 

ear lip of lower ja\\. 

Prominent; curved and oriented backward 

and inward; pointed. 

Prominent; pointed and curved. 

Near front of jaw; may have fallen out in olde

specimens; sometimes teeth in upper jaw. 

As few as 8 in older adults due to attrition. 

One (rarely both) pierce gum to become straigh

spiraled external tusk, to 3 m long.' 

Tooth crown is sometimes marked by many fin 

vertical wrinkles. 

Lower teeth smaller. Many specimens have fewe

teeth on right side than on left. 

Rarely 10-11; curved in ward and backward, fit 

into sockets of upper jaw. 

Rarely 13 on lower jaw; curved backward and 

inward, fit into sockets in upper jaw. 

Spade-shaped and relatively small. 

Spade-shaped. 

Peglike teeth, extremely fine and sharp. 
Table 2.-Body size; numbers, maximum dimensions and descriptions of baleen plates; and numbers and relative lengtb of >tntrai groo," of e tern ,,"ortb Paclf 

mystketes (see test footnote 5). 

Maximum Mean 

No of dimension number :-lumber Len th 

Page of Maximum baleen of plates (cm) of of of 

Common Scientific species body size plates Width bri ties 'enlral ,entral 

narne narne account (m) per side Length base Color of baleen (per <.m) 

Blue Balaenoprera 13 26 270-395 S4 30 All black with black 10-30 55- to 

whale musculus bristles. 

Fin Balaenoptera 23 24 262-473 70 30 BlUish gray with 10-35 56-1 t lea \ to 

whale physalus yellowish white umblh.u 

stripes. Front I 5· 

-1/3 on right side 

all white. 

Sei Balaenoptera 29 15.6 219-402 75-80 39 Ash black with blue 35-60 32-60 End, about I 

whale borealis tinge and fine light "'a, bet"'eefl 

bristles; some near flipper and 

front may be light. umblhcu 

Bryde's Balaenoptera 34 14 255-365 42 24 Slate gray with lighter 15-35 40-50 At leas\ to 

whale edeni gray bristles. umbihcu 

Humpback Megaptera 39 16 270-400 80 13 Black to olive brown. 10-35 14-22 At lea ,( to 

whale novaeangliae sometimes whitish. umbiliCUS 

Bristles generally 

olive brown, sometimes whitish. 

Bowhead Balaena 60 18 230-360 430 36.5 Dark gray to black; :-lone '"' whale mystieetlls fringes sligh tly 

lighter. 

Right Eubalaena 67 17 206-268 280 30.5 Dirty or yellowish 35-70 one 

whale glacialis gray; black fringes, 

some anterior 

plates partly or all 

white. 

Gray Esehriehtius 72 14 138-180 37 18 Yellowish white to one 

whale robustus white. 

Irro ( 

Minke Balaenoptera 80 10 231-285 21 10 While to yellOWish 15-25 50-70 End hort of 

whale aeutorostrata (in other areas white. Posterior umblhcLi 

reponed as plates may be olten 

up to 325). brown or black. behind 

flipper 

217 
APPENDIX A 

Tags on Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises 

LARRY HOBBS ' 

Whether one's interest is the preservation of individual 

whales and porpoises, the conservation of a species, or the 

rational exploitation of a stock, it is important to have basic 

biological information about the lives of cetaceans. What, for 

example, are the limits of a given population's range, and how 

does its distribution within that range vary seasonally and 

from year to year? What is the population's size? What are its 

natural rates of reproduction and mortality? If there are identifiable subpopulations within the population, what is the 

extent of intermixing among them? 

In seeking answers to these questions, we are hindered from 

the outset by the fact that most of the vital activities of cetaceans (e.g., feeding, reproduction, social interactions, and 

defense against natural enemies) occur primarily below the surface, well out of view to a surface observer. Some dolphins 

leap clear of the water as they travel or frolic, and certain 

'Marine Mammal Tagging Office, Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Center 

National Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries Service, 

NOAA, 7600 Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 32, Seattle, WA 98115 . 

whales are known to breach occasionally. But for the mo

part, individual cetaceans are visible to a surface observer onl 

during brief moments when they break the air-water interfac

to breathe. 

Some of our disadvantages in working with these anima

are overcome when we can recognize individuals or groups i

repeated encounters over time. It is toward this end that mo

marking and tagging techniques have been developed. Taggin

and other marking have been carried out in the eastern NortH 

Pacific, making it desirable for readers of this book to becom

acquainted with various kinds of tags and marks, to be on th

lookout for recognizable individuals, and to report observa

tions of those animals to appropriate offices. 

Natural Markings 

For centuries people have been able to identify individu 

animals by their unique markings. Early whalers, for example

knew of distinctively marked or anomalously colored whales

such as the famous all-white bull sperm whale ("Moch

Appendl>: Figure A·I.-Humpback flukes are often so distinctively shaped, scarred, and pigmented that they can be used 10 identify individuals in repeated encounter 

imllarly, barnacle patterns (in gray whales) and callosity patterns (in right whales), dorsal fin shapes (in bottlenose dolphins and killer whales), saddle patterns (In pile 

wbales and killer whales), and combinations of these have been used as " natural lags" in sludies of cetaceans. (Photo from Hawaii, by D. McSweeney.) 

218 
ppendix Figure A-2.-A herd of short-finned pilot whales off Catalina Island, Calif., including an animal with a truncated dorsal fin which made it recognizable for 

earl) 7 years in repeated encounters around the Channel Islands. Note the light gray saddle behind the dorsal fin in the two animals at the rear. Saddles are absent in 

Ime groups of eastern North Pacific pilot "hales. (Photo by G. E. Lingle.) 

ppendix Figure A-3.-Some gaping wounds, such as the hole in the left side of this gray whale, may never heal. Other lesser injuries, however, may heal, leaving scars 

and / or unpigmented areas by which individual whales can be identified. (Photo from San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, by L. Hobbs.) 

Dick") after which the novel Moby Dick was patterned. 

Similarly, researchers today can often use natural markings 

tnd unusual appearances to identify individuals and monitor 

heir behavior and movement. Investigators have compiled 

~ictorial catalogues of markings of gray whales, shapes and 

eolor patterns of humpback whale flukes, and dorsal fin 

ihapes and body markings of killer whales and bottlenose 

lolphins. Using these catalogues, a great deal has been learned 

lbout social behavior, herd structure, migration routes, and 

.hort-term movements of these species. Records of other cetaeans with anomalous marking, unusual coloration, or disfig-

[red dorsal fins have been used in studies of various aspects of 

;etacean life history and behavior. 

~tatic Tags 

Whalers before the turn of the 20th century occasionally 

found old harpoons embedded in the tissue of freshly killed 

.vhales, evidence of a previous unsuccessful hunt. From 

219 

reports of these harpoons, cetologists conceived of marking 

whales with labeled harpoons as a means of gathering information from killed whales on migrations, sizes of their stocks, 

and effects of exploitation by the whaling industry. Following 

a successful experimental tagging cruise in 1932-33, an extensive tagging program was undertaken by the British Discovery 

Investigations using standardized 23 cm long metal tubes fitted 

with a ballistic head. These marks, which became known as 

Discovery tags, are fired from a 12-gauge shotgun into the 

flesh of the whale. Later, marks were also made for smaller 

whales and were shot from a 41D-gauge shotgun. Each tag is 

labeled with a serial number and an address for return. A 

reward is offered for receipt of the tag along with pertinent 

information concerning the animal and its taking. Although 

the Discovery Committee discontinued its involvement in this 

marking effort in 1939, marking of whales with Discovery-type 

tags has continued by agencies in many whaling countries. 

It was not until the 1960's, when interest in cetacean studies 

greatly increased, that investigators began to experiment with 
- Appendix Figure A-4.-Although color patterns of many species of 

cetaceans change with age , Individuals occasionally assume radically 

anomalous adult coloration . For example, In the waters off San Francisco, Calif., a " normally" colored Pacific white-sided dolphin (upper 

animal) is seen in the close company of an anomalously pigmented 

individual (lower animal). (Pbotos by R. L. Brownell, Jr.) 

methods of tagging and marking which did not depend for their 

success on killing the animal. As a consequence, a variety of 

externally visible tags and marks were developed to give the 

investigator a record of the identity of individual cetaceans. 

Because some porpoises and dolphins often ride the bow pressure wave of boats and ships, they are relatively easily captured 

or tagged from a moving vessel. II) recent years, many types of 

spaghetti streamers and dorsal fm tags or marks have been 

placed on small cetaceans of the eastern North Pacific. 

The spaghetti streamers are generally placed immediately in 

front of the dorsal fm, slightly to either side of the midline of the 

back. These tags can be attached to free-ranging animals with a 

pole applicator or crossbow, not requiring capture. The tag consists of a stainless steel barb which penetrates through the blubber just into the muscle; a stainless steel or monofllament leader 

which is attached to the barb and passes out through the skin; 

and an attached streamer which may be a color-coded extension 

of the leader or a wide, flat strip of tough plastic which ideally 

trails along the animal's body. Spaghetti tags are numbered and 

often labeled with an address for return. Because of their s 

size, the labels cannot be seen clearly on a free-ranging dolJ: 

even at close range, and specific information can onl) 

obtained when a tag is examined closely on a captured animo 

extracted from an animal, usually postmortem. Color coc 

however, can often be recognized from a distance and may 

vide critical information concerning the date and location 0 

placement and subsequent movement of the animal. 

When investigators need more specific and longet term ir 

mation about the dolphins being studied, they may need to 

ture the animal and apply more readily visible tags and m 

with individual coding. The dorsal fm is generally chosen a! 

site for tag / mark placement as it is the most prominent 

easily observed portion of a surfacing small cetacean ar 

thought to be more durable than other potential sites. Smal 

angular wedges clipped out of the tough connective tissue or 

trailing edge of the dorsal fill have facilitated identificatio 

individual cetaceans in some studies. Alternatively, butto 

disc tags are placed near the center of the dorsal fm and are 

on both surfaces by a central bolt which passes through the 

The smaller jumbo rototags, a type of cattle ear tag, pivot f 

a single forward stud which passes through the trailing ed~ 

the dorsal fm . Finally, "flag" tags, which also are attache 

their leading edge, have been tested in captivity, but these la 

tags have not, at this writing, been used in the field. The t 

tags mentioned above have characteristic symbols or aiph. 

meric designations that allow individual identification at ra 

varying according to the size of the symbols. 

Freeze brands-symbols or alphanumeric designations 

plied to skin tissue with irons that have been cooled in til 

nitrogen, Freon-22,' or dry ice and alcohol-have proven ej 

tive as permanent marks which are highly visible at mode 

ranges. These marks have been placed on the back of aniJ 

(for aerial observers) or on the dorsal fm (for surface obsen 

causing no apparent long-term discomfort to the animal. 

All methods described above have been utilized on a Val 

of smaller cetaceans. However, due to the obvious difficulti~ 

handling the larger whales, only remote application of tags 

'Reference to trade names does not imply endorsement by the Natl 

Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. 

Appendix F~ure A-S.-Discovery tags, named after the Britisb Discovery Expeditions for which they were developed, have bee~ used for half a century in studies of 

ce~ns. O~ mto the fles h of large whales (bottom) and smaller whales (top) by 12-gauge of 410-gauge shotguns, these numbered darts provide information on moven 

an growt rates. Unfortunately, they can be recovered only by killing the tagged animal (in whale fisheries). (Photo courtesy of D. W. Rice.) 

220 
pendix Figure A-6.-Some small or medium-sized whales have been captured , marked with patterns of notches carved from the rear margins of the dorsal fin , and 

~ased. Sometimes naturall) fra)ed and marred dorsal fins bearing pa tterned notches, such as on this male killer "hale. can fa cil itate identifica ti on of indi\ iduals. No te 

postdorsal saddle characteristic of some killer "hale groups. (Photo b) K. C. Balcomb.) 

ks is practical for them. To date, only spaghetti streamer 

gs have been used in external marking of larger whales. Some 

searchers feel that life expectancy of these tags is so short and 

probability of resighting so poor, that such programs are not 

Drthwhile. Nonetheless, spaghetti streamers shot from 

ossbows have been placed in numerous whales in the eastern 

orth Pacific, and we request the cooperation of readers in 

porting sightings of these tagged animals. 

adio tags 

Since cetaceans spend the majority of their life under water, 

Dve during the night as well as the day, and often vanish from 

watchful eye of an observer even though they may be clearly 

arked or tagged, the development of radio transmitters for 

llales and dolphins has greatly aided investigators. Early radiocking systems for dolphins consisted of a simple radio beacon 

I the animal and a directional antenna and receiving system on 

aircraft or surface vessel. Each time the instrumented animal 

faced, a pulsed signal was broadcasted from the transmitter 

d the direction of the signal was determined by rotating the 

tenna. Because of the inherent problems in localizing such a 

ort signal, an automatic direction fmder (ADF) was developed 

ilich would indicate instantaneous relative bearing of the tagi:i animal. At about the time this ADF became available, sens were added to the basic transmitter to encode and transmit 

ameters such as depth of dive (as pressure) and ambient temrature. This allowed scientists to begin to understand the rela221 

tionship between certain environmental parameters and cetacean behavior. In addition to their transmitting function , radio 

packages are highly visible and can serve as identifiers, especially 

when a xenon flasher or a colorful streamer is attached . 

Techniques for attaching radio transmitters continue to pose 

the major problem for the full utilization of this valuable tool. 

Various attachments have been tested over the years in an 

attempt to reduce the effect of transmitters on the behavior of 

the animals and to increase their retention time. Toward this 

end, the early dorsal fm saddles and transmitters used on freeranging dolphins and pilot whales have been modified to reduce 

their weight and mass and thus their drag through the water. 

Several larger whales have been restrained and transmitters 

attached to them with varying degrees of success. Elastic 

harnesses and surgical attachment using sutures have been tested 

on juvenile gray whales, a cross-pinning attachment through the 

dorsal fin has been tried on a killer whale, and dorsal fin 

packages have been placed on humpback whales temporarily 

trapped in gill nets or fish traps in the North Atlantic. Recently a 

transmitter shot from a modified 12-gauge shotgun and designed to imbed in the blubber of a free-ranging whale was tested on 

humpback and fin whales. This method of remotely administering the transmitter to unrestrained whales may, with further 

modification, prove valuable for shorter term telemetry studies. 

Another recent approach uses two "barnacle" anchors implanted by small explosive charges. So far, each attachment 

method employed has its own drawbacks, and the ultimate 

attachment devices, which will vary from species to species, have 

yet to be developed. 
A 

B c 

D 

Appendix Figure A-7.-Some tags used to mark porpoises, dolphins, and smaU 

whales. A, B, and C are nylon button tags, wbich are placed in the dorsal fin and 

may be clearly visible as an animal surfaces to breathe; D is a vin yl spagbetti 

tag. (Pboto courtesy of NOSC.) 

-

Present and Future Research 

There is a great deal of interest in and research direc

toward improving tags and marks, especially for use in popu

tion estimation. Proposed devices are tested in captivity and 

the wild, when practical, to determine if there are any harm

effects to the animal, if the materials and design are adequ

for the prescribed task, and if the tag or mark will last a su

cient length of time under field conditions. Metho~s un

investigation which show promise for the future include la

marking, satellite-linked telemetry, improved spaghetti stream

tags, methods of attachment similar to those of parasites 

symbionts occurring naturally on free-ranging cetaceans, a

cross-pinned dorsal fin attachments. 

This discussion of cetacean tagging and marking is by 

means exhaustive and will quickly become outdated as n

materials and methodologies evolve. This appendix is intend 

to impress upon the reader that even after the techniques 

perfected, tagging and natural-marking programs depend 

their success on the resighting of tagged or marked animals 

the recovery of tags. We therefore appeal to readers to 

careful and critical observers at sea, to photograph tagged 

marked animals, and to forward the information (includin 

date, time, location, observer, ambient conditions, descripti

of observation, photograph, number of animals in herd, dir

tion of movement, etc.) to one of the authors or the Natio

Marine Mammal Laboratory, National Marine Fisheries S

vice, NOAA, 7WJ Sand Point Way N.E., Bldg. 32, Seattle, W 

98115 . Your reported resightings may playa critical role 

resolving the mysteries surrounding the natural history of p

poises, dolphins, and whales. 

Appendix Figure A-8.-A spaghetti tag in tbe rigbt side of a short-finned pilQt whale off Santa Catalina Island, Calif. (Photo by L. Hobbs.) 

222 
Appendix Figure A-9.-Examples of dorsal fin tags used on small cetaceans: a button tag on a free-swimming common dolphin off Palos 

Verdes, Ca lif. (Ief!); a double-bolted dorsal fin tag (no. 61) and a callie ear 

tag (no. 46) on a bottlenose dolphin off Sarasota, Fla. (top ri~ht); a 

modified disc tag or "sand dollar tag" designed for closer a<lherence to the 

fin (midd le right); and a "flag" tag on the dorsal fin of • spinner 

dolphin in Sea Life Park, Hawaii (bottom). Dorsal fin tags have enjoyed 

limited success,but there is still no version adequate for long-term studies 

of cetaceans. (Photos by B. Noble, courtesy of Marineland of the Pacific 

[top leftl; A. B. Inine (top right]: courtesl of 1\ .tFS (middle right, 

bottom I.) 

223 
Appendix Figure A-IO.-Freeze-branding is an apparenti) pain Ie" method of appl)lng a lonf( la,tinf( .denlif)inf( mark 10 Ihe bod, of a celacean, a; iIIu;traled b) the;e 

two photos of freeze-branded bottlenose dolphins. Some s).lem, are alphanumeric code, (left), "hile Olhe" u,e angular mark' In combination haling numeric Iran,lations. (Photos b) A. B. Inine (leftl; S. Leather"ood (rightl .) 

Appendix Figure A-ll.-Freeze-branded bottlenose dolphins at liberty off Sarasota, Fla. 

Tbough many subtle delaUs remain 10 be lesled 

and refined, freeze brands appear 10 offer greal 

promise. In Ihe righl animal, no Ie the disfigured 

dorsal fin. In Ihe lefl animal, nole Ibe callie ear 

lag placed near Ihe lop of Ihe fin, (PhoiO by A. 

B. Irvine.) 

Appendix Figure A-12.-A common dolpbln 

wearing a radio lag Iransmitter surfaces 10 brealhe 

off southern California. (Pholo courtesy of W. 

E. Evans.) 

224 
--- -- ----- - Appendix Figure A-l3.-Wild tagged dolphins. Dolphin in foreground bas a radio transmitter above a freeze brand (#18). Dolphin to the lerl has a beha>ioral ob~r>ation 

I.g (#22) .. ilh • freeze br.nd (#80) belo .. il. The three ne.rest dolphins .11 haH ROlolags Irailing from Iheir dor .1 fin,. <Pholll h) '\1 I) "",>II I 

Appendl, Figure A-14.-A killer "bale in Puget ouod, "asb., ".aring a radio lalt (painted .. ilb Ihe number H "hich pro,1deil t 

boats outfitted with special antenna &rra)S. (Pboto b) J. O. neildon. court . or lo, .. ",il} of " 

10 '1 
Appendix Figure A-lS.-A radio transmitter package surgically attached to the dorsal ridge of a California gray whale. This yearling animal, captive for most of the first 

year of its life, was released into the ocean off San Diego, Calif., in March 1972 and was subsequently tracked from shipboard and aircraft for over 30 days. The sensortransmitter package, shown in detail (top), was designed to measure the maximum depth of the animal's dive and the water temperature at that depth. (Photos by S. 

Leatherwood.) 

226 
227 

Appendix Figure A-16.-This "friendly" 

California gray whale was approacbed in San Ignacio Lagoon, Baja California, close enough to 

allo" pole application of a "barnacle" ta~ 

de,eloped IJ~ Bruce "'late. Thb gra~ "hale "., 

succe"fully trac!..ed o'er nearl~ ih entire ml~ralion route from the "fniean la~oon '" l nima!.. 

Pass, Ala,!..a. (Photo h~ 1.. Hobl>,.) 

Appendix Figure A-l7.-Many recent efforts have 

concentrated on remotely attaching radio tran mitters to large whales and then tracking them Here 

(left), a researcher fires a radiotag at a fin whale in 

Prince William Sound, Alaska (the line can be ,een 

unfurling to his lefl); the nearer of the 1"0 fin 

whales wears the implanted tag (bottom). Though 

tags so applied have resulted in succe.sful short-term 

tracks and subsequent relocations and sho" tremendous promise, there continue to be technical prob· 

lems requiring slStematic attention. (Photo 

courtesy of ~MFS.) 
a. 
Appendb Figure A-18.-Remotely Implantable tags (top) in 

the firing gun (middle) and in tbe flesb of a fin whale carcass 

(bottom). (Photos courtesy of W. E. SchevUl and W. A. 

Watkins.) 

Appendb Figure A-19.-A sateUlte linked radio tag recently developed for attachment to smaU whales and dolpbins. (Pboto by J. Jennings, courtesy of NMFS.) 

229 

Appendb Figure A-20.-A tag-reward poster. 

(Pboto by J. Jennings, courtesy of NMFS.) 
EWAltD ~ 

FOR RETURN OF PORPOISE TAGS 

$100 FOR 

RETURN OF 

PORAOISE 

WITH TAG 

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service conducted an 

expeflmental lagging sludy in the area to the east of Clipperton 

Island in October· November, 1978. Orange and yellow disc tags 

were attached 10 the dorsal fins of 656 porpoise. Of these, 331 

were tagged with special orange " T" tags Indica ling tetracycline 

injections for an age determination study. All fins were notched 

to serve as permanent marks. 

It IS essential that the bodies of any accidentally killed 

porpoise involved in the age determination study, as Indicated 

by the "T" tag, be returned so that the teeth and bones can be 

examined. Only the fins with the tags in ptace need to be reo 

turned from any dead porpoise with other types of disc tags, so 

the tags can be evaluated The location and date of tag recovery 

must be indicated Reports of sightings of tagged porpoise 

will be appreciated 

When an observer is on board, the reward will go to the 

vessel 

$5 FOR 

RETURN OF 

FIN WITH 

TAG 

TO COLLECT REWARD: Send fin with 

tag or entire porpoise if a " T" tag. Tell 

where and when tag was collected. 

MAIL TO: 

U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southwest Fisheries Center 

P.O. Box 271 

La Jolla, California 92038 

PHONE: 

(714) 453·2820 

WARNING. NO PORPOISE ARE TO BE INTENTIONALLY KILLED - IN 

ACCORDANCE WITH THE MARINE MAMMAL PROTECTION ACT OF 1972. 

230 
APPENDIX B 

RECORDING AND REPORTING OBSERVATIONS OF CETACEANS AT SEA 

To increase reliability of identifications, observers should 

train themselves to ask the following kinds of questions each 

time a cetacean is encountered: 

1. How large was the animal? 

2. Did it have a dorsal fill? If so, what was its size, shape, and 

position? 

3. Was the animal's blow visible? If so, how tall did it 

appear? What was its shape? How frequently did the animal 

blow? 

4. What was the animal's color and color pattern? 

5. Did the animal have any distinctive markings? 

6. If it was a large or medium-sized animal, did it show its tail 

flukes? 

7. If it was a medium-sized or small animal, did it approach, 

avoid, or ignore the vessel? Did it ride the bow or stern wave? 

8. What was the animal's behavior? Did it jump from the 

water? If so, did it make a smooth graceful arching jump, or did 

it spin, somersault, or reenter with a splash? 

~~ODIAK ~ AB 

GULF OF ALASKA 

One characteristic alone is rarely sufficient. The more relevant 

evidence the observer obtains, the greater the likelihood of a 

reliable identification. Even the most experienced cetologists are 

often unable to make a positive identification. Therefore, even 

if you cannot positively identify an animal or make a good guess 

as to its identity, do not hesitate to fill out the rest of the sighting 

record form and submit it to an appropriate office. A listing of 

observed characters and a partially completed form may enable 

a cetologist to make an identification based on those characters 

and his knowledge of the distribution, movements, and 

behavior of cetaceans. A sketch made as soon as possible after 

the encounter and photographs taken from as many angles as 

possible will aid in the identification. If you identify the species, 

state the basis for the identification (features seen)! 

A sample sighting report is provided here to demonstrate the 

proper recording of observations. A blank copy, which may be 

photocopied for field use, is included at the end of the guide. 

Reliable, intermittent reports of cetaceans are of interest. It is 

also useful to have a record of an entire cruise track and of the 

Appendix Figure B-l.-A map of a portion of the temperate eastern North Pacific, showing the cruise track of a research vessel. The solid line indicates p~sitions over 

which ob,erver(s) mainlained watche, for marine mammal> . OOb indicate locations of sightings of marine mammals (note that several SlghtIOgS occurred while there was 

no official walch). Consull the text of this appendix for sa mple journal entries for sightings at locations indicated by the letlers. (Computer plot and sample data 

courte;,y NMFS.) 

231 
zones in which vigilance was maintained but no cctuccan \\crc 

observed. Such data can be used to determine relatl\c den It)" 

and easonal changes in distribution, 

To be,useful, effort records should include thc lolk)\\ing mInimum information tlmc and location 01 be inning and cndll1 

of each continuou cetacean watch, \\l'ather ~ondltion the 

affect vi ibility, sea state, ship's spc d, hel ht of the ob er\cr( ) 

above the water, number of per\on, on \\3t(h, nd dctllli of 

each ighting, particularly the relatl\ e bcaflng ,lnd til t IT1 e (II 

the animals from the ship at the time of the inttllli I hllll 

The following report is a ,ample of the htin 10 of lUl 

observer cruise It hough there were 12 \\ at h period 

( ..... \,' t.RAL INf()R~f \ ', 10:"; 

, '0 • hip 01 ( WE R 'J{ ( 0 r h \ e sel) 

. Departmenl of (ommercc 

• ational Cxean Une 

Kodia . Ala ka to pe Fl Iter>, \\ hm ton 

-II June I 7 

Ob ner.: 

E)e /e\el of ob ner.: 36 feet bo e ter 

HrBl(ehip 'P d: 15 not 

Continuou .. "aleh informatIon (lilo(, B-1): 

tart f.nd tart 

Leg D1lte time time po ition 

1-2 6/8 13 1610 5 ·24,' 

151-01 \\' 

3-4 6/8 2101 56-45, ' 

149 W 

Cetacean obsenations (Fig. B·2): 

f.nd 

po ilion 

6- I 

149-36\\ 

6·2.2 ' 

14,- OW 

\\ Hther-' t ibllll) 

Beaufort II 

\1 . 12 mt! 

Beaufort I 

\; • 1 mile 

A - 6/8 1305 42 Dall's porpoi e (Phocoenoide dol/I) beanng 2 0° relati\e at 

200 yards. Headed \\ In mall group. Ten in largest group. 

No bow riding. Roostertails urface temp. . Identified b\ 

shape of head, color pattern, and dorsal fin (half \\hite). • 

B - 6/8 1527 27 Dall's porpoise bearing 045 ° at 150 yards. Headed 1'<\\ 

Roostertails. 2 groups - 1 rode bow for a few minute. urface 

temp. 8°C. 

C - 6/8 1839 1 humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangltae) bearing 290 ° at 

300 yards. Saw dorsal fin or hump and long knobb} flipper. 

Headed NW. Surface temp. 9°C. 

D - 6 / 8 1915 4 Dall's porpoise bearing 045 ° at 300 yards. Headed SE. Slow 

abbreviated rolling, then roostertails as ship approached. No 

bow riding. Surface temp. 9°C. 

232 
4i..:.M '&y) k.vd.J.o.k :Cs. 

5f.:: 1!>4· 1 I !~ --l-5'tJ x /5'w 

''''1'1011 

DATE AIm 1-,),'1\1 '('lil 

WEATIlLR CfJJIIlJ'l'lOtlS ~~1 ~1(~K;t _ \~ ~ Vl!.. ~ -".vJ~5 . :BeA..U-..trt- :n::. 

OCEANor~p.J\PllIC COIlllITIOtlS2 ~ 5~k 1-~ ,- 8°c. s+(~_ "'c..o...-fte...i J 

~ - ~~dlf _it ~.: 4o __ .ft,--_ 

SPECIFSJ H~f~ ~~S (~~t~ !1~~e.)_ NUt·luI )F ANI··L\L(';) 8 !:.). 

IlEADHlC; Of' AIJHIAL (S) 

(TRITr) 

bJ2SIA b~~ __ SPEED OF AiH u,LL") 

(1:.1101'<;) 

ASSOCfATfD ()H;Alll~tIS_LJLo.x~ ~~tSR.....(rhQ(.OE!I!\D.. -fhcCAex\A.L:,~ b..i~ly 

~s __ J ~-ty ___ ~~~e<§ -t-~~U-o± $~. _ 

TAGS OR UlWSUAL HARKINGSCIO Qs.e.:::.~~ ~hl c.~ L.J.dl.. ~ \J!..-

wli:\-e. ~e<r-._ .. ~ ~~e ot -Gl~~~ JS~-M--~E.-= 7L 

CHARACTERISTICS OBSERVED IfllICH RESULTED IN SprCIES IDF:NTIFICATILlN ~h.("o~ 

~~--~ ~yish.- bl~k. ~7 b~. S+r~ ~(c;W_ ~ 

-.1J.~~s ~hQWJ)'. __ _ ~\J.~ _ ~tl\P,.U . ~w. _ch:L,a.l -h~.2. 40 ++ 

BEHAVIOR OF ANlI-ll\I. (S) - IllCI.lmE CLOSEST APPROACH i..\H~ ~t~\.'1 

~~ev-A_ ~ __ ~~ 1:,00 ~d.s __ J ~~~. _ 

''' ~ 

PHon S AVAILABLE T.S <, 

ADDITIONAL RCNARKS Ob~.\I~ wWe...s ~()"'QAt\+ _ ~~~_ to< O\JL.('" 

4 ho~ .Q~tC7(12.. _ 1.4 ~~uJ.. ___ o...<~. l:tJl.r~_ f'Oc~~&. 3W-kJ 

~ - ~\v..t>} ~~ !l\G'/~ ~ill~ __ ~ _ of ~+. 

NiV'IC lIND lIDDRESS OF OBSERVER (SHIP OR A/C) k'~1~ £J.w.o..® 

__ NOA-ft .sh4> __ ;::'~B\ii.80~ _____________ _ 

_ reo Se..o..-++\e..-.I--.W~ TI1~ :L _________ _ 

'If latitude and longitude are not available. record best estimate of position. e.g .• 5 hours at 10 knots. SE of Kodiak . 

'Any oceanographic or bathymetric information obtainable at the time of sighting may be significant. Such measurements as Voaler depth. presence of large fISh schools 

or deep scattering layer. organisms characteristic of the bottom (e.g .• flat sand plain. sea mount. submarine cliff). surface temperature. depth ofthermoc\ine. and sahnlly 

should be included if available . In the Pacific. similar data have been used to demonstrate reliable associations between common dolphIns and igniflcant feature of bol. 

tom relief and relationships between the onset of their nighttime deep diving (feeding) patterns and the upv.ard migration of the scattering la\en 

'Sometimes cetaceans of two or more species are found together. If more than one type is sighted. try to identify each. Give both common and -J<:nttflC names of each. 

and even if you cannot identify the animal(s). describe. sketch. and if possible . photograph them and fill out the rest of the slghtmg report 

'Describe any tags seen (see AppendLx Al. including their size. shape. color. and position on the animal's body and an) symbols or numbers they contam 

Appendix Figure 8-2.-A sample sighting form resulting from an encounter .. ith 6--10 humpback" hales and I single barbor porpo e II cannol be emp 'W~ 100 

strongly that the value of a sighting report is directly proportional to the amount of Quali!} information it contalD5 . .\ ighting ... port 'ar mo ..... luRblt If It d r 

animal(s) and the encounter in detail than if it simpl) reports tbe observer's decision about species jdentit~. "itb no upportin documentat n. l form , foDopage 245. 

:m 
APPENDIX C 

STRANDED WHALES, DOLPHINS, AND PORPOISES 

Appendix Figure C-l.-Whales and dolphins sometimes strand themselves individually or as entire herds, for reasons still incompletely understood. Mass strandings are 

not limited to tbe smaller whales and dolphins. Though no large group of baleen whales has been reported to have stranded en masse , pods of sperm whales, such as this 

group in Florence, Oreg., in June 1979, show up with surprising frequency along beaches of the world . (Photo by R. Pitman, courtesy of NMFS.) 

As we discussed briefly in the introduction, whales, dolphins, 

and porpoises sometimes strand or beach themselves, individually or in entire herds. Stranded individuals are often sick or injured. Mass strandings, involving from several to several hundred individuals, appear to have more complex causes. They 

may result from fear reactions, bad weather conditions, herdwide disease or malfunctioning of the echolocation system. 

Whatever their causes, cetacean strandings usually attract 

crowds and elicit much public interest and sympathy. There are 

frequently attempts to save the lives of the animals involved. 

Individually stranded cetaceans rarely survive, even if they are 

found soon after stranding and are transported to adequate 

holding facilities. However, in mass strandings, some individuals may be completely healthy. If they are found soon 

enough after stranding, properly protected and transported, and 

234 

correctly cared for in the initial few days after collection, they 

may survive for long periods in captivity. Attempts to rescue all 

the animals in a mass stranding by towing them out to sea are 

frustrating because the animals usually swim back onto the 

beach. 

If you discover a stranding, before you become involved in an 

attempt to save a live stranded animal or to collect data from a 

dead one, be aware of the following: 

Marine mammals, alive or dead, are currently protected by 

law in U.S. waters and on U.S. beaches. Under provisions of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, it is unlawful for persons without a permit to handle, harass, or possess any marine 

mammal or possess any part of a marine mammal. It is within 

the authority of the State officials and the National Marine 

Fisheries Service employees to arrange for the care of live 
235 

Appendix Figure C-3.-While waiting for help to arrive to 

collect a live-stranded cetacean, such as this common 

dolphin at Point Mugu, Calif., one should endeavor to keep 

it as comfortable as possible. In the absence of a pool of 

water sufficiently deep for the animal to submerge itself, one 

might cover much of the body (being careful to leave the 

blowhole clear) with wet towels. In particular, dorsal f'm, 

flippers, and flukes should be kept wet. (Photo by S. 

Leatherwood.) 
APP NDIX C 

TRANDED WHAL ,DOLPH) ,A D PORPO) 

Appendix Figure C-l.-Whales and dolphins sometimes slrand themselves individullll) or a entire herd, for reason till incompletel) understood. Mil> lranding a~ 

not limited to the smaller whales and dolphins. Though no large group of baleen whales has been reported to ha\e trand d en masse, pod of perm .. hale>, uch as this 

group in Florence, Oreg., in June 1979, show up ",ith surprising frequenc) along beaches of the .. orld. (Photo b) R. Pitman, courte ) of ' .. 1 .) 

As we discussed briefly in the introduction, whales, dolphins, 

and porpoises sometimes strand or beach themselves, individually or in entire herds. Stranded individuals are often sick or injured. Mass strandings, involving from several to several hundred individuals, appear to have more complex causes. They 

may result from fear reactions, bad weather conditions, herdwide disease or malfunctioning of the echolocation system. 

Whatever their causes, cetacean strandings usually attract 

crowds and elicit much public interest and sympathy. There are 

frequently attempts to save the lives of the animals involved. 

Individually stranded cetaceans rarely survive, even if they are 

found soon after stranding and are transported to adequate 

holding facilities. However, in mass strandings, some individuals may be completely healthy. If they are found soon 

enough after stranding, properly protected and transported, and 

234 

correctly cared for in the initial few days after coUection, they 

may survive for long periods in captivity. Attempts to rescue all 

the animals in a mass stranding by towing them out to sea are 

frustrating because the animals usually swim back onto the 

beach. 

If you discover a stranding, before you become involved in an 

attempt to save a live stranded animal or to coUect data from a 

dead one, be aware of the foUowing: 

Marine mammals, alive or dead, are currently protected by 

law in U.S. waters and on U.S. beacbes. Under provisions of the 

Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, it is unlawful for persons without a permit to handle, harass, or possess any marine 

mammal or possess any part of a marine mammal. It is within 

the authority of the State officials and the National Marine 

Fisheries Service employees to arrange for the care of live 
235 

Appendix Figure C-3.-While waiting for help to arrive to 

collect a live-stranded cetacean, such as this common 

dolphin at Point Mugu, Calif., one should endeavor to keep 

it as comfortable as possible. In the absence of a pool of 

water sufficiently deep for the animal to submerge itself, one 

might cover much of the body (being careful to leave the 

blowhole clear) with wet towels. In particular, dorsal fin, 

flippers, and flukes should be kept wet. (photo by S. 

Leatherwood .) 
animals through certified institutions, such as many of those 

listed in Appendix E. (Even if the animals were not protected by 

law, any impulse to take them to backyard swimming pools, for 

instance, should be tempered by the knowledge that their 

chances of survival are far greater in an institution with the 

facilities and expertise to care for them properly.) The be\t 

general rule is to notify the nearest State fish and game agency 

or National Marine Fisheries Service Office. If you prefer, 

however, you may contact one of the institutions listed in Appendix E and ask it to handle the situatIon. Some will already 

have permits to investigate strandtngs. Most \\-ill be anxious to 

help. 

Although you cannot remove the animal from the beach 

without a permit, you can help keep it alive until It Is removed. 

While waiting for help to arrive, endeavor to keep the animal as 

comfortable as possible. If it is not too large and surf condition 

permit, it should be removed to shallow water where it is barely 

afloat. The bouyancy of the water will reduce the stress to the 

animal and will help prevent overheating-a real danger to 

stranded cetaceans 

Whether or not the animal can be floated, care should be 

taken to protect it from sunburn, drying out, and overheating. 

If it is afloat, exposed parts should be spla hed down frequently. 

If it is high and dry, it should be covered with damp cloth, particularly on the dorsal fin, flippers, and flukes. and the body 

236 

and the terrain should be watered frequently to prevent th 

animal from overheating in the areas of contact with the 5aJl 

or rock. 

Be careful to leave the blowhole free 0 that the animal ca 

breathe. Note al 0 that the eye are particularly sensitive an 

susceptible to injury; they should be covered with a wet clot 

and treated with special care. 

With luck, this handhng will be rewarded by the animal

timely removal to an aquarium, where it Can receive propc 

attention. Even if the animal cannot be kept alive, colJectio 

and examination of the carcass can provide valuable inform

tion for tudies of cetacean biology, disease, or reaction to er 

vlronmental pollutant. 

Dead tranded cetaceans, even y.,hen badly decomposed, aJ 

an important ource of materials for mu eum study and displa 

Therefore, every attempt hould be made to get the carcass int 

the be t hands. Dead cetacean, like the live ones, are protecte 

by la\\- and may not be remo\ed \\-ithout a permit. The pr 

cedure for obtaining permi ion to ccllC\."l them is the same 

that outlined for live trandin . The majority of the listed i 

titullons along the Pacific coast \\-i11 respond to calls about Ii 

or dead trandtngs. \en if you are unable to contact an a 

propriate official, you can till collect orne valuable info 

tion by identif)-ing and photographtng the pecimen and 

taking mea urements (ee ppenduc D). 
APPEI'DJ D 

RECORDING AND REPORTING DATA ON TRANO.O 

So that measurements of cetaceans taken at different times 

and locations can be compared, the methods of taking them 

have been standardized, although there IS stiU some di agreement about which of the measurements are most important. The 

data form located at the end of this guide, usable for both 

baleen and toothed whales, include aU the measurements routinely made by cetologists plus a few new ones the authors consider important. The form and the directions for taking measurements are synthesized from those currently in use by the Naval 

Ocean Systems Center, San Diego; the Fisheries Research Board 

of Canada; Hubbs/ Sea World Research Institute; the Los 

Angeles County Museum; the U.S. National Museum, 

Washington, D.C.; and the National Marine Fishenes Service, 

Southwest Fisheries Center, La Jolla, Calif. 

Data on stranded cetaceans shou ld be coUected by someone 

experienced in handling and measuring cetaceans. The legal 

problems associated with collection of a specimen are discussed 

in Appendix C. In addition to having a permit or knowing how 

to obtain permission to coUect the specimen, persons active in 

cetacean research will usually have access to laboratory facilities 

where in-depth studies, including postmortem examinations and 

collection of tissues for specialized laboratory examinations, can 

be conducted. Furthermore, specialized equipment, and the 

number of steps required to do a complete examination of the 

specimen, make the procedure prohibitive for most 

noncetologists. Diligent attempts should be made to contact one 

of the institutions listed in Appendix E. If no one IS available 

and no permit or approval is obtainable, you are Limited to 

photographing, sketching, and measuring the specimen without 

removing the carcass or any part of it from the beach. 

Any person taking data on stranded cetaceans should follow 

the instructions itemized below, being careful to take measurements in the manner prescribed and to record data in as much 

detail as possible. 

1. Specimens should be preserved in 10% buffered Formalinl 

except for the stomach contents, which should be kept in 

70% ethyl or 40% isopropyl alcohol, or frozen. Commercial 

rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) will suffice. As a mmlffium, the 

head, flippers, and reproductive tract should be preserved. 

If no other method of handling the specimen IS avculable, 

Reference to trade names doe, not unp\) endorsement b) the allonal 

Marine Fisheries en ice. NOAA. 

and only a la t Ie 011, It m ) be buned In the nd ell 

above the hi h tide hne nd are full) 

recovered later. BUf)'ln u ua1l) re ult 

some part of the eleton 

2. The carca hould be e ammed for e tern 

u h area as the blo\l, hole 

baleen plate like the lorn 

be pre en'ed in alcohol. 

3 Photograph s and ketche are a .. aluable p 11 f d t 

tion-views of the animal(\) from m.lO) n I 

ble, and detruled shot of u h feature b leen pi te • 

mouth and teeth, ventral groov , flipper. nu 

unusual cars or coloration hould be m luded In ludm 

ruler or other object ot knoy, niLe I helpful f r referen e 

4. Although scientific data are u ua1l) e pr e(l m metn 

units, mea urements should be taken m y,h tC\er Untt re 

readily available. All mea urement hould be t en In 

straight Ime, as shay, n in the tha am, unle other'\\ I 

noted. Vleasurements y,hich refer to the ro trum re t en 

from the tiP of the upper Jay,. The external udlto!,) me tu 

(ear) i a small, incon picuou openm 10 led JU I bel w 

and behind the eye. To locale the ear the ob ener mu t 

ometimes crape a\l, a) orne of the 10 to e the p 

men led ear canal beneath t 

5. Throat creases are found on the Ihroat of beaked 

sperm \\ hale , and d\l, arf perm '" hal . \ entral r 

found only on balaenopterid whale. \ eOlr I 

should be counted bet\l,een the nippe 

6. Numbers of teeth or baleen plates are often n I I 

cators of pecies, and the) hould be unted and d 

in as much detail as po I Ie 

It i difficult to o\erstre 

from each p tmen all the dal 

rna e a valuable ontnbullon 

O. 'VER 10. r CTOR 

To chllnl{r Int o lull pi) b): 

Centimeter- Inch 

\teter Feet 

\le,er ) d:d 

Kilometer 

Kilometer. 

F thom Feet 

thom. 

F renhell 
Some Imponanl external measuremeol\. 1 he number. 

correspond 10 lhe number. on lhe blank celacean dala 

record form belo .. . Reade" are encouraKed 10 

pholocop~ . u .• and return 10 approprIAte offke 

tbese forms .. ilh data On nanded <ttacean • 

SPECIEu _______ _ 

DATE/TIME STRA ' DED _ 

LOCATION OF COLLECTIOI' 

OBSERVER AME/ ADDRE 

CE1ACFA ' DA'IA H>RM 

, I 

:? :-V 

~ 

CETACE ~ 0 TA RE ORD 

____ '-'."r: _~ I.E. 'l,TH ___ WEIGHT 

__DATE TI~IE DATA OLLECTfJD __ 

SPECIMEN SENT TO ________ _ 

trLlght lin. paralJ I 

lA> the boch a . Point to polo! 

MEASUREMENTS: 

1. Tip of upper jaw to deepest part of fluke notch 

2. Tip of upper jaw to center of anus 

3. Tip of upper jaw to center of genital slit 

4. Tip oflower jaw to end of ventral grooves 

5. Tip of upper jaw to center of umbilicus 

6. Tip of upper jaw to top of dorsalfin 

7. Tip of upper jaw to leading edge of dorsal fin 

8a. Tip of upper jaw to anterior insertion of flipper (right) 

b. Tip of upper jaw to anterior insertion of flipper (left) 

9. Tip of upper jaw to center ofblowhole(s) 

238 

.=. \> 

.!. I 

0 
10. Tip of upper jaw to anterior edge ofblowhole(sl 

lla. Tip of upper jaw to auditory meatus (right) 

b. Tip of upper jaw to auditory meatus (left) 

12a. Tip of upper jaw to center of eye (right) 

b. Tip of upper jaw to center of eye (left) 

13. Tip of upper jaw to angle of gape 

14. Tip of upper jaw to apex of melon 

15. Rostrum - maximum width 

16. Throat grooves -length 

17. Projection of lower jaw beyond upper (if reverse, so state) 

18. Center of eye to center of eye 

19a. Height of eye (right) 

b. Height of eye (left) 

20a. Length of eye (right) 

b. Length of eye (left) 

21a. Center of eye to angle of gape (right) 

b. Center of eye to angle of gape (left) 

22a. Center of eye to external auditory meatus (right) 

b. Center of eye to external auditory meatus (left) 

23a. Center of eye to center of blowhole (right) 

b. Center of eye to center of blowhole (left) 

24. Blowhole length 

25. Blowhole width 

26. Flipper width (right) 

27. Flipper width (left) 

28a. Flipper length -tip to anterior insertion (right) 

b. Flipper length -tip to anterior insertion (left) 

29a. Flipper length -tip to axilla (right) 

b. Flipper length -tip to axilla (left) 

Straight line parallel 

to the body axis Point to point 
30.' Dorsal fin height 

31. Dorsal fin base 

32. Fluke span 

33. Fluke width 

34. Fluke depth of notch 

35. Notch of flukes to center of anus 

36. Notch of flukes to center of genital aperture 

37. Notch of flukes to umbilicus 

38. Notch of flukes to nearest point on leading edge of flukes 

39. Girth at anus 

40. Girth at axilla 

41. Girth at eye 

42. Girth _ ___ cm in front of notch of flukes 

43a. Blubber thickness (middorsal) 

b. Blubber thickness (lateral) 

c. Blubber thickness (midventral) 

44. Width of head at post-orbital process of frontals 

45. Tooth counts: right upper ____ _ 

right lower ____ _ 

left upper 

left lower 

46. Baleen counts: right upper ____ _ 

left upper 

47. Baleen plates, length longest 

48. Baleen plates, no. bristles/cm over 5 cm 

49a. Mammary slit length (right) 

b. Mammary slit length (left) 

50. Genital slit length 

51. Anal slitlength 

Straight line parallel 

to the body axis Point to point 
APPENDIX E 

LIST OF INSTITUTIONS TO CONTACT REGARDING TRANDED 

The following list includes many of the institutions in the area 

covered by this guide which are likely to respond to calls about 

stranded cetaceans. Those on the mainland are listed roughly in 

order from north to south. Several Hawaiian island institutions 

are also included. 

As a rule of thumb, anyone finding a stranded cetacean in 

United States or Canadian waters might be best adVlsed to contact the following organizations: Alaska-the Alaska Department of Fish and Game or U.S. Department of Commerce, 

National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS); British Columbia, 

Canada-The Department of Fisheries and Oceans; Washington and Oregon-The State Patrol; California-The California 

Department of Fish and Game or NMFS; Mexico-The Institute of Fisheries. Each of these organizations has some 

responsibility for dealing with strandings and will be informed 

on procedures and other, perhaps nearby, organizations to 

contact. 

In addition to those listed, almost any university biology or 

zoology department, State or Federal conservation agency or 

marine laboratory, or local natural history museum or society 

can recommend an interested biologist if no staff member is 

ALASKA 

University of Alaska 

Institute of Marine Sciences 

Fairbanks, Alaska 99701 

U.S. Department of the Interior 

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 

4454 Business Park Blvd. 

Anchorage, Alaska 99503 

-Alaska Department of Fish and Game 

333 Raspberry Road 

Anchorage, Alaska 99502 

(also field offices in Barro\\o, Kotzebue, orne, Kodiak, 

Juneau and Ketchikan) 

- Auke Bay Laboratory 

National Marine Fisheries Sen Ice, NOAA 

P.O. Box 155 

Auke Bay, Alaska 99821 

ational Park en Ice 

Glacier Ba) ationa! Park 

Auke Ba). Ala.ka 99 21 

- atlOna! :-'larine ~lamma! Laboratory 

ationa! larine Fi ·herie. en i~e .• '0 ,\ 

7&:XJ and Point \\'a) > '.E .. Bldg. 32 

eattle. Washington 9 115 

~ 1 

interested. uch organization are Yo idel dIStributed alon the 

coast and are usually adequately liSled m local telephone 

directorie . 

Oceanaria are likely 10 be mo t helpful in ann f r live 

animals on an emergency ba i . The} also often cooper Ie .... Ilh 

biologists by picking up dead ammal. 1u eum are mo I mterested in dead animal., as they have no facilities for handhn' live 

ones. They often cooperale y,;th oceanaria and will u ually help 

make arrangements for pickmg up live anImal. tr ndm networks, intended to ensure this on of cooperation, are bem 

organized or implemented in everal area'. Therefore, rather 

than the finder's making a de\;iSlon about y, hi h m Ulullon can 

best respond to a given tranding, .... e .... ould ur e th, t the 

nearest organization in the follo\\oing Ii t be contacted under n) 

circumstances. 

Space is provided at the end of the llst for additIon of cont tt 

inadvertently overlooked by us, or of in titution \\ohich come 

into bemg after its publicatJon. In litution marked IIh an 

asterisk have some responsibilit) for re pondin t Irandin 

and should be contacted promptly for adVIce and 

BRITISH COLt.::-"1BIA 

-Environment Canada 

Department of Fisherie and Ocean 

PacIfic Biological Station 

an aim 0 , British Columbia 9K 5K6 

Curator of Venebrate Zoolo 

Provincial luseum 

f>ariJamcnl BUlldmg 

Vlctona, Brltl h t olumbla \ \ I 

Department of Zoology 

niversit)' of British olumbia 

Vancou\er, British Columbia V6T J\\ 5 

Sealand of the Pacdic 

Oak Bay 

Victona. Briti h Columbia V ~ 4 

Vaneou\er Pubh quanum 

tanle) Par 

"aneoU\ cr, British Columbl \ B 3 

W HI 'GTO 
Marine Animal Resource Center 

4002 West Prosper 

Seattle, Washington 98199 

Orca Survey and Moclips Cetological Society 

Friday Harbor, Washington 98250 

University of Puget Sound Museum 

Tacoma, Washington 98416 

Seattle Aquarium 

Pier 59 

Waterfront Park 

Seattle, Washington 98101 

OREGON 

Oregon State University 

Marine Science Center 

Newport, Oregon 97365 

CALIFORNIA 

·California Department of Fish and Game 

(contracted by NMFS to report and handle all strandings). 

California Department of Fish and Game 

1416 Ninth Street 

Sacramento, California 95814 

California Department of Fish and Game 

350 Golden Shore 

Long Beach, California 90802 

California Department of Fish and Game 

411 Burgess Drive 

Menlo Park, California 94025 

Department of Zoology 

Humboldt State University 

Arcata, California 95521 

California Marine Mammal Center 

Marine Headlands Ranger Station 

Building 1050 

Fort Cronkite, California 94965 

Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory 

University of California 

Bodega Bay, California 94293 

Pt. Reyes Bird Observatory 

4990 Shoreline Highway 

Stinson Beach, California 94970 

Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 

University of California 

Berkeley, California 94720 

Steinhart Aquarium or Division of Birds and Mammals 

California Academy of Sciences 

Golden Gate Park 

San Francisco, California 94418 

242 

Western Regional Office 

National Park Service 

450 Golden Gate Avenue 

San Francisco, California 94102 

Coastal Marine Laboratory 

University of California 

Santa Cruz, California 95064 

Moss Landing Marine Laboratory 

Moss Landing, California 95039 

Hopkins Marine Station 

Stanford University 

Cabrillo Point 

Pacific Grove, California 93950 

Point Lobos State Preserve 

c/o Monterey SHP 

210 Oliver Street 

Monterey, California 93940 

Department of Biological Sciences 

California Polytechnic State University 

San Luis Obispo, California 93407 

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History 

2559 Puesta Del Sol Road 

Santa Barbara, California 93105 

Channel Islands National Monument 

National Park Service 

1699 Anchors Way Drive 

Ventura, California 93003 

Curator of Mammals 

Hanna-Barbara Marineland 

P.O. Box 937 

Rancho Palos Verdes, California 90274 

Department of Mammalogy 

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History 

900 Exposition Blvd. 

Los Angeles, California 90007 

·National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southwest Fisheries Center 

La lolla Shores Drive 

La lolla, California 92038 

Naval Ocean Systems Center 

Marine Mammal Research Group 

Catalina Blvd. 

San Diego, California 92152 

Sea World, Inc. 

1720 South Shore Road 

San Diego, California 92109 

Hubbs-Sea World Research Institute 

1700 Sou th Shores Road 

San Diego, California 92109 
Scripps Institution of Oceanography 

La Jolla, California 92037 

San Diego Natural History Museum 

P.O. Box 1390 

San Diego, California 92112 

HAWAII 

Sea Life Park 

Waimanalo 

Oahu, Hawaii 96734 

243 

MEXICO 

Baja California 

Unidad de Ciencias Marinas 

Universidad Autonoma de Baja California 

Apartado Postal 453 

Ensenada, BCN 

Mexico 

Mainland Mexico 

·Instituto Nacional de Pesca 

Chiapas 121 Esq. Tonalu 

Mexico 7, D.F. Mexico 

Laboratorio de Mastozoologia 

Instituto de Biologia - UNAM 

Apartado Postal 70-153 

Mexico 20, D.F., Mexico 

PERU 

Instituto de Mar 

Callao, Peru 
t 

Species 

Baird's beaked whale 

Beaked whales 

Blainville's beaked whale 

Blue whale 

Bottlenose dolphin 

Bowhead whale 

Bryde's whale 

Coch ito 

Common dolph in 

Cuvier's beaked whale 

Dall's porpoise 

Dwarf sperm whale 

False killer wha le 

Fin whale 

Fraser's do lph in 

Gray whale 

Gingko-Ioothed beaked whale 

Harbor porpoise 

Hecto r's beaked wha le 

Hubbs' beaked whale 

Humpback wha le 

Killer wha le 

Minke wha le 

Melon-headed whale 

Narwha l 

Northern bottlenose whale 

No rth ern right wha le do lphin 

Pacific white-sided do lphin 

Pygmy killer wh a le 

Pygmy sperm wha le 

Right whale 

Risso 's do lph in 

Rough-too thed do lph in 

Sei wha le 

Short-finned pilot wha le 

Sout hern bOllleno;e \\ hale 

Sperm wha le 

Spinner do lph in 

Sponed do lphin 

Stejnegers' beaked wha le 

Striped dolphin 

White wha le 

")'7-7'-'7 

y;iJ*?7:/7H 

~jl\7:/7 

'-'r:J-rnA7:-'7 

1\/~?1JI-;iJ 

*)~377'-'7 

=? I) 7:/7 

~n'-'7;?-A ~ 1 JI-;iJ 

?1 JI-;iJ 

y;iJ*-7'-'7 

I) 7 i? / 1 JI-;iJ 

:t;iJ'7~? '~?7/7 

:t~~/~?7/7 

-rnA7:/7 

"t7'771 JI-;iJ 

~77:/7 

1'7-3'1117:/7 

;?-A ~ 1 JI-;iJ 

=,,-'-'-7/ ~ :t:t~117 /7 

1\) '7 A :t :t ~ I' 7 / 7 

"t~?7'-'7 

'-'t''7-''t;iJ?? 

~1' '70,,7'/'7, ~:'-7 

;iJAn~/~?7/7 

1 ~;iJ 7 

~? f. ) 7 ') 7/7 

'" 1> i? ~ l' II- iJ 

;iJ?1 JI-;iJ 

.::J.;<:i;...~?7/­

~?)~'17:/7 

i? ~ 7 /7 

n-r~/~?7/7 

/'71'1 JI-;iJ 

1'7:-'7/7 

~l:::'v:i/~?7/7 

.:'. -r ~ ~ ; 7 I) 7 

?J~?7/7 

1\"/-r;iJ1' JI-;iJ 

Y7 ')1JI-;iJ 

:t':t~n7/7 

A /1' JI-;iJ 

/01 JI-;iJ 

Appendix F 

List of cetacean names in Japanese and Russian! 

Japanese' 

(tsuchi kujira) 

(akabo kujra ka) 

(kobuha kujira) 

(shiro nagasu kujira) 

(bando iruka) 

(hokkyoku kujira) 

(nitari kujira) 

(kogashlra nezuml iruka) 

(rna iruka) 

(akabo kUlira) 

(rik uzen Iruka) 

(ogawa komaHo kujira) 

(okl gondo kujira) 

(nagasu kUllra) 

(Sarawaku Iruka) 

(koku kujira) 

(ichoha kujira) 

(nezuml iruka) 

(nu zerando oogiha kUlira) 

(Hubbs' oogiha kUl.ra) 

(za\o k\ljira) 

(;hachl, lakamala) 

(k01wash. kujira: minku) 

(kazuha gondo kUllra) 

(ikkaku) 

(kila lokkuri kUJ" a) 

(kua ,eml Iruka) 

(kama iruka) 

(yume gondo kUlira) 

(komakko kujlra) 

(sem. kujlra) 

(hana gondo kupra) 

(,hiwaha iruka) 

(iwa,hl kujira) 

(kobtre gondo kUltr J) 

(mll1ami IOU un kUltra) 

(makko kujira) 

(ha,hll1aga iruka) 

(arari irub) 

(oogiha kUlira) 

(;ujl Iruka) 

(shIro Iruk'l) 

CeBepHbIH nnaBYH 

i0IKlBOPbInbIC KIIl"I 

PCMHe3y6 BnelIBl-lfl III 

DmoBan HIIH l'onv6oH KHT 

A<panl-lHa 

rpeHWlaHIl,CKHH i-!III-I nonHpHbIH KI-IT 

nOJlOCaTHK bpaHll,a 

Russian' 

Kal1HpopIIHHC" all MUpCKJH CBllI!bR 

06blKHOBCHHbII1 ;.\CJIb<pI1H Hilllll,eJlb<pHH 

6cno60~Ka 

HJCIORUUIH KIlKlBoPbVl IInH KKlBbCpOB KnKlBopbUl 

bC:lll"pbtJlaH !'WpLKJR eBHllbH 

.\Ia:lblll KJI':lIIKOII)'1II KJUla Ie T 

\\aJlall 11,111 YCplIJlI KUCaIKJ 

<l>llIIB<Ll 

(apJBJKCKIIH nCJlb<p1II1 1IJ111 IlC,'b<p11l1 <l>paJcpa 

CCpbIl! KIll 

[HII KOJ}'6blll PC!'IIIC lyll 

,\\IlI""JH L111lllbR 

PCMH(J~ U .\Ch. ropa 

I'CMIICJyG .\aG6ca 

[ 01'634 

KUCalKJ 

\\J,lblll 1l0.localllK II, H MIIIIKC 

IIltq)<lh.O" 'IIOF 1,111 IIC. b.pWI 

Iia pnxi 

t cnel'lI)'''' bYI)'I.1KuIlOL 

t CBCPllbli1 h.IIT(lUII,lllbIIlIlCl)bIPIIH 

jll'(Jl)KL';IIICKIIII OcJllll)oKHII )IC.lb'I>l11I 

KapJIIIKOII:lH """IIK.I 

"ilp)Jll~llllbttl h.J.IUa.;H)1 

Hl)Kllbllt Kill 

('CPbllt .lClbll"1l1 

I PI.'l1lIC,J) lill1l1 ~h. TlhlllHl1 

('Cllua:1 

I 1'"1I,1~ 

I{J)Kllblll 0\ ILI'IK'III1IC 

K:lIUa!1111 

llllllllllllllclolU I!.!III BCjlJHUlIIIICR .1L':lb.p1l1l 

1111 llUll.lbli, • lL'JI!,'P II II 

PCMIIC l) ii CI~llIlel cpa 

{ (U,ll1C'Jlhlll JiC"lhltH1H iLiH CI\!II~"j"Ll.' 

be.1I ,;[ 

lsevernyy plavun) 

(klyuvorylye kity) 

(remnezub Blainvillya) 

(blyuval or goluboy kit) 

(afalina) 

(grendlamhkiy or polyarny\ kit) 

(polo;atik Brayda) 

(katiforniyskaya morskaya Syin 'ya) 

(obyknovenn}'\' del'fin or del'fm 

belobochka) 

(nasloyashchlY klyuvoryl or kym'ero\) 

(belokn'laya morskaya svin 'ya) 

(maly karhkO\\'\ kashalol) 

(malaya or chornaya kosalka) 

(fmvall 

(saravahki\ del' fin or del' fin Frasera) 

(sery)' kit) 

(ginkolUb\\ remnezub) 

(mo"kaya "In '\ al 

(remnezub Hecloral 

(rcT!'nczuh Hubb<a) 

(gorbach) 

(kO,alkal 

(mal)Y POIOs..tlik or mmke) 

(;hlrokJkh'u\\ydel'tin) 

(nan all 

(\I."\-C[I'1\\- hut\ "iJno~) 

bcvern))' kllondn)) del'fm) 

(lIkhLwkeamk'\ bclobok,,· del'lln) 

(k.uliko\d\8 kOl3lka) 

(karlIk,,, IV ka,halol) 

IYllzhnH 1..111 

(ser)\ del'f.n) 

(grebnczuhn del'fm) 

Isendl) 

(grlnda) 

(YLzhR\, blllllkon,") 

(kashal('ll 

dhnnonosy) or \·erlyaShc!>I\·,\'3 dcl'fin) 

(pyalntsl\\ dei' fi:» 

(remllcLub 'iICjllC£C'd) 

IP,II,hll \ \ del' flll or ,tenell.l) 

(beiukh,l) 

'Commo n names in Spanish and, when ava ila ble, in Ala\ka YU[l ik arc li'led with "Olher COl11ITlllll Namcs" unol'< cach '1',','1," 1 h,'\ ",'T<' 1'1<" lordcd b\ Ihe Inlcl '\ I11<[)0;3n h"I'I,,,1 1 una l\'mml"i,'n and rev Ie" cd 

by R, Clarke and A , Aguayo and by Co nrad OLceva, Gambell Vil lagc, SI l 3wrenec hlnnJ. AI.llka, rC'[lce\)\ el), 

' Provided by Larry Tsunoda, Na tio nal Ma n ne Mammal I aburallll\. N~ II S, NO,\ ,\ 

' Provided by A , V, Yab lo kov, A S, "01.. 010\, and" 'i, (,urt\leh \\llh tran,IIIL'rJlIlllll ,I,lIld"rdlll'd bl 1,\ 111111\ 1'"blle,III"'" Kl'.l'llIeh "Cllle< 
MARINE MAMMAL SIGHTING INFORMATION 

DATE AND LOCAL TIME _______________ posITIoN' _______ _ 

WEATHER CONDITIONS __________________________ ___ 

~CE~OGRAPHICCONDITIONS2 ________________________ _ 

~PECIES3 _____________________ NUMBER OF ~IMAL(S)----

[N DEGREES TRUE HEADING OF ANIMAL(S) 

!\SSOCIATED ORGANISMS __________________________ _ 

fAGS OR UNUSUAL MARKINGS4 

CHARACTERISTICS WHICH RESULTED IN SPECIES IDENTIFICATION ___________ _ 

BEHAVIOR OF ANIMAL(S)-INCLUDE CLOSEST APPROACH ______________ _ 

:;KETCHES 

PHOTOS AVAILABLE YES, __ NO __ 

\.DDITIONAL REMARKS __________________________ _ 

AME AND ADDRESS OF OBSERVER (SHIP OR AIRCRAFT)----------------

245 • G PO 198 ~ 694" I 8